LA Clippers: Doc Rivers comments on Celtics, Al Horford
By Tom West
LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers commented on the Boston Celtics signing Al Horford, and believes it’s bigger than any of their draft success.
After so many years of being down on their luck as a free agent destination, the Boston Celtics were able to land their star this summer in the form of Al Horford. He may be no Kevin Durant, but Horford does so much for the Celtics’ at both ends of the floor with his complete two-way skill set. Fans can be excited, facing the potential to earn a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference next season. And LA Clippers head coach Doc Rivers knows how important the signing was, too.
At the ABCD Hoops Dream event in Boston this week, Doc was obviously expected to weigh in on his former team. Coaching the Celtics for nine years from 2004-05 to 2012-13, he obviously has a close connection to the team, the city and his time there, and he clearly thinks their future is bright after adding Horford.
As Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported, Doc thinks the Horford signing was bigger than any of the Celtics’ draft picks.
Doc Rivers on the #Celtics: "Getting Al (Horford) was big. I think that was more important than any of the draft picks (they have)."
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) September 6, 2016
The Celtics trading some of the stars who won a championship under Doc in 2008 has allowed the team to have such a plethora of draft picks today. In 2013, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded to the Brooklyn Nets in a massive deal that sent a treasure chest of first round picks (2014, 2016, the option to swap with Brooklyn in 2017, and 2018) back to Boston.
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That allowed the Celtics to draft the hyper athletic wing Jaylen Brown with the 3rd overall pick this year, despite rising up the East with 48 wins.
It’s clear to see why Doc would say that adding Horford is bigger than any of the draft picks the Celtics have (assuming he means ones they’ve used, such as Brown and a host of others this year, and future selections).
Horford gives the team an All-Star talent to pair with Horford, a capable passer, improved three-point threat and strong rim roller. Defensively, he solidifies their presence in the paint and has the ability to switch onto the perimeter.
By expanding their offensive firepower and taking some pressure of Isaiah Thomas to create so much, not to mention his versatile defense, the Celtics just got an awful lot better with Horford.
That being said, if Brown works out and the Celtics can add more high-caliber rookie talent in the next two years, that haul for their future could still wind up having great value in the long run.
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For now, though, the Celtics will be looking to put themselves forward as an actual threat in the playoffs. They can’t be up and coming forever.