The Golden State Warriors are in a win-now mode once again, looking to add a stretch center to bolster their core of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
They have their eyes on a veteran center who has a championship pedigree, NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer report.
“League sources say veteran center Al Horford will be a top target for Golden State,” Stein and Fischer wrote on “The Stein Line” Substack newsletter a few hours before NBA Free Agency opens on June 30.
Not all NBA players can play within the Warriors system under Steve Kerr.
Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., spoke at length during an interview with Tim Kawakami of The San Francisco Standard on what they are looking to add in this pivotal offseason for the franchise.
“I think the biggest thing for us is knowing the guys that are going to be here, how do we complement around them? How do we complement around Steph and Jimmy and Draymond and BP (Brandin Podziemski) and Moses (Moody), go down the list?” Dunleavy said. “What do we need to add to that? I think there’s just some specific skill sets that we could use on both sides of the ball while also understanding what type of players work for us, what type of players can play for Steve (Kerr) within this system and with Steph and Dray and what they’ve done here for many years. It’s a tricky one. You’ve got a little bit of a needle thread with it. But there are players out there we can get that can make us better.”
Al Horford’s Fit
GettyAl Horford is the perfect stretch center for the Golden State Warriors.
One of those few players who can thrive in Kerr’s system in the free agent market is Horford.
The 39-year-old center has been a long-time pillar for the Boston Celtics, spending seven of his last nine seasons with the franchise.
Horford was still solid last season despite his age, averaging 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 36.3% from the 3-point line last season. He played a pivotal role in the Celtics’ championship run during the 2023-24 season that cemented them as the winningest franchise in NBA history.
Meanwhile, the Warriors are the winningest franchise in the last decade, collecting four championships. One of them was at the expense of Horford and the Celtics in 2022.
Warriors’ Spending Power Tied to Jonathan Kuminga
Getty Golden State Warriors free agency begins with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.
With the Celtics tearing down their championship roster to save on luxury taxes in what is expected to be a gap year in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, Horford has a decision to make.
Return to Boston or join a contender such as the Warriors to get one more shot at winning a title before he hangs up his sneakers.
The Warriors’ spending power in free agency is tied to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. Without him, they will have full access to the $14.1 million full midlevel exception to make significant roster upgrades, including making a run at Horford.
Dunleavy looks forward to a swift resolution of Kuminga’s situation so they can move forward with their free agency plans.
“I never think it’s great when it drags on too far,” Dunleavy told Kawakami. “It’s tough for the player, the team. There’s a little bit of uncertainty for the rest of the roster about what you can do. We want to get this figured out. But I understand the way this works. Sometimes it does get dragged out. And we’ll deal with it if it does.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Warriors Targeting Champion Center as Free-Agent Upgrade: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.