NBA Free Agency 2019: 5 potential destinations for Al Horford

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 28: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on January 28, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 28: Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics handles the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on January 28, 2019 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2. Brooklyn Nets

If Horford isn’t ready to say goodbye to Kyrie Irving, he could follow him to Brooklyn this summer.

The Nets gave themselves the ability to carve out two max-contract slots when they agreed to salary-dump Allen Crabbe to the Atlanta Hawks. Although they’d fall a few million short of the $70.85 million they’d need to max out both Irving and Horford, the latter is likely to settle for far short of his max wherever he winds up.

Brooklyn would have to renounce the rights to all of its free agents, including All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, but that’s a worthwhile sacrifice if it means landing both Irving and Horford. The Nets would still have Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarrett Allen, Joe Harris and newcomer Taurean Prince in the fold, and they could round out their roster with the $4.8 million room mid-level exception and ring-chasers on veteran-minimum deals.

The Philadelphia 76ers exposed the Nets’ lack of frontcourt size in the first round of the playoffs, as Brooklyn had no answer for All-Star center Joel Embiid. Adding Horford, one of the few big men across the league who gives Embiid fits, could lead to a shuffling of the Atlantic Division hierarchy next season.

The Sixers, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers all have major free-agent questions looming, while the Celtics appear poised to take a significant step back this summer. By adding Irving and Horford, the Nets could talk themselves into becoming immediate title contenders.

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