The LA Clippers should look to pair Al Horford with Kawhi Leonard

Boston Celtics big Al Horford was expected to re-sign this summer, but now it appears he’ll go elsewhere. The LA Clippers could be his best suitor.

Early Tuesday morning, Al Horford was very much expected to re-sign with the Boston Celtics. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that he and the Celtics were working on a new deal to bring him back for another few years, and that he could be opting-out in order to take a more team-friendly deal to stay.

Skip ahead roughly 12 hours, and the narrative has completely flipped. Not only have the two sides reportedly stopped talking, but Horford is now expected to sign a three-or-four-year deal with another team this summer, as first reported by the Boston Herald‘s Steve Bulpett.

Horford isn’t the most glamorous center in the NBA. He doesn’t put up the biggest numbers and his game isn’t flashy, and he tends to be overlooked because of that. He’s also a fantastic two-way talent who has expanded his game in recent years, and because of his style of play, he could be productive well into his late-30s.

Hence, it would make perfect sense if he joined the LA Clippers this summer — especially if they’re able to haul in Kawhi Leonard as well.

As it stands, the Clippers lack the space to sign both players. In order to maximize their cap room, or at least get enough to make Horford a significant offer (in addition to Leonard’s max deal), trading Danilo Gallinari would be essential. But that seems more likely at this point than it does not, and it wouldn’t shock me if a deal happened soon — perhaps as early as draft night.

With Leonard, Horford would mesh right in with the rest of the Clippers starters. He possesses the same will to win that the rest of the team exemplified this past season, and with 11 years of playoff experience under his belt, he could be an important part of any potential title run.

This past season in Boston, Horford 13.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 29 minutes per game. He also posted shooting splits of .535/.360/.821, which are efficient numbers for a center.

His ability to stretch the floor is also something to consider. At 6’10”, he has the length to survive in the paint, yet he hoisted three attempts from deep-ball range per game last season and connected on an average of 1.1.

It’s also hard not to get excited about pairing him with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who could be the player that benefits most from his presence. Giving him a legitimate pick-and-roll big to work with would only bring more flow to the offense and could lead to the Clippers becoming one of the more efficient offenses in the league.

As far as a salary goes, it seems fair to offer Horford a deal within the realm of $20-$25 million per year, the former on a three-year and the latter on a four. He will be 37 by the time that four-year deal would expire, though, which is something to think about, even if his game remains as steady as it’s expected to.

If the LA Clippers choose not to pursue Horford, he’ll have interest from plenty of other teams around the league. The Los Angeles Lakers are hungry to add another star in addition to Anthony Davis, and the Milwaukee Bucks could find themselves in range depending on who leaves and who stays this summer.