Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford. (Photo : Getty Images)
The NBA Free agency rumors continue and one of the top players not named Kevin Durant may change his address.
Al Horford has been with the Atlanta Hawks since he was drafted in 20017 and it has led to the team having perennial playoff appearances. However, they have yet to become serious contenders in the East and that can influence Horford's decision making.
The Atlanta Hawks are expected to make an effort to retain him but recent reports are sending mixed signals. It has been reported that the Hawks tried to gauge how much Horford was worth at the deadline (short of saying the team was shopping him) and the latest revelation from Shams Carania of The Vertical at Yahoo Sports, the Hawks are also checking out their options.
"Atlanta and Philadelphia are discussing a possible trade centered on Hawks guard Jeff Teague and 76ers center Nerlens Noel, league sources told The Vertical," Carania wrote.
This has propelled the fans of other teams to assume that the Atlanta Hawks may have dropped out, or at least, loosened the reins on their pursuit for their starting center/forward. On the other hand, it has raised the hopes of the other teams vying for Al Horford's services, foremost of which is the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics are seeking a blue chips big man and they have armed themselves with trade assets as well as cap space in order to obtain big stars. They have a young core and a promising coach which is why some believe they could be a better team for Horford. Celtics Life is already anticipating his arrival. It was also recently claimed that Horford is one of the players that Durant wants to play with, and this also brought their hopes for the former MVP.
"At this point, all signs are pointing to Horford ending up in green this offseason, especially if it means having a realistic shot at Durant becoming a Celtic. On top of Horford possibly ending up in green, the Noel trade likely signals the end of the possibility of bringing in Jahlil Okafor on draft night."
The other implication is that the Celtics will have to find another trade partner if they want to trade the no.3 pick, and it could be part of a package for another blockbuster move.
