Al Horford is set to become a free agent this upcoming offseason. The Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics appear ready to battle for Horford's signature and give him a max contract.
During the CSN New England Celtics vs. Hawks playoff preview podcast, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that Atlanta will likely offer the 29-year-old big man a max deal. He has played his entire career with the Hawks and is very comfortable with their team-oriented system.
However, Vivlamore pointed out that several teams would love to somebody like the four-time All-Star who can stretch defenses with his shooting while also protecting the rim on the other side. He mentioned teams like the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors are possible suitors this summer.
In a report by NESN, the Celtics were linked to Horford at the trade deadline but nothing came to fruition. Boston general manager Danny Ainge was not aggressive because he knew that the Hawks big man will become a free agent this summer.
The Celtics are a very promising young team who led by a great coach in Brad Stevens and an unlikely All-Star in Isaiah Thomas. They have made the playoffs the past two years but they also have assets to improve the team either via draft, trade market or free agency.
On the other hand, Horford was drafted by the Hawks in 2007 and has helped Atlanta make the playoffs since his rookie season. He has a salary of $12 million per year since signing a five-year, $60 million contract with the Hawks in 2011.
However, Horford is not considered a superstar but is expected to have an annual salary of $23 million or more. A salary like that looks absurd but NBA teams will have a 31 percent increase in their cap space starting next season.
The salary cap for the 2016-17 season is expected to be around $92 million and majority of the NBA teams will have the money to sign Horford if they need him. He is a four-time All-Star and has career averages of 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 blocks.
It appears that the Hawks and Celtics are not just fighting for a spot in the Eastern Conference semifinals this 2016 NBA playoffs but also for the services of Horford this summer. You can watch the Game 1 highlights between Atlanta and Boston in the video below.