The internet is a wonderful place, because you'll be minding your own business before suddenly being reminded of something like just how poorly Al Horford messed up his free agency decision in 2025. The veteran big man had his picked of the litter. Horford chose the absolute worst spot.
Michael Scotto reported early last summer: "Al Horford has received interest from several contending teams since the start of free agency, including the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers."
Horford chose to join the Warriors on a two-year deal worth close to $11.7 million. Every other team on that list would have given him a better home for a title push in the final years of his career. Every single one. The former NBA champion could not have done worse for himself.
Lakers lucked out with how Al Horford’s free agency unfolded
Horford, himself, has certainly not been the model free agency win, by any means. The Warriors veteran has shown his age in 2025-26. That has contributed to the underwhelming campaign in Golden State.
Horford cannot be blamed for everything. The endless Jonathan Kuminga saga continues to hang over the franchise. The unfortunate news of Jimmy Butler tearing his ACL was a rough blow for Golden State as well.
However, Horford was supposed to patch up the hole in the frontcourt for the Warriors. He hasn't.
The Lakers pivoted to running a two-man combination of Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes up front. It hasn't been perfect, but the stopgap is certainly in place for Los Angeles.
Every other team that was rumored to be connected to Horford has done just fine without him. One would imagine that leaves some question marks on what could have been had the 39-year-old picked one of those better situations.
The Knicks and Nuggets are both genuine contenders. Both have proven to be flawed (more so New York) to some capacity, but either one could emerge in the NBA Finals once the dust settles in the playoffs.
The Cavaliers have been the most inconsistent of the bunch. Even so, betting on the Cavaliers to break through in a weaker Eastern Conference is a safer gamble than thinking this Warriors team makes it out of the West.
Perhaps the most brutal miss on Horford's part was not staying put in Boston. The Celtics have been without Jayson Tatum or a strong frontcourt. They are the second seed in the East all the same.
Horford struck out big time in choosing the Warriors. The lone solace of that decision would be the fact of there being very little left to prove for the future Hall of Fame big man.