After four great seasons, including a championship victory in 2024, NBA veteran Al Horford left the Boston Celtics. It was his second stint with the organization, after ending his three-year stay in Boston in 2019. Although he finally became a champion with the franchise, he believed that it was time to move on, and he signed with the Golden State Warriors over the summer.
With the Warriors, Horford joined an aging dynasty led by Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. At 39 years old, he remains effective on both ends. He’s appeared in 34 games, averaging 7.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists.
During his talk with The Athletic’s Jay King, Horford teased that his reason for leaving the Celtics was “something deeper than basketball.”
Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Al Horford did not reveal any details about it, but he said that he will share it one day.
“And it’s something that at some point I’ll share with people,” Horford said, “But for me it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere.”
Al Horford said his decision to leave the Celtics for Golden State was "something that's deeper than just the basketball stuff of it."
"And it's something that at some point I'll share with people," Horford said, "but for me it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere."
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) February 20, 2026
Fans will never forget how crucial he was to their championship run, even though his time in Boston is now ended. Horford finished his career with the Celtics, averaging 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists with one All-Star appearance.
Al Horford has nothing but love for the Celtics
Al Horford was adored by both the organization and the fans, and the veteran standout feels the same way. The five-time All-Star expressed his admiration for the Celtics while he was with King.
“I just think that the relationships and the bonds that we’ve built there over the past few years are things that go beyond the court. It’s a great thing because basketball has allowed us to all be together and I end up having much more than just basketball,” he said.
This season, Horford is reunited with his former Celtics teammate, one-time All-Star Kristaps Porzingis. The two were part of the championship team in 2024. The Latvian center was traded by the Atlanta Hawks and made his debut against Boston on Thursday.
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