Al Horford agrees to 4-year, $113M deal with the Boston Celtics!!

[oldtype]

The Hawks' final offer was allegedly $6 million short of a full 5 year max contract. $1.2 million per year. Why would a team nickel and dime like that? That's barely enough money to sign a second rounder.

All the while also sabotaging their chances to keep Millsap beyond this season. They might as well trade him right now and be done with it.

It's staggering incompetence. It almost makes me think they actually wanted neither so they could tank, but why spend money on Dwight then?

[Roy H.]

The Hawks' final offer was allegedly $6 million short of a full 5 year max contract. $1.2 million per year. Why would a team nickel and dime like that? That's barely enough money to sign a second rounder.

I think they were six million short of signing him, not 6 mm below the five year max.

Either way, it's $1.2 million per year. In this market, that's pocket change, and sounds more like a team looking to "win" a negotiation rather than attempting to sign Horford.

[Beat LA]

Horford gets a player option after year 3.

In my opinion this makes the deal even better. Assuming he opts out this adds more flexibility long term and could make the contract easier to move if need be.

So before year 4 you mean? I also think this makes it better. Of course a team option would be better, but at least we're getting his prime years of this deal.

He's already 30 and has had a number of shoulder and pectoral related injuries in recent years, iirc, so I wouldn't say that we're getting anywhere near a guy in his prime.

It's on the backside of his prime, but it's definitely still his prime.  You look at his last season advanced stats, and they're all pretty much at or above his career averages, except for rebounding, which, as has been pointed out numerous times, declined with the arrival of a coach that de-emphasized rebounding and the arrival of another plus rebounder.  There were only so many rebounds to go around.

Adding that 3-point shot last year will very much help his game age, and also help the Celtics with what they try to do on offense.

Also, iirc, his pectoral issues were due to him going too hard in the gym, right? He's obviously toned down on that a bit since then.

All right, if you guys say so , but I hope that you can at least understand my trepidation.  I've never been a fan of his.  Has everyone forgotten all the cheap shots and dirty plays that he pulled against us in those two playoff series?  I just, I can't, lol . Why not sign Brad Miller and Artest, too, while we're at it (sarcasm)? Ugh.

[GetLucky]

The Hawks' final offer was allegedly $6 million short of a full 5 year max contract. $1.2 million per year. Why would a team nickel and dime like that? That's barely enough money to sign a second rounder.

I think they were six million short of signing him, not 6 mm below the five year max.

Either way, it's $1.2 million per year. In this market, that's pocket change, and sounds more like a team looking to "win" a negotiation rather than attempting to sign Horford.

The Hawks were probably just going through the motions so they didn't get crucified when they didn't resign a fan favorite. I doubt they actually wanted him back.

[chiken Green]

Living in Atlanta for the past 20 years I Can honestly say that I am very happy Adding Horford.  He is truly one of the better personalities in the NBA. A really good guy that will teach our Young team a ton about being a professional.. He is a classic Leader of Men.. This young team (who has never won a playoff series) will soak up Horfords Experience..
   
He is the perfect on the floor teacher for all of our young men because he has never truly been athletic player, he's always been a smart fundamental player.. Can you imagine what a Jaylen Brown can learn from him.. And what about the international kids - what can they glean from a guy like Horford? This is a super big win for the Celtics. This is exactly what a young team needs.. A leader who has worked hard for 9 years to make himself the player he is..

This pick up is for more than wins and losses, this pick up is for hammering home the culture of who we will be for the next 10-15 years..   CBS is a heck of a coach, but all great coaches need an experienced floor General.. Horford is now that guy.. The Glue.

Danny improved us a 1000% today while managing to protect our tomorrow..  You cant ask for anything more than that from a GM..  Celtics won FA in my opinion.. with or without Durant..

[EvilEmpire]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

[max215]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

My hunch is that they didn't want him back, but didn't want to p--- off the fanbase, so they made an offer they knew he wouldn't accept.

[crimson_stallion]

Without Durant, this Horford deal is garbage.  $113M for a declining 30 year old?  Ugh.  C'mon, Durant.

There's always one! 

Nah...it's not like that.  It's going to take a while to get used to the new tv deal with a lot of money floating around and stuff. I was thinking in terms of the "old system."  Considered Evan turner got 70M, yea, Horford's deal is ok I guess.

That doesn't matter. Ignore the number and ask yourself whether Horford would have been worth a max contract under the old cap. It's the same thing.

Under old cap, no.  He's not worth a max in my opinion.

So you should undoubtedly be aware that both under the new and the old cap, max contracts are defined as a percentage of max team salary, right? If he wasn't worth max under the old cap, he probably isn't worth max under the new one, too.

Honestly, I don't think it's that simple.  I don't think a max contract now is comparable to a max contract under the old cap.

Reason is that under the old cap, there would have been only a handful of teams in the NBA - probably four or five at most - who would have had the cap space to offer a max contract.  Most of those would be teams who had a lack of talent (as the teams with good players usually don't have cap space), so that forces quality players to make the choice - "Do I take the money and go to a potentially weaker team, or do I sacrifice some coin so that I can go to a team that can win?". 

The difference is that right now, because of the way the cap jumped, pretty much EVERY team in the NBA has the cap space to sign a max contract player.  That means that a guy like Horford who is looking for a big payday has the luxury of going to a winning team AND getting the max as well.

It also means guys like Mozgov can pull off a $17M deal because so many teams have cap space that if the Lakers DIDN'T offer him that, some other team probably will. 

Everybody wants to get better, so everybody wants to add talent.  There are only so many legit stars on the free agent market - Howard, Horford, Durant - maybe Conley at a squeeze.  Once those guys are off the market, you end up a giant bidding war, with the next 20-25 teams sitting around with tons of money in their account, trying to work out who is the best guy to spend it on.  It's not a matter of "do we spend it?" - it's a question of "who do we spend it on?". 

Mediocre guys are going to get big paydays.  Guys like Horford, who might have considered settling for less then a max deal a year or two ago, now have no reason to settle for anything less.

[saltlover]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

My hunch is that they didn't want him back, but didn't want to p--- off the fanbase, so they made an offer they knew he wouldn't accept.

It that's true they should have traded him in February.  My gut says they were trying to be cheap and "win" the negotiation.  But as I said in a different thread, that was stupid.  Atlanta never should have let Horford talk to other teams. Just give the man what you can and move on.

[hpantazo]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

My hunch is that they didn't want him back, but didn't want to p--- off the fanbase, so they made an offer they knew he wouldn't accept.

It that's true they should have traded him in February.  My gut says they were trying to be cheap and "win" the negotiation.  But as I said in a different thread, that was stupid.  Atlanta never should have let Horford talk to other teams. Just give the man what you can and move on.

They should have moved both Teague and Horford this past February. They got burned by waiting too long on both.

[crimson_stallion]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

My hunch is that they didn't want him back, but didn't want to p--- off the fanbase, so they made an offer they knew he wouldn't accept.

It that's true they should have traded him in February.  My gut says they were trying to be cheap and "win" the negotiation.  But as I said in a different thread, that was stupid.  Atlanta never should have let Horford talk to other teams. Just give the man what you can and move on.

I don't think they had a lot of interest in keeping him to be honest.

Atlanta have had Horford for how long now?  How far have that gotten with him as their best / second best player?  Pretty much nowhere. 

If they re-signed him for max money and ate up all their cap space, where is that likely to get them moving forward?  Pretty much the same place - nowhere.

I assume Atlanta's top priority was going after Dwight Howard, who honestly fits better next to Millsap and has the potential to be a game-changer for them.  If they missed out on Howard, then I assume the would have gone after Horford with everything they had and offered him the full max if need be.

But they got Dwight at $24M a year, so the prospect of signing Al Horford (arguably a lesser player) for closer to $28M probably just didn;t make sense for them. 

I mean really - the Hawks got Dwight Howard for the same price as what Chandler freaking Parsons signed for...and only $7M a year more then what Timofey bloomin Mozgov signed for.  That's a ludicriously good deal, and looking at the type of deals that are being thrown around now (which will only get worse in the coming years), Dwight's contract is going to be like pure gold bullion on the trade market.

[max215]

Back in Feb it was reported that the Max contract the Hawk could offer Al was 5/145 and from what I have been hearing the latest Hawks offer was 5/136 but after seeing the offers on the table if the Hawks really wanted Al why would they just not go Max? It almost like they were trying to come out of it saying we won the negotiations and still got the player we wanted. Good luck with Dwight Atlanta.

My hunch is that they didn't want him back, but didn't want to p--- off the fanbase, so they made an offer they knew he wouldn't accept.

It that's true they should have traded him in February.  My gut says they were trying to be cheap and "win" the negotiation.  But as I said in a different thread, that was stupid.  Atlanta never should have let Horford talk to other teams. Just give the man what you can and move on.

Yeah, that does poke holes in my theory. I guess the logical response would be that they decided they no longer wanted Horford after the trade deadline.

[SparzWizard]

Hawks fans really despise us after visiting Peach Tree Hoops lol. They still think their current roster can beat us.

Well, had Bradley and Olynyk not been injured I'm pretty sure we would've taken Game 1, and left the Hawks dead in 6 games before getting ousted by the Cavaliers.

Now that we added Al Horford (and a few more to come) to play under Brad Stevens system, this team will demolish the Atlanta Hawks.

[slightly biased bias fan]

We get former Miss Universe in the package too 

[alldaboston]

https://twitter.com/BenStandig/status/749438912838324224

David Aldridge on Horford: "I think if he had decided last night, I think he would have picked the Wizards. It was that close"

If that's the case, then good job Al. Sleep on that decision. Glad to see you made the RIGHT choose!