Al Horford likes what the Atlanta Hawks are doing.
Does he like it enough to stick around this summer, when he enters free agency?
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Per Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports:
“The city itself is a great city,” Horford told Yahoo Sports. “People are great. This Hawks’ organization is moving in the right direction. With the new ownership, with the coach, I really feel good about the future of the Hawks.”
Horford has been with the Hawks since he entered the NBA in 2007 and is now among the Association’s most versatile big men. He can pass, rebound, post up, put the ball on the floor, protect the rim and, most recently, shoot threes.
At 29, though, he will be seeking a lucrative payday once he reaches the open market. The Hawks own his Bird rights, meaning they can tack on a fifth year to his next deal that no other suitor can. But it’s unclear whether they’re prepared to funnel what could be, per Spears, more than $145 million into Horford.
While he’s super important to what they do, Horford may have to accept a hometown discount as part of landing that fifth year. The Hawks are still trying to emulate the San Antonio Spurs, and that team has, for years, been founded upon financial sacrifice.
