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Al Horford Departs Celtics for Multi-Year Deal With Warriors

Horford won his first championship with Boston in 2024.
Al Horford is leaving the Celtics for the Warriors
Al Horford is leaving the Celtics for the Warriors | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Al Horford won't be in a Celtics uniform when the new NBA season begins next month.

The veteran big man has committed to a multi-year deal with the Warriors, according to a report from ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania. He's set to enter his 19th NBA season with Golden State after spending seven of his past nine seasons in Boston. He had stints with the 76ers and Thunder from 2019 to '21 in the middle of his two-part tenure in Boston.

According to Charania, Horford will step into a starting role with the Warriors. The five-time All-Star won his first title in '24 with the Celtics as a key piece of their championship squad. As a beloved figure among the Boston fan base, he quickly posted a heartfelt thank you message once news of his departure broke.

"From the moment we arrived, you have welcomed my family and I with open arms," Horford wrote on his X account Sunday. This chapter in y career will hold a special place in my heart. Raising banner 18 with this city will be a moment I will always cherish. I am forever grateful for the fans and the organization.

"Thank you, Boston."

As the No. 3 pick in the '07 draft enters the twilight of his NBA career, he joins a Golden State squad trying to capitalize on what's left of 37-year-old Steph Curry's run, alongside Draymond Green and last year's trade deadline acquisition Jimmy Butler.


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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a writer at Sports Illustrated, primarily covering the NBA and WNBA. Before joining SI in November 2024 as a breaking/trending news writer, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation and A10Talk. He’s an alum of both Michigan State and St. Bonaventure University, receiving a master’s degree from the Bonnies’ sports journalism program. Outside of work, he’s a husband, father, yogi and fairly mediocre tennis player who’s open to any tips on how to play defense in EA Sports College Football.