The Golden State Warriors brought on Al Horford as their main offseason addition, but the veteran appears to finally be showing his age. They gave him the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and a two-year contract to leave Boston for the Bay Area. Sadly, the Dubs are left with more questions than answers just months into his tenure.
Horford has missed seven straight games with a back injury, and LeBron James was slow to recover from the same issue this season. Horford’s production pre-injury was problematic. Head coach Steve Kerr has a difficult decision to make when Horford returns, and the situation could get worse from here.
The Warriors wanted a center capable of spacing the floor and protecting the rim. They relied too heavily on Draymond Green playing the five after the Jimmy Butler trade. Golden State hoped Horford would be the perfect answer, but this signing is looking like a bust as the Warriors are an average team after 30 games.
Al Horford gamble has been a bust for the Warriors
Horford is averaging 5.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block in 21.5 minutes per game since joining the Warriors. He has only played in 13 of the first 30 games, and the 39-year-old will need constant maintenance. His 32.1 percent shooting from the field and making under 30 percent of his threes are problematic.
Horford produced a 0.0 value over replacement player (VORP) and a well below league average win shares per 48 minutes. Golden State wants to compete for the championship. They knew they needed a big man to round out their rotation, but a replacement-level option isn’t moving the needle in the loaded Western Conference.
The 39-year-old can’t play 30 minutes per game anymore and has yet to suit up for five straight contests. Fans know the playoffs are a grind with the games condensed into a small window after the Play-In Tournament started. The Warriors can’t rely on Horford to make a consistent nightly impact at this stage.
Golden State is chasing a championship. They don’t care about qualifying for the playoffs or winning in the first round. The Warriors need Horford to be a playoff difference-maker like he was in Boston. He helped the Celtics win the title in 2024 and make two NBA Finals appearances. Sadly, that version of the five-time All-Star never arrived in the Bay Area.
Father Time is undefeated. Betting on a big man with 18 years of NBA experience carries risk, and it appears Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warriors front office went bust on this one. Al Horford is nearing a return to the court, but sciatica issues can pop back up. That is certainly scary after his less-than-ideal production to start the year.
The Golden State Warriors appear to have whiffed on their biggest signing of the offseason. There are many reasons they are stuck around .500, but this hasn’t helped. The Warriors still have hope that Al Horford rebounds, but betting on a bounce-back from a 39-year-old after a back injury seems unwise. Sadly, Golden State swung and missed. All fans can do is hope Dunleavy Jr. finds a way to rebound before the trade deadline to save the Dubs’ title hopes.