Horford adjusts role before season ends
The Golden State Warriors added 39-year-old center Al Horford to a two-year, $11.6 million contract in one of the most high-profile veteran signings of the offseason. His experience, leadership and defensive versatility will hopefully give the team a boost in the frontcourt.
However, Horford will not play in any back-to-back games this season, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Steve Kerr has made it very clear that Al Horford will never play in back-to-back games this season,” Johnson wrote on X. “The plan is to work with Al and Rick Celebrini to review the schedule a week in advance.”
At his age, the decision isn’t surprising, but it raises new questions about how Golden State will handle depth and fatigue issues during a long season.
Quality over quantity
Horford remains remarkably durable for a player in his 30s, appearing in at least 60 games in each of the past four seasons. Still, Golden State still has 16 back-to-back games on the 2025-26 schedule, meaning Horford will automatically miss at least eight games.
The Warriors are betting on efficiency. Similar to Joel Embiid’s load management approach, the team prioritized Horford’s health during crunch time rather than maximizing the number of games played. He’s still expected to start on opening night, but the rotation behind him will be tested. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post are the next options at center, though neither offers the same rim protection or veteran production as Horford.
Bench depth worries mount
The Warriors’ front office has little financial flexibility this summer, with Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga taking up most of the cap space. They brought in Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II, but also had to give up Seth Curry due to budget constraints.
Nick San Miguel blue man hoop Pointing out that the Golden State Warriors’ bench can “break down,” especially when stars miss rest or get injured. “There are games where the Warriors have to win without their stars,” he wrote, noting that young players like Brandon Pozzimski and Kuminga are key to getting through those periods.
future challenges
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton predicts the Warriors will win 56 games this season, with the total depending on the health and strong performance of the bench. Horford’s resting plan makes strategic sense, but it also leaves Kerr in a thinner rotation for a brief period.
The Warriors may have added experience this offseason, but managing that experience could determine how far they go.
