As the new-look Boston Celtics struggle to find their footing in the Eastern Conference, one of their castoffs is already having problems on his new team. Former Celtics starting center Al Horford spent seven seasons in Boston over two stints with the franchise before leaving as a free agent this past summer.
The Celtics were initially criticized for going overboard with their retooling. They traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and let Luke Kornet and Al Horford leave in free agency, but they have at least been vindicated when it comes to Horford.
As a member of the Golden State Warriors, he has yet to make the same impact, with him playing a smaller role coming off the bench and being confined to almost exclusively shooting threes. Thus far, he's hit just 32.3% of his threes, the worst he's shot in more than a decade, and it's contributing to his poor play.
Worse yet, he has already missed eight of the teams' first 21 games with his latest injury being sciatica, which is fairly common for people in their late 30s but rare for NBA players. It's not a coincidence that both LeBron James and Horford have missed time this season, with them being the two oldest players in the NBA.
The Celtics opting to go younger hasn't paid off just yet, but they are still better off trying something new rather than going back to the Horford well again.
The Boston Celtics were smart to move on from Al Horford
While the Celtics aren't missing Horford, they could still use a front court upgrade. One potential option could be Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who is a terrific offensive player and rebounder.
He is 35 years old but still playing well and on an expiring contract. He might be available if the Bulls pursue and land Anthony Davis, and the Celtics should have interest if he hits the trade block.
Another option would be Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford, who is more of a defensive player, rebounder, and lob threat. He is also on an affordable contract that will pay him only around $14 million a year for the next three seasons, cheap for a potential starting center.
No matter what, the Celtics could certainly use a front court upgrade, and they were at least wise enough to know that a 39-year-old Horford wouldn't cut it. They could scour the trade market for a better fit with a few options possibly available.
If Boston were able to find a legit starting-caliber center in a trade, they could make a big playoff push. Meanwhile, the Warriors are struggling, and Horford underwhelming hasn't helped things, possibly giving them buyer's remorse while Boston looks smart for letting him leave in free agency.