There's nothing left for Al Horford to prove

Al Horford has a decision to make. The veteran big man is heading into free agency this summer. He will be 39 years old next season and is expected to decide whether to retire or keep playing in the coming weeks. 

Horford has been a vital part of the Boston Celtics roster throughout his spells with the franchise. He was rewarded for his leadership and production with the first and only championship of his career in 2024. Most Celtics fans expected Horford to return for another season if Boston secured a second title or came close.

However, everything changed when Jayson Tatum suffered an Achilles tendon injury. The Celtics aren't expected to be contenders next season, so Horford's decision on whether to play another year or begin the second chapter of his life has become far more complicated. 

"I’m going to take some time here with my wife and my kids and just do that," Horford said during a May 17 news conference. "It has not even been a day, so there’s still a lot for me to process and just feeling everything out from last night, that was difficult."

Despite his age, Horford is still a highly impactful member of the Celtics rotation. His ability to stretch the floor, attack closeouts and work out of the low post provides Boston with significant versatility, as does Horford's angle-based defense. 

However, with nothing to play for next season, Horford doesn't have a genuine incentive to prolong his career. Unless he plans on playing until he's 40 or 41, another title with the Celtics seems far-fetched. As such, he can either look to join a contender elsewhere in the league, or accept it's time to hang up his sneakers.

Horford has proven himself to be an elite hooper. His longevity and impact cannot be denied or overlooked. At this age, with high-value contracts no longer an option, nobody would blame him for walking away, even though Celtics fans would undoubtedly welcome him back with open arms.