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I agree, but at least Horford is second tier - not third tier, which is what we all expect Ernie to overpay for. Of the players left, Horford would likely have the greatest impact next year - but I still don't see Wall, Beal, Porter, Horford, and Gortat really challenging Cleveland in the East. More likely, we'd be back where we were in the 4-5 spot. (And we'd have to climb back over a lot of teams that are ALSO improving to get there.)Obviously Horford is a four-time All-Star, but spending that exact same max money on him instead of KD is just such a huge bummer. It is just a lot to commit to a 30-year old who averaged 15 and 7 each of the last two years IMO. At this point, it may be the best option, but I'm not all in on it. Part of my would sign second-tier guys to get to the minimum spend floor and then try again next summer, but I guess many would argue a strategy like that is what got us in this spot to begin with. I think adding Horford certainly would be a boost but, depending on how Ernie fills the roster out, I don't think it is any sort of ECF guarantee or anything and certainly not a threat to contend.
If it were to happen, I wonder if Brooks would start Horford at the 4 and bring Kieff off the bench or send Gortat to the bench and start Horford at the 5?
The option to play Horford as a "small ball" center is significant, but 15 and 7 isn't going to blow anyone away and Horford's recent All Star appearances have been more a product of the NBA's current trend of ensuring "representation" for good teams than overwhelming individual play.
I see Horford signing with Boston over Washington regardless, but it's still a much better move than maxing out the likes of Ryan Anderson. At least Horford has made a clear difference for his team.
They didn't have much choice. If you let somebody else max him out, he walks, you get nothing, and you have no hope of attracting enough talent via free agency to keep John. Beal will need to live up to it - or at least improve enough that he can bring value back in a trade. There are still a couple of bad organizations out there, like Sacramento, that would consider trading picks and young players for a guy like Beal if it came down to it.Thoughts on the Beal contract?
Any max contract signed this summer will carry a certain degree of sticker shock, but he's a hell of a lot better than Chandler Parsons.