Denver Nuggets could swoop to beat Warriors to sign NBA champion after Jonas Valanciunas exit news emerges

Denver Nuggets could be in for the Al Horford sweepstakes

Al Horford is one of the most experienced players left in the market.

The 39-year-old was a key piece of the Boston Celtics team that won the championship in 2024 as he was valuable on both ends of the floor.

According to reports, Golden State Warriors were expected to be front runners to land Horford, with LA Lakers also in the race.

However, with Valanciunas now out of the Nuggets, they could definitely be in the race to sign Horford.

According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the 2023 champions could also offer him an important rotation role.

He tweeted: “With the Nuggets now once again without a backup center, they are widely expected to pivot to pursuing Al Horford in free agency.

“The Warriors and Lakers are the only teams currently in the Horford sweepstakes, but Denver would instantly offer him an important rotation role.”

Al Horford could be a great addition to the Nuggets roster

The Nuggets have been able to do a great job in free agency by adding depth to their roster.

Bringing in Horford would further elevate their free agency grade, as he is a quality center who can do a great job alongside Jokic.

The Nuggets have not been able to find a good deputy for Jokic in recent years, with players like DeAndre Jordan and Jeff Green filling in that role.

However, Horford is a better option than both of them as he can stretch the floor and also guard the opposing team’s best player.

Many Celtics players urged the team to bring back Horford next season, but they are having a summer of revamping their roster and are expected to see many more changes.

He is a great locker room presence and with a player like him, the Nuggets could take some load off Jokic’s shoulders as Horford could play valuable minutes when the three-time MVP goes to the bench.