Warriors need to land Al Horford after losing championship center

Kevon Looney's departure from the Golden State Warriors has somewhat slid under the radar. The veteran big man spent 10 years in the Bay Area, helping the franchise secure two championships during his tenure. 

Looney's presence on the Warriors roster is part of the reason the front office often overlooked adding some additional size at the center position. He consistently found a way to play bigger than he is, often locking up the defensive glass and providing a reliable interior presence on defense.

However, with one eye on Al Horford, who is currently a free agent, the Warriors have allowed Looney to sign elsewhere. He will start next season as part of the New Orleans Pelicans roster. 

The problem is that if Horford opts against moving to Golden State, the Warriors will be considerably weaker at the center position, and that could derail their shot at a championship before the season begins.

On Monday, head coach Steve Kerr sent a heartfelt message to Looney via the Warriors' social media pages.

“Just want to say thank you,” Kerr said. “This is a tough one. Ten years, it’s just been an amazing experience for me to coach you...Just your professionalism, your dignity, your class, the way you handled yourself, the way you mentor your young teammates and, of course, the championship contributions you made year after year.”

Kerr's comments highlight the value Looney brings to the table. Adding Horford would undoubtedly be an upgrade due to his perimeter scoring, positional defense and veteran leadership. The problem is the risk Golden State has taken by allowing Looney to swap teams before cementing his replacement.

If the Warriors had wanted to re-sign Looney in free agency, they could have done so. They must believe Horford is en route to the franchise. Marc Stein recently reported something similar via his "Stein Line" newsletter, too. 

"While having the full non-taxpayer midlevel would theoretically provide the Nuggets with the financial flexibility to offer a richer Year 1 salary to Boston Celtics free agent Al Horford than Golden State can pitch, I continue to hear that Horford is destined to land in the Bay Area," Stein reported. "That's despite the fact that the Warriors currently have only the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel to offer him."

Still, the importance of Horford's potential deal with the Warriors isn't being discussed enough. Without him, the franchise has lost its most valuable center without a legitimate replacement. And at this point in free agency, any pivot the front office makes would mark a downgrade in talent. 

For now, all the Warriors can do is wait for Horford to make a decision. Still, they're likely sitting with bated breath in the hope the former champion has at least one more season left in the tank.