Al Horford's potential free agent destination could upset Celtics fans

The Boston Celtics have had to say goodbye to some key players this offseason, but one departure could soon sting worse than the rest.

Over the past few days, the Celtics have traded 40% of their starting lineup from their championship team. With Jrue Holiday heading to Portland and Kristaps Porzingis heading to Atlanta, the Celtics have made their financial situation much more manageable and can move on to the next stage of their offseason.

However, that next stage might not get any easier for Celtics fans. With free agency upcoming, the Celtics have some players who will soon hit the open market, including big man Al Horford. 

Horford has been a staple in Boston for most of the past decade. Although he left the team for a couple of years after his first stint in 2019, he rejoined the team in 2021 and has been integral to the team making two NBA Finals and winning a title. However, Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz believes Horford could be a perfect free agent signing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Considering the Lakers’ big man problems and their path to contention compared to the Celtics, Horford could favor a team with LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Although he might have to take a pay cut compared to his absolute maximum value, the Lakers are in a much better position to win a championship next season and could reel in Horford for one more playoff run.

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Sure, the Celtics knew that losing Horford was a possibility going into the offseason, but potentially losing him to the Lakers would be a rough ending to such a great tenure.