Assuming he doesn’t return the Boston Celtics — and at this point it’s looking like he won’t — Al Horford probably will garner a bit of attention on the open market.
The big man reportedly opted out of his contract with the C’s and has set his sights on signing elsewhere. Many suspect he’ll end up being a nice veteran piece on a contending team that still has some cap room available to sign him.
During an appearance Friday on ESPN’s “Get Up!” Adrian Wojnarowski floated the idea of Horford joining the new-look New Orleans Pelicans in the offseason.
“They have cap space this summer — 30 million dollars — to go out and spend on, you know if they want to go after an Al Horford they could do that and let Jaxson Hayes apprentice under him,” Wojnarowski said. “They could split that money up, they don’t have to spend it all. But they have a chance to bring some veterans in (and) to get back in the playoffs.”
Horford could be a perfect fit for the Pelicans. They have a lot of young talent which could guide the franchise back to the postseason, but New Orleans certainly would benefit from some nice seasoned leadership. Alvin Gentry is a great coach, and Horford providing skill on the court and a veteran presence in the locker room could be great for the Pels.
