Free agency has stalled in the NBA on Saturday as teams await Al Horford’s decision, expected Saturday night. It will have reverberations for the three teams pursuing him closest and several more squads indirectly impacted by his choice.
NBA Free Agency rumors: Al Horford is the next big domino
Free agency has slowed because a number of teams, including ones on the periphery, are waiting on Al Horford’s decision.
It looks more and more like Horford's decision will not see him return to the Hawks, the team where he has spent all nine years of his career. The Celtics and the Wizards are in the lead for Horford, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in part because Horford wasn't fond of Atlanta signing Dwight Howard.
The Hawks clearly still believe they have a chance to keep Horford, though, since they’ve explored trade options with Paul Millsap. Horford and Howard could fit together, but Horford, Howard and Millsap certainly could not, meaning Millsap is the odd man out of the lumbering big man trifecta. One Millsap trade the Hawks have explored is a deal with the Suns, who would send back a package of first-round picks they’ve accumulated to absorb Millsap into their cap space, per the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Chris Haynes.
Boston has contingencies, too. They have a meeting with Kevin Durant on Saturday and they'd love Horford's commitment to use as part of their pitch. Those timelines appear to be overlapping slightly, meaning Horford's decision may not happen in time to trot him out with the Celtics' recruitment party. But certainly the possibility will at least be discussed with Durant even though he's still strongly expected to re-sign on a one-year deal with the Thunder.
There's also the outcome where Horford chooses the Wizards, his other reported frontrunner. Horford is as versatile a fit as there is in the league, and Washington's big men complement has long trailed behind their star backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal, the second of whom they just locked up on a five-year, $128 million deal.
The Celtics are a desirable landing spot for free agents still on the market, and if they whiff on Horford and Durant, they'll have plenty of money to potentially spend. Other teams, like the Mavericks, are waiting on the Horford and Durant decisions for different reasons. They know they don't have chances to sign them, but will be happy to volunteer if one of those teams needs to dump a good player to fit those big names under their cap.
Either way, there's a reason NBA free agency has stalled to just a single signing on July 2 after nearly 30 players committed on Friday. Horford is the next domino, and Durant will follow once he finishes his meetings.
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