The Houston Rockets are reportedly targeting Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford this summer as the team prepares for an impending Dwight Howard exit in the upcoming free-agency period.
ESPN indicated that the 29-year-old Horford is set to receive maximum contract offers from potential suitors as the former Florida Gators standout enters unrestricted free agency for the first time in his nine-year NBA career. With that, the Rockets are expected to be among the teams getting in line for his services.
Earlier this week, an article from Sean Deveney in Sporting News mentioned that "landing Hawks star Al Horford is the Rockets' top-line goal in free agency" as the team is also looking at New Orleans Pelicans stretch four Ryan Anderson as another possible addition.
The rumors make sense because the team's senior officials are anticipating that their current starting center, 30-year-old eight-time All-Star Howard, will choose to opt out of the final year of his four-year, $87.6 million deal with the Rockets.
If that would be the case the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and will more likely attract several suitors even with his compromised reputation and his play already on a decline. Without Howard, the Rockets are left with 21-year-old sophomore Clint Capela as the only legitimate center in their roster, which could lead to a lot of trouble moving forward.
Houston is very much aware of that and so they are trying to be proactive and search for their new starting center for next season as soon as possible.
Horford is considered as one of the best all-around centers in the league as of the moment. The Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic native had been a consistent force in the Hawks' interior for the past nine seasons, averaging 14.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game in a total of 578 career games all for Atlanta.
This year, he once more led the Hawks to the playoffs, but they were again stopped by their nemesis, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
In 2015-2016, Horford averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 boards, and 1.5 blocks in the regular season and 13.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in the playoffs.