We knew all along that Al Horford had a mystery suitor, but we didn’t know who it was until Sunday evening, when ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski relayed a message from Horford’s agent that the free agent big man had agreed to a four-year, $109 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. The base value of this pact will be $97 million, with $12 million in bonuses linked to championships.
The Sixers’ deal with Horford is the latest big move in a day full of them for the team. They’re working on a deal to ship Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat, but they also made some additions, adding Josh Richardson in the nearly-complete Butler deal, and re-signing Tobias Harris to a large deal as free agency kicked off.
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Horford, 33, averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting .535/.360/.821 from outside the arc, inside the arc, and from the line, respectively. All this came in 68 games (29 minutes per game) with the Boston Celtics last year. Horford is a strong defender who is capable of protecting the rim or switching onto perimeter players, and he keeps opposing defenses at bay with his ability to pick and pop.
It will be interesting to see how Horford fits alongside Embiid in the Sixers’ squad. Horford is more of a center, but he showed in Boston that he could play next to another center when the Celtics pit him on the floor next to Aron Baynes.
Horford had a player option for next season with the Celtics worth approximately $30 million, but decided to turn down that option as he searched for a more peaceful locker room and a lengthier deal with more security.
