Horford: Dubs obvious choice if not in Boston

"For Al Horford, the decision to leave the Boston Celtics was a hard one after spending seven of his past nine seasons there, including winning the 2024 NBA title -- the first of his 18-year journey through the league. But as Horford contemplated his future this offseason, two things were easy: He knew he wouldn't retire, and he knew that if he had to leave the Celtics, joining the Golden State Warriors was the obvious thing for him to do."

""It's a great opportunity to compete and to win at a high level," Horford said Wednesday in his introductory session with the media at Chase Center. "When I think about the Warriors, I think about Steph [Curry] and Draymond [Green] and Steve Kerr and seeing Jimmy Butler here. What he did in that second half of the season last year after the trade and how they're playing."

"The idea of Horford leaving Boston seemed far fetched, at best, when the regular season ended in April. He was fully ensconced in Boston, where he was beloved by the fans and everyone in the organization, his family was a constant presence around the team, and the only question was how much longer Horford would continue his Hall of Fame-worthy career."

Al Horford spent seven of his past nine seasons with the Boston Celtics and won the 2024 NBA title during his 18-year career. He chose not to retire and elected to sign with the Golden State Warriors to keep competing at a high level. Horford cited the presence of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Steve Kerr and the addition of Jimmy Butler and his late-season play as major attractions. Leaving Boston was difficult because of deep organizational ties and family presence. Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury in the Eastern Conference semifinals significantly affected Boston's outlook.

Read at ESPN.com