From Boston to Golden State, Horford hopes Warriors will be last team of his career

Nick Friedell

October 14, 2025

"The Athletic"

Al Horford does not want to leave the Celtics. He was happy in Boston; signed twice, played for the Celtics for 7 years, and his family had already settled in Boston. But Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury changed everything for the Celtics. For Horford, this changed his summer schedule and the end point of his career.

"I think the Celtics are more than just a team. It is my home and everything to me. But they are not just unable to provide an opportunity that I want." Horford told "The Athletic".

The 39-year-old Horford chose to sign a contract with the Warriors in early October rather than return to Boston for another season. He made this decision based on several key factors in addition to Tatum's injury.

"Obviously there are two reasons," Horford explained. "I think money is a factor. But beyond that, there's the desire to win, and I want to win another championship. I think there's a lot of things that are up in the air in Boston -- it just feels like the Celtics are not the same as they were in the past, and obviously, that's because of Tatum's injury, which was a big impact. Before Tatum got hurt. , I think my career will end in Boston, but at this point in time, I think a change needs to be made."

Horford helped the Celtics win the championship in 2024. He is a trustworthy presence on the court and is highly respected in the community. After announcing his signing with the Warriors last week, Horford spoke candidly about how much he loves the city of Boston and why the Warriors were the only team that could drive him away from the Celtics. When looking back on the summer's decision, Horford noted that part of the blame lies with the Celtics' front office. After Tatum was injured, they decided to adjust their lineup structure.

"I think when the offseason started, the Celtics obviously had other priorities (than renewing my contract)," Horford said. "Obviously, the Celtics are focused on trading Holiday and Porzingis. I understand, it's all about salary, but it's like a domino effect, and it's hard for me to accept. It was a tough decision, but my wife and I prayed (that it was the right one). Once I made the choice, I knew it would work out It became like this - my family had to fly and move with me and push forward a lot of things. "

The Warriors' good operational management and the prospect of winning this season made it easy for Horford to make the decision to move. Horford believes that he can adapt to the atmosphere of the Warriors, where there is a group of high-level veterans and a group of young people with promising futures. At the opening conference last week, Horford said that before signing with the Warriors, he did not have too many personal relationships with Curry and Dream Green. But since he had the opportunity to play for the Warriors, he received an olive branch from both of them at the same time.

"Well, I've had conversations with Curry and Green," Horford said. "That was a big deal. It all happened really fast because at one point they approached me and said, 'Hey, we need you,' like, that kind of thing. But it was just one of the things that I was thinking about. For me, when I think about the Warriors and the way I'm playing, The degree of adaptability and considering the Warriors' championship potential, I feel that this is the right decision. Of course, their connection with me is also very important."

In the first two weeks of playing for the Warriors, Horford continued to receive praise. Players and coaches alike praised his impact on and off the field. Young players especially appreciate him because Horford can share many stories and provide a lot of advice after playing in the NBA for 19 full years. Players speak of him with respect, as many of his former teammates have throughout his career. From training, Horford has used his own way to win the trust of his new team.

As a new member of a high-level team, Horford is carefully looking for the team's position by learning from Curry, Green and Butler's daily training.

"Being a freshman, I don't have all the answers," Horford said. "I want to learn, I want to understand how they (tactics) work, how they do those things. I want to practice with those concepts. I've played against them for many years, I've guarded their system, so I understand some things, but I don't understand all of it yet, what it's like to be a warrior. So, for me, I'm here to learn. I want to learn as soon as possible, because I don’t have much time. We want to do something special in the new season, so I want to adapt to the coach as soon as possible, adapt to his tactical terms, adapt to the new teammates, and understand their preferences.”

Horford never thought about leaving Boston, but now, he hopes that San Francisco can be the last stop of his career. He knows that anything can happen in the league, but he firmly believes that the Warriors will be the last team he plays for in his career.

"Of course, I hope so," Horford said. "I think at this point in my career (after everything), my only hope now is to retire here."