The Boston Celtics formally bade farewell to Al Horford on Wednesday when the 18-year veteran signed with the Golden State Warriors in a long-expected transfer. Because the Celtics attempt to determine a brand new path ahead after a disappointing finish to the 2024-25 season, Horford will take his abilities to the West Coast to attempt to compete for a title. 

Late final month, Horford penned a goodbye message to the town of Boston on social media. 

“From the second we arrived, you’ve welcomed by household and I with open arms,” Horford wrote. “This chapter in my profession will maintain a particular place in my coronary heart. Elevating Banner 18 with this metropolis might be a second I’ll at all times cherish. I’m ceaselessly grateful for the followers and the group. Thanks, Boston.”

Sean Grande, the longtime radio voice of the Celtics, responded to Horford’s announcement with a publish of his personal: “42 to the rafters could be very a lot in play.” 

Grande adopted that up with a reply: “For individuals who wrestle with studying comprehension … and that quantity appears disturbingly excessive … an Al Horford quantity retirement is completely IN PLAY … you have misplaced contact with Celtics actuality in case you assume it is not. If you happen to learn “it should” or “it ought to” occur, get higher at studying.”

Few know the Celtics group and its historical past in addition to Grande. If he thinks Horford has an opportunity to have his quantity retired, then it is one thing we must always think about. So, let’s study Horford’s case. Does he deserve to hitch the ranks of all-time icons within the rafters of TD Backyard?

Horford’s Celtics journey

In the course of the league-altering summer time of 2016, Horford left the Hawks, who drafted him No. 3 general in 2007, to signal with the Celtics in free company. His arrival, on a four-year, $113 million deal, heralded a brand new period for the Celtics. 

In Horford’s first season, he helped Boston win 53 video games and attain the Japanese Convention finals. Whereas they weren’t true contenders that season, they received their first playoff collection because the Paul Pierce-Kevin Garnett-Ray Allen period and re-established themselves as one of many league’s premier franchises. 

The subsequent summer time, the Celtics drafted Jayson Tatum, signed Gordon Hayward in free company, and traded Isaiah Thomas for Kyrie Irving. Neither Hayward nor Irving ever actually panned out in Boston, however these strikes, which set the Celtics on their present path, wouldn’t have occurred with out Horford already on the town. 

Horford was an All-Star in 2018, made the All-Defensive Second Group and completed fifth in Defensive Participant of the 12 months voting because the Celtics received 55 video games and pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to seven video games within the Japanese Convention finals. He was arguably even higher in 2019, although he obtained no such accolades and the Celtics crashed out within the second spherical of the playoffs largely resulting from tough performances from Irving and Hayward in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks.

In the summertime of 2019, Horford surprised everybody in Boston when he opted out of the ultimate 12 months of his contract and left for the Celtics’ long-time rival, the Philadelphia 76ers, who gave him a four-year, $109 million deal in free company. 

Two years later, after a disastrous stint in Philly, and what was primarily a season in exile in Oklahoma Metropolis, Brad Stevens — who had moved from the bench into the Celtics’ entrance workplace by this level — traded for Horford to carry him again to Boston. Horford was getting into his age-35 season when the Celtics re-acquired him, and the transfer was as a lot about transferring off of Kemba Walker’s contract to create monetary flexibility because it was about Horford’s potential to nonetheless contribute. 

Horford proved he nonetheless had a lot left within the tank. 

In 2021, the Celtics went .500 and misplaced within the first spherical. In 2022, Horford’s first season again with the staff, they received 51 video games and superior to the Finals for the primary time since 2010. Although they misplaced to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, the Celtics confirmed they have been an actual risk to win all of it. Horford, who obtained Defensive Participant of the 12 months votes in 2022, was unimaginable throughout the postseason. 

Horford remained the full-time starter in 2023 because the Celtics received 57 video games and returned to the Japanese Convention finals. Their hopes of getting again to the Finals ended there, nonetheless, in a weird collection with the Miami Warmth through which they went down 3-0, received the subsequent three to drive Recreation 7, then obtained blown out at house after Tatum sprained his ankle on the primary play. 

Forward of the 2024 season, the Celtics made two main strikes with a watch on lastly getting over the hump. They traded for Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porziņģis, the latter of whom changed Horford within the beginning lineup — at the least initially. Horford made 33 begins throughout the common season, and after the Latvian went down with a calf pressure within the first spherical of the playoffs, he began the remainder of the postseason. The Celtics went all the way in which with Horford as a starter and received Banner 18, their first title since 2008 and the primary of Horford’s profession. 

The Celtics’ title protection in 2025, nonetheless, didn’t go to plan. Horford, who once more ended up beginning the vast majority of video games — each within the common season and playoffs — instead of Porziņģis, took a noticeable step again in his age-38 marketing campaign. Tatum tore his Achilles tendon in Recreation 4 of the staff’s second-round collection to the New York Knicks, which they went on to lose in six video games. 

If Tatum had stayed wholesome, there is a good likelihood Horford retires as a Celtic. As a substitute, he left the staff in free company for the second time. There’s nothing flawed with Horford’s resolution — the Celtics aren’t going to be excellent this season and he solely has so a few years left — however it’s truthful to say that leaving once more barely complicates his legacy with the franchise. 

General, although, Horford might be remembered extraordinarily fondly in Boston. He helped re-legitimize the group, taught Tatum and Brown methods to be professionals and was a significant a part of probably the most profitable eras in franchise historical past. He was the last word teammate, a beloved determine within the locker room and the group, and a champion. 

Nothing sums up Horford’s tenure higher than this quote from Tatum in 2022. 

“Al is for positive among the finest teammates I’ve ever had at any degree,” Tatum stated. “We would not be who we’re with out Al Horford.”

Horford’s Celtics résumé

• 7 seasons
• 7 playoff appearances
• 1 championship
• 2 Finals appearances
• 5 Japanese Convention finals appearances
• 72 playoff wins
• 1 All-Star look
• 1 All-Defensive Second Group
• Common season averages of 11.2 factors, 6.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 blocks on 48.4/38.8/81.5 taking pictures splits
• Playoff averages of 11.5 factors, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 blocks on 50.0/39.9/79.4 taking pictures splits

How Horford’s résumé compares to Celtics legends

The Celtics have retired 24 numbers — greater than some other franchise — although solely 22 are gamers and solely 23 are precise numbers.  

• 00: Robert Parish
• 1: Walter Brown (proprietor)
• 2: Purple Auerbach (coach, basic supervisor, president)
• 3: Dennis Johnson
• 5: Kevin Garnett
• 6: Invoice Russell
• 10: JoJo White
• 14: Bob Cousy
• 15: Tommy Heinsohn
• 16: Tom “Satch” Sanders
• 17: John Havlicek
• 18: Dave Cowens
• 19: Don Nelson
• 21: Invoice Sharman
• 22: Ed Macauley
• 23: Frank Ramsey
• 24: Sam Jones
• 25: KC Jones
• 31: Cedric Maxwell
• 32: Kevin McHale
• 33: Larry Chicken
• 34: Paul Pierce
• 35: Reggie Lewis
• LOSCY: Jim Loscutoff

There is not any motive to undergo each single participant on the record. 

Horford’s Celtics résumé clearly doesn’t match as much as inner-circle Corridor of Famers resembling Russell, Cousy, Chicken, Cowens and Havlicek. Nor did he have the quite a few titles or longevity of franchise icons like Heinsohn, Johnson, each Joneses, Loscutoff, Macauley, McHale, Nelson, Ramsey, Sanders, Sharman, Parish, Pierce and White. Tragically, Lewis’ quantity was retired after his sudden dying resulting from a coronary heart situation early in his promising profession. 

The closest comps to Horford are Garnett and Maxwell. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at their time with the Celtics, and the way Horford compares. 

Ought to Horford have his quantity retired?

Horford was not pretty much as good of a participant as Garnett, and he doesn’t have the Finals MVP trophy that Maxwell boasts. However he has extra playoff journeys and extra playoff wins than both of them and is tied for probably the most Japanese Convention finals appearances of the bunch. In reality, Horford’s 72 playoff wins are tied for the Tenth-most in franchise historical past.

If Horford had retired as a Celtic, his probabilities having his quantity retired would definitely be increased, however he did not depart on unhealthy phrases like Ray Allen did. Allen, notably, is the one member of the Huge Three from the 2008 title staff that doesn’t have his quantity within the rafters. That group solely received one title, simply as Horford, Tatum and Brown did. 

It is also price noting that the Celtics now have a brand new proprietor. Invoice Chisholm, who formally took over earlier this 12 months, has made it clear again and again that he is a professional fan. The Massachusetts native stated at his introductory press convention final month that he and his spouse have “raised a household of diehard Celtics followers.” Chisholm will totally perceive Horford’s affect on the franchise. 

Contemplating Horford’s résumé, significance to the franchise and relationship with the town and fanbase, his No. 42 deserves to be raised as soon as his taking part in days are over.