The Celtics sealed Al Horford's destiny to be a Warrior without even knowing it

The Golden State Warriors waited all offseason to sign former Celtics center Al Horford to a two-year, $11.6 million contract. He was their top free agency target, but the Warriors had Jonathan Kuminga business to settle first. Horford was (and is) on board with Golden State's vision, but there is one thing that would've prevented him from joining the Warriors.

Horford told ESPN's Anthony Slater that if he didn't win his first title with the Celtics in 2024, he doesn't think he'd be with the Warriors. You might be wondering how those two things are correlated, but it actually goes back to 2022, when Golden State beat Boston in the 2022 NBA Finals.

There's the saying that if you can't beat them, you join them, but that wouldn't have been the case for what Slater referred to as Horford's "worst heartbreak." Horford told Slater, "I think it would've been too hard for me as a competitor just because of how I operate. So I just don't think I could have."

So, you can call Horford the anti-Kevin Durant, but hey, the Warriors benefitted from that, too!

Al Horford's competitive fire could've kept him from the Warriors

Golden State didn't know it at the time, but in June of 2024, the Celtics' title win helped the Warriors out. Between that and Boston not wanting to venture into the second tax apron — especially not after the Jayson Tatum Achilles injury in the 2024 playoffs — Horford made his way to The Bay.

The players that he watched celebrate a title in 2022 are now his teammates. Horford will do what he can to help Golden State win another title with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, as well as Jimmy Butler's first. He's the stretch five the Warriors have been looking for — specifically Green, who has said it can be taxing for him to play the five as he grows older.

Horford's two-year deal, which has a player option for the 2026-27 season, aligns with Curry, Green, and Butler's contracts. Time is ticking for Golden State to win another championship with Curry and Green, two of the key players from its dynasty days. The Warriors finally took charge and maximized their chances by trading for Butler and signing Horford a few months later.

Maybe by the time Horford steps away from the NBA, his biggest memory of the Warriors and the NBA Finals won't be what happened to him in 2022, but about winning a second title.

Proposed Trade Sees Raiders Land Former No. 7 Pick to Help Position of Need

In a lost season for the Las Vegas Raiders, many are ready to see the team embrace a rebuild and sell off their best pieces to the highest bidder. While 2025 appears to be a lost season, quick turnarounds aren’t impossible.

Even if the Raiders don’t get into the playoffs, a strong end to the season would make the vibes much better heading into the offseason. One of the key reasons for the team’s struggles has been offensive line play. There isn’t a single player in the group who looks like a long-term starter, outside of left tackle Kolton Miller, who is out with an ankle injury.

Right tackle has been an issue the Raiders have tried to solve for years, but haven’t had any luck. Evan Neal was highly touted coming out of Alabama in 2022, which led to him being drafted by the

New York Giants with the No. 7 pick. However, injuries have derailed his career.

He hasn’t played a game for the Giants this season, and they declined the fifth-year option on his rookie contract. Neal doesn’t have a future in New York, and

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler listed the Raiders as a team that could trade for him.

“This feels like an ideal time to deal away Neal, the No. 7 pick in 2022 who has been inactive all season,” Fowler wrote. “The Giants’ starting offensive line finally feels settled, which would make parting with Neal easier, even if for just a late-round pick swap. Teams are always looking for offensive line help.”

Is Neal Worth Trading For?

Neal’s value has plummeted so much that the Giants might only be able to get a seventh-round pick or just a pick swap for him. There’s a good chance that Neal is a true bust and doesn’t have what it takes to play in the

NFL.

That said, he was a very good player at Alabama and was named a Consensus All-American in 2021. The fact that he’s dealt with so many injuries has made his development tricky. It’s possible that there’s still some potential there in the right situation. Even if he ends up flaming out in Las Vegas, he wouldn’t be a bad player to take a flyer on.

Braxton Jones Also Listed as Trade Fit

Neal won’t be the only tackle possibly on the trade market. Fowler also listed the Raiders as a fit for Chicago Bears offensive tackle Braxton Jones.

“Rival teams agree that Jones is a sensible trade candidate after his benching in favor of Theo Benedet and his résumé as a multiyear starter in Chicago. Jones also is in a contract year, and he is now healthy following an ankle issue that plagued him for much of 2025,” Fowler wrote.

Jones has a lot of starting experience, but hasn’t been a huge impact player. Regardless, offensive linemen with experience aren’t easy to find this late into the season, so there should be interest. Neal might be more interesting because of his upside, but the Raiders could favor a more well-known commodity like Jones if they’re going to make a trade.