2016 NBA free agency: 5 worst fits for Al Horford

Some people really like the idea of Horford going to the Miami Heat. He starred collegiately in Florida and would absolutely be worth a maximum salary in Miami. Horford will probably play well with the Heat should he sign there, but the optics of going to Miami from Atlanta aren’t in his favor.

Neither Southeast Division team particularly likes each other. Horford would take a ton of flak from Hawks fans to see him in a Heat uniform. Not that Atlanta would completely turn on their former All-Star center, but it would be awkward to say the very least.

Let’s not forget that Miami will have one of the most stressful free agencies of any team this summer. Dwyane Wade, Hassan Whiteside, Luol Deng, and Tyler Johnson are all free agents and it’s increasingly unlikely that all four remain in Miami in 2016-17. Miami is a finalist in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, so Horford won’t receive the attention he should deserve as a top-tier free agent with the Heat.

However, the biggest issue with Horford potentially signing with the Heat is the health of Chris Bosh and will he play next season after having his last two seasons cut short by scary blood clots. Even if Bosh is medically cleared to play with the Heat next season, how is spacing with he and Horford going to work? Don’t they kind of play the same position of stretch five.

Neither Bosh nor Horford really want to be back-to-the-basket type of offensive players anymore. While both have a strong jump-shooting game, who’s going to crash the boards on a missed jumper from one of the Heat’s big men?

Horford notoriously doesn’t like to fight on the offensive glass against physically imposing front courts like the Grit N’ Grind Memphis Grizzlies. Like he’s done with Millsap in Atlanta, he’ll leave Bosh out to dry on the offensive glass and Bosh won’t like that one bit.

Next: 2. Dallas Mavericks.