Al Horford has been linked with a move to the Golden State Warriors all summer. However, the current stalemate with Jonathan Kuminga has slowed down negotiations, with the Warriors’ front office appearing to want a resolution in their talks with the former lottery pick before pressing ahead with other business.

The most likely reason for Golden State’s reluctance to sign anyone before securing a deal with Kuminga is that they want to see what their cap situation looks like after a deal is reached, so that they can manage their books while adding some new faces.

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Unfortunately for the Warriors, that approach has led them deep into the offseason with no new additions walking through the door. Horford and De’Anthony Melton are both reportedly waiting in the wings, ready to sign new contracts once Golden State is ready to make that happen.

According to Jake Fischer, Horford may also sign a contract worth more than the $5.7 million Mid-Level Exception this summer, which would be a larger salary than many expected for the 39-year-old veteran.

“Al Horford’s situation is a bit different because, depending on where the Warriors land in a cap tax situation, I believe he could make upwards of the full taxpayer mid-level ($5.7 million) exception,” Fischer said via recent live stream of Bleacher Report’s “Insider’s Notebook” on Aug. 20. “There’s also discussion of a potential two-year deal with a player option, which would be beneficial for Horford, who was considering retirement following Boston Celtics‘ championship run in 2024.”

Horford has been a core part of the Boston Celtics rotation in recent years, helping them win a championship in 2024. He’s also adjusted his game to become more perimeter-based as he’s gotten deeper into his 30s. Last season, 5.2 of his 7.7 shot attempts per game came from behind the arc, where he drained 36.3%, a slight dip from his 41.9% 3-point shooting the season before, and 44.6% in 2022-23.

The Warriors will undoubtedly be excited about potentially adding Horford to the rotation. He’s a smart defender who uses angles to negate his waning athleticism. He’s capable of guarding in space, is versatile enough to switch between multiple positions, and can space the floor, make quick reads and all while working within the confines of a system.

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As such, it’s no surprise Golden State would be willing to go above the MLE to secure Horford’s services. However, nothing can be finalized until Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob find a conclusion for Kuminga’s current contractual stand-off.

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors could sign Al Horford for more than the Mid-Level Exception