Despite finishing the regular season with a 51-31 record, the New York Knicks failed to reach their ultimate goal: an NBA championship. Their season ended after a disappointing 125-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Although the Knicks had an impressive season, they faced a bevy of alarming issues. The changes have already begun, but a particular problem constantly interferes with their runs. While their starting lineup was one of the league’s best, they severely lacked depth. With minimal moves they can make, and a need for win-now players, one steady hand they could turn to this offseason is Celtics center Al Horford.
Horford’s Hot Summer
While many analysts suspect that trades are going to be aplenty, the free agent pool won’t be as fascinating.
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Still, the free agent market could feature many important role players. One of the players the Knicks might target this summer is Boston Celtics center Al Horford.
After playing one season with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Horford was traded to the Celtics on June 18, 2021. During his first season in Boston, he averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He finished the year ninth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
With his, at the time, current four-year contract close to expiring, he signed a two-year, $20 million extension on Dec. 1, 2022. Following the extension, he experienced a decline. For the following three years, he averaged 9.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks.
Now, with how much cap the Celtics have to shed, Horford is seemingly up for grabs.
Despite the drop in his numbers, Horford contributed greatly to the Celtics’ winning ways and 2024 title. He could still be a decent fit for the Knicks.
Knicks Bench Could Use Horford
Acquiring Horford would be a huge step toward addressing the Knicks’ depth issue, considering his experience as a reserve. Because Kristaps Porzingis joined the Celtics’ roster in 2023, Horford came off the bench for the last two years, yet maintained an average of 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks.
However, if he were to transition to New York, Horford still might not get the proper playing time he desires.
Right now, Mitchell Robinson is the Knicks’ backup center. Although he isn’t classified as a player who can be consistently depended on, he did show up in this year’s playoffs, especially on the glass and on defense.
Throughout the majority of the playoffs, Karl-Anthony Towns often found himself in foul trouble. As a result, Robinson found extra playing time and took advantage by overachieving in his minutes.
His most notable game happened during Game 5 of the first round against the Detroit Pistons. With Towns having five fouls that game, Robinson played 22 minutes and finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Considering the game-changing performances that Robinson put together in the playoffs, the Knicks might look to him more, making Horford’s role redundant.
New York’s Need For Defense
Another issue the Knicks encountered this season was the lack of a defensive presence, particularly around the rim. The Knicks finished the year 29th in blocks per game.
While Horford has been an excellent rim protector for most of his career, his numbers have dipped lately. This season, he averaged 0.9 blocks, marking the first time he averaged less than one block since 2021.
The reasons for the decrease vary, but one aspect that must be considered is the wear and tear on his body. At the age of 38, Horford has played in his 18th season. Although his minutes have been trimmed down, his body has still been affected by the years of high-leverage use.
The Knicks undoubtedly face numerous challenges to tackle this summer. But if they want to compete for a championship soon, they will need to add more pieces to their roster. Horford could be a great fit, given his winning pedigree, but it might be too late for the Knicks to get much out of him.
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