NBA Trade Deadline 2020: The 20 best players available

5. Al Horford — C, Philadelphia 76ers — Contract of $28,000,000

It mostly hasn’t worked for Horford in Philadelphia. He’s almost 34-years old, and his numbers are down across the board. Most concerning, his shooting efficiency has ticked downward, continuing a trend since about the 2016-17 season. He looks less mobile than in years past, which is saying something. He has been almost superfluous in Philadelphia. Yes, he’s extremely valuable backing up Joel Embiid, but that’s a job for a, you know, back-up center, not a star like Horford.

That Horford signed in Philadelphia was questionable. The team already has a plethora of creators who like to play in the paint. His role there is about as superfluous as it could be anywhere in the league. But the bet is that if Horford moves elsewhere, where fewer people take up the space to which he is accustomed, his quirky scoring, excellent passing, and switchable defense rebound to elite levels.

However, Horford’s passing and defense remain elite even in Philadelphia. He helps the team, even if the Sixers would prefer to have a perimeter creator. But any team that could use a big with the diverse skill-set of Horford would greatly benefit from his presence. He would add a whole new element to the Houston Rockets, for example.