On Friday night, the Boston Celtics suffered a devastating Game 6 loss to the New York Knicks and have officially been eliminated from the playoffs. For the eighth consecutive season, there will be a different NBA Champion following Boston’s elimination.
Now that their season is officially over, all eyes will be on what could be a busy offseason for the Celtics. Roster turnover seems inevitable for the Celtics as they look to shed salary and potentially undergo a reset season in 2025-25.
One of the biggest names to keep an eye on for the Celtics is Al Horford, who recently provided a major career update.
Horford, who turns 39 years old in a couple of weeks, just finished his 18th season in the league and is an unrestricted free agent this summer. For the past few years, retirement has looked like a legitimate possibility for Horford, and that has not changed this year. However, the one-time NBA Champion reportedly has not made up his mind on retirement just yet.
According to The Athletic’s Jay King, Horford said “it’s too soon” to discuss his future in the NBA, and he will take his time before coming to a decision.
Al Horford said “it’s too soon” to talk about his future. Said he’s going to take some time here with his wife and kids and there’s “still a lot for me to process.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 17, 2025
Though his best days are behind him, Horford still provides Boston with a veteran presence and dependability. On the court, he has come up big in clutch moments many times for the Celtics, and he played a big role on last year’s championship team.
Horford’s status will be worth monitoring this summer. If he does call it a career, the Celtics will be put in a tough position to replace their veteran big man both on and off the court.
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