Did we underrate Al Horford

[pokeKingCurtis]

Yes, 100%. He may be to the C’s what CP3 was to the Suns last year. Al does everything... Scoring, rebounding, passing, shot blocking, leading.

Ime, wanted a team captain? Here he is.

Nice comp.

[Ogaju]

Smart is the team captain.

[PhoSita]

Always been way more people who underappreciate Horford than people who recognize the extent of his value.

[hpantazo]

The year off last year really helped him out physically.

[gouki88]

I definitely did. The year off has certainly freshened him

[Surferdad]

Smart is the team captain.

No captains named yet, right?  Ime said he would have possibly a couple of co-captains.

[moiso]

He's playing great and looks very fresh and several years younger than he has in a while.  But I think Who nailed it earlier in the thread when he said he generally starts fresh and wears down over the course of a season.  I doubt that this is the Horford we will have come playoff time.

[#1P4P]

I started a thread about the distorted perception of Horford’s durability and his winning impact before the season. Not only is he durable, he’s a winner, defensive anchor, leader, and does everything on the court at a high level.

He looked good in his OKC highlights before he and the team agreed him to staying at home was best for both parties (OKC tanking last season and Al not putting his body through the mileage of an NBA season). People form their opinions based on hearsay, look at his age, and regurgitate the last thing they heard about him (the unproductive pairing in Philly (due to coaching and chemistry) and the lost season in OKC).

Who can watch this and say that he looked diminished in OKC: https://youtu.be/uhoHIxHGBws

If anything he might be underutilized on offense (of course that’ll be unlocked more the closer we get to playoffs to lighten the offensive load on him).

[footey]

He's playing great and looks very fresh and several years younger than he has in a while.  But I think Who nailed it earlier in the thread when he said he generally starts fresh and wears down over the course of a season.  I doubt that this is the Horford we will have come playoff time.

This will depend on how much Ime uses him during regular season. And whether Rob can remain healthy.  Would be nice if we could mix in a third center for 10 min a game just to cut down on Al's minutes and keep him strong for playoffs.

[jbpats]

I don't think we underrated him - I think we offered him a fair contract based on his age/performance and Philly overpaid for him.

I think he is playing up to the contract we offered to him before he left, so I guess we assessed his value accurately if anything.

[Atzar]

Probably a bit, yeah.  I don't know if he can keep this up for the whole season.  But it's worth noting that OKC shut him down for a reason - he was helping them win too many games. 

He's still very good.  Now, did I expect him to be arguably our best player through the first nine games?  No.  But that has as much to do with the Jays as it does Horford. 

[Vermont Green]

It funny that what seems like the majority here still see the Walker-Horford trade as us giving up a draft pick to dump Kemba Walker.  To have that perception, you are assigning no value at all to Al Horford or Moses Brown (who got us Richardson).

Al Horford is surprising me, I have to admit.  I did not view him as nothing in return, I was expecting him to play a role, but he has exceeded my expectation.  Our big rotation is so limited, it was such a need, that it allows Horford to represent a big improvement over what we had.

I worry about durability also, with any player at his age this is a concern.  And if he goes down, were are really in trouble.  I guess Grant Williams becomes a starter.  Yikes.

[Moranis]

It funny that what seems like the majority here still see the Walker-Horford trade as us giving up a draft pick to dump Kemba Walker.  To have that perception, you are assigning no value at all to Al Horford or Moses Brown (who got us Richardson).

Al Horford is surprising me, I have to admit.  I did not view him as nothing in return, I was expecting him to play a role, but he has exceeded my expectation.  Our big rotation is so limited, it was such a need, that it allows Horford to represent a big improvement over what we had.

I worry about durability also, with any player at his age this is a concern.  And if he goes down, were are really in trouble.  I guess Grant Williams becomes a starter.  Yikes.

Grant won't start I don't think.  I think that would force Ime to go small with Tatum and Brown at the forwards and Smart with Schroder in the backcourt.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

It funny that what seems like the majority here still see the Walker-Horford trade as us giving up a draft pick to dump Kemba Walker.  To have that perception, you are assigning no value at all to Al Horford or Moses Brown (who got us Richardson).

Al Horford is surprising me, I have to admit.  I did not view him as nothing in return, I was expecting him to play a role, but he has exceeded my expectation.  Our big rotation is so limited, it was such a need, that it allows Horford to represent a big improvement over what we had.

I worry about durability also, with any player at his age this is a concern.  And if he goes down, were are really in trouble.  I guess Grant Williams becomes a starter.  Yikes.

Grant won't start I don't think.  I think that would force Ime to go small with Tatum and Brown at the forwards and Smart with Schroder in the backcourt.

Grant already has started as the second big two games already this year.

I'm not sure what more Grant Williams has to do to earn some respect from Celtic fans. He's no star, and he's probably not a starter during a full season, but he is a solid role player that can start as the smaller/versatile big. If you want him to score ISO then you probably would be disappointed, but that's not his role. But he has gotten better at his role every year so far.

Some guys are "yikes" players when it comes to depth, but Grant Williams is not one of those guys.

[Moranis]

It funny that what seems like the majority here still see the Walker-Horford trade as us giving up a draft pick to dump Kemba Walker.  To have that perception, you are assigning no value at all to Al Horford or Moses Brown (who got us Richardson).

Al Horford is surprising me, I have to admit.  I did not view him as nothing in return, I was expecting him to play a role, but he has exceeded my expectation.  Our big rotation is so limited, it was such a need, that it allows Horford to represent a big improvement over what we had.

I worry about durability also, with any player at his age this is a concern.  And if he goes down, were are really in trouble.  I guess Grant Williams becomes a starter.  Yikes.

Grant won't start I don't think.  I think that would force Ime to go small with Tatum and Brown at the forwards and Smart with Schroder in the backcourt.

Grant already has started as the second big two games already this year.

I'm not sure what more Grant Williams has to do to earn some respect from Celtic fans. He's no star, and he's probably not a starter during a full season, but he is a solid role player that can start as the smaller/versatile big. If you want him to score ISO then you probably would be disappointed, but that's not his role. But he has gotten better at his role every year so far.

Some guys are "yikes" players when it comes to depth, but Grant Williams is not one of those guys.

I don't mind Grant in a game here or there starting, but if Horford (or R. Williams) is going to miss weeks or months, then I do think the more prudent option is going with the smaller lineup as that better utilizes the teams depth and what not.