Al Horford opts out; to become free agent

Developing story, stay tuned.

There are currently conflicting stories on Horford's intent. Some reports have it that he is looking for a new long-term deal to stay with the Celtics, others suggest he could depart.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2834121-celtics-rumors-al-horford-declines-301m-contract-option-will-be-free-agent

Boston Celtics center Al Horford has reportedly declined the player option in his contract and will become an unrestricted free agent during the 2019 NBA offseason.  

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first reported word of the star's decision to turn down the $30.1 million option.

The 33-year-old Dominican Republic native remained productive for the Celtics this past season as the team attempted to juggle an overcrowded rotation. He averaged 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 blocks across 68 appearances.

Horford, who has earned one All-Star selection in three years with Boston, ranked fifth among centers in ESPN's real plus-minus for 2018-19.

Note: If true that he is willing to re-work his contract, it's a win-win. More LT money for Al, more money for the team to spend elsewhere now.

I am taking a contrarian view about Al Horford.  I see no good sense to extend his contract unless we are bringing in a viable option in the frontcourt that can learn and be developed along side him

The top 5 +/- center is a partly cloudy day with a chance of rain.  

Al was #2 in assists and #1 in 3 pt percentage among all centers.  See, he is a perfect fit for the offense.  However offense does not win you a title.  He was also 19th in rebounds and 18th in block shots.  He was #55 in free throw attempts of all centers.

Remember my list of our 3 deficiencies.  AH is the main reason for them.

Boston should renounce him right now since he opted out.  This is an opportunity to get off of his contract.  The Celtics will never win a title with him as our top frontline player.

Yes I am recommending that we pretty much rebuild our front line from top to bottom.

dboss wrote:I am taking a contrarian view about Al Horford.  I see no good sense to extend his contract unless we are bringing in a viable option in the frontcourt that can learn and be developed along side him

The top 5 +/- center is a partly cloudy day with a chance of rain.  

Al was #2 in assists and #1 in 3 pt percentage among all centers.  See, he is a perfect fit for the offense.  However offense does not win you a title.  He was also 19th in rebounds and 18th in block shots.  He was #55 in free throw attempts of all centers.

Remember my list of our 3 deficiencies.  AH is the main reason for them.

Boston should renounce him right now since he opted out.  This is an opportunity to get off of his contract.  The Celtics will never win a title with him as our top frontline player.

Yes I am recommending that we pretty much rebuild our front line from top to bottom.

I'm with you on this one dboss - I was even thinking of waiving him via the stretch provision to free up some serious cap space. Ditto for Hayward. But this opting for free agency is even more financially rewarding.

swish

swish wrote:

dboss wrote:I am taking a contrarian view about Al Horford.  I see no good sense to extend his contract unless we are bringing in a viable option in the frontcourt that can learn and be developed along side him

The top 5 +/- center is a partly cloudy day with a chance of rain.  

Al was #2 in assists and #1 in 3 pt percentage among all centers.  See, he is a perfect fit for the offense.  However offense does not win you a title.  He was also 19th in rebounds and 18th in block shots.  He was #55 in free throw attempts of all centers.

Remember my list of our 3 deficiencies.  AH is the main reason for them.

Boston should renounce him right now since he opted out.  This is an opportunity to get off of his contract.  The Celtics will never win a title with him as our top frontline player.

Yes I am recommending that we pretty much rebuild our front line from top to bottom.

I'm with you on this one dboss - I was even thinking of waiving him via the stretch provision to free up some serious cap space. Ditto for Hayward. But this opting for free agency is even more financially rewarding.

  swish

Swish

I am sure many would view this as draconian decision by Boston.

How much CAP space can be freed up if Boston renounces AH, KI, MM and TR?

Hayward has a very important year in front of him. If he is firing on all cylinders Boston should be willing to keep him. If not the stretch provision could be used to spread out the remaining part of his contract. I hope he plays very well.

If Horford does leave, it looks like the rebuild after Pierce/Garnett will have to be extended. I am wondering if he can get more money somewhere else for the next three or four seasons, but I guess we shall see.

Not sure that I am completely ready for adding 2-3 years to the rebuild at this time as drafting center types has not worked out for Ainge. Horford may not be a great center (or even a great power forward) at this time, but I like how he fits in with the Cs young guys, and could do much to help blend in another big man. There also will be power forward minutes to fill if Morris leaves.

I might be ready to keep Horford for three more years at a reduced yearly rate at this point, but could be convinced to think otherwise.

I calculated around $70 million including the CAP holds for Morris and Rozier (around $20 Million combined)

Boston could flip the script

wideclyde wrote:If Horford does leave, it looks like the rebuild after Pierce/Garnett will have to be extended.  I am wondering if he can get more money somewhere else for the next three or four seasons, but I guess we shall see.

Not sure that I am completely ready for adding 2-3 years to the rebuild at this time as drafting center types has not worked out for Ainge.  Horford may not be a great center (or even a great power forward) at this time, but I like how he fits in with the Cs young guys, and could do much to help blend in another big man.  There also will be power forward minutes to fill if Morris leaves.

I might be ready to keep Horford for three more years at a reduced yearly rate at this point, but could be convinced to think otherwise.

wyde

With Irving heading out the door Boston can become a player in FA now! Plus we still have 3 picks this year. When you have CAP space you do not have to part with assets to get someone.

by this with Horford and Irving opting and they sign elsewhere,

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/2019/

we'd be at about $105M in salarys with all the cap holds. but NOT including the first round drat picks (which will have holds of somewhere around $7M...see next link)

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/info/rookie_scale/2020


so we'd still be about at the cap after the draft, if Danny keeps the picks.

renouncing Morris gives us $10.2M and Rozier $9.1M
the rest are minimum or there about holds anyway.

don't get all excited about having a lot of cap space..I personally don't see how.

If Boston had the CAP space as a result of AH gone I would like to see them go after

Nikola Vucevic. 20 PPG and 12 rebound and 3.8 assists. They would still need to add a beast at PF.

kdp59 wrote:by this with Horford and Irving opting and they sign elsewhere,

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/boston-celtics/cap/2019/

we'd be at about $105M in salarys with all the cap holds. but NOT including the first round drat picks (which will have holds of somewhere  around $7M...see next link)

https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/info/rookie_scale/2020


so we'd still be about at the cap after the draft, if Danny keeps the picks.

renouncing Morris gives us $10.2M and Rozier $9.1M
the rest are minimum or there about holds anyway.

don't get all excited about having a lot of cap space..I personally don't see how.

If the also renounce Morris and Terry what are we looking at? 105-20 ?

If Boston kept 14, 20 and 22 total is approximately 7 million.

I thought I read somewhere that rookie salaries do not count against the Cap until they are signed.

I read that they are shopping at least one, maybe two of the draft picks. Personally, at 14,20, 22, in this draft we are low on the totem pole and hope they flip them for something.

I am not a cap specialist, however, I feel Al is an important part of the Celtics right now. I believe they will do what they can to sign him. On the other hand, I can't blame him if he wants to go to a winner and see if he can come up with a ring. After all, isn't that what the light at the end of the tunnel was here when he signed.

How things change so fast in the NBA.

dboss wrote:If Boston kept 14, 20 and 22 total is approximately 7 million.  

I thought I read somewhere that rookie salaries do not count against the Cap until they are signed.

1st round picks have cap holds that kick in on 7/1.
2nd round picks have no holds other than a charge for a roster spot.

if my math and understanding are correct, celtics could have about $16M in cap space by renouncing rights to Irving, Horford, Morris and Rozier.

to me, Keeping Horford, Morris and Rozier make much more sense, than trying to replace them for $16M in salary's.

but who knows...Capela's salary is under $15M next year. so maybe Danny plans on bringing him over in some type of trade.

BTW, if we renounce those players they cannot play for us for a year. So no resigning Horford or Morris at a later date this year.

If the Celtics and Horford can work out a longer-term agreement that starts closer to $20MM, it should allow the team to re-sign Terry Rozier and have access to the full mid-level exception this offseason, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. As Marks points out (via Twitter), the club could also clear up to about $27MM in cap room, but that would mean renouncing Horford and Rozier along with Irving and Marcus Morris, which probably isn’t realistic.

kdp59 wrote:if my math and understanding are correct, celtics could have about $16M in cap space by renouncing rights to Irving, Horford, Morris and Rozier.

to me, Keeping Horford, Morris and Rozier make much more sense, than trying to replace them for $16M in salary's.

but who knows...Capela's salary is under $15M next year. so maybe Danny plans on bringing him over in some type of trade.

BTW, if we renounce those players they cannot play for us for a year. So no resigning Horford or Morris at a later date this year.

I agree as I am less than enthusiastic about another major rebuild.

Why not renegotiate Al's contract and keep him as our 4, resign Terry, renounce Morris Sr., AND pick up Capela? Our top 7 player rotation would then be Smart, Jaylen, Jayson, Gordon, Al, Capela, and Terry. Decent backcourt and front line.

Vuc would be my #1 target. Period.
Keep Al at $18m for 3 years. Let go of Terry and Morris. Have Smart and Hayward share point guard duties. Draft a backup big and point guard. Orkeep Terry too if Wyc wants to pay the tax.

worcester wrote:Why not renegotiate Al's contract and keep him as our 4, resign Terry, renounce Morris Sr., AND pick up Capela?  Our top 7 player rotation would then be Smart, Jaylen, Jayson, Gordon, Al, Capela, and Terry. Decent backcourt and front line.

W -

If there was a way to make this work, I would be a satisfied fan.

I think that's a competitive team right there.

Regards

worcester wrote:Why not renegotiate Al's contract and keep him as our 4, resign Terry, renounce Morris Sr., AND pick up Capela?  Our top 7 player rotation would then be Smart, Jaylen, Jayson, Gordon, Al, Capela, and Terry. Decent backcourt and front line.

how to make that work cap wise is unknown to me...would be nice to replace Morris with the longer Capela for sure.

maybe we resign Morris for $ 10M or more and trade him a draft pick for Capela.

I think that would work for cap rules, but why would Houston want to do that?

Morris and the #14 pick worth Houston's ONLY big man?

who knows.

dboss wrote:If Boston had the CAP space as a result of AH gone I would like to see them go after

Nikola Vucevic.  20 PPG and 12 rebound and 3.8 assists.  They would still need to add a beast at PF.  

I would take him over Horford anytime....

Me too.

cowens/oldschool wrote:

dboss wrote:If Boston had the CAP space as a result of AH gone I would like to see them go after

Nikola Vucevic.  20 PPG and 12 rebound and 3.8 assists.  They would still need to add a beast at PF.  

I would take him over Horford anytime....

Vucevic took a dump in the playoffs this year..buyer beware.

So did Kyrie, but he still is a major talent, as is Vuc.

Even Steph had a few weak games.