$26 million man

[Ilikesports17]

Horford is probably the least likely guy to move on this team.  I think he's fine but we could also end up like the hawks if we aren't careful.

Horford is really good and versatile.  He isn't exactly a true inside presence though. He does move around good and blocks shots and rebounds and passes and ranges out and brings the complete game.  Gives us toughness etc.  He's a tough guy but not a true low post player.  He does post up and can pass and score inside. 

He's a really versatile new age center.  I like him and how he fits here.  He needs help down there though.  Amir is basically useless and we dont even use him.  So is Kelly for that matter. Kelly  has his moments at least.

thats exactly why you cant waste the Nets pick on Nerlens Noel

[iadera]

Al is not Alpha player and no one (from Celtics management) expected to be. He's great, but not one of these. No dissapointment regarding Al. I repeat all the time. We need to move on. We have a great team, but we mustn't stop. We have all (assets). We just have to improve this roster more.

[chambers]

He's been amazing..are you high?

[moiso]

He's an excellent player, but I hope it's not his norm to turn into Chris Webber in 4th quarters of close games.

[Celtics4ever]

I am very grateful, we got Al, he has been fantastic, he is not the reason we have struggled as most of the time he gives a very good account of himself.   Guys were not getting him the ball, although he plays within the flow of the game, and does not demand the ball.   

We have a lot of guys who want to be the hero and love taking those shots.   Some of these guys are not our best shooters.  I think if we had IT, he can make those shots,  we might have won last night and I am of the not trade him unless we get a star mindset.

[Vermont Green]

I look at Horford as an asset.  We signed him (gave up nothing unless you consider Sullinger indirectly) and now he is part of the team.  If we are able to make a big trade and bring in Cousins or Paul George or someone like that, Horford will be a  great player in  that scenario.  Maybe a little overpaid but nothing outrageous (and in a few years, even that will fade).

The other scenario is that we rebuild around young players.  Then the idea is that we trade him.  That is when we find out if he is overpaid.  i suspect we will be able to  trade him, say at the trade deadline next season, for some decent young players or picks.  That is what I mean by an asset.  If we didn't sign him, we wouldn't have something to trade.  It was smart to sign him.  There is risk but that is true of any signing.

I see how someone looks at the contract and gets caught up in the "Big FA" talk and expects more from Horford.  I feel he is playing well enough to maintain decent trade value at the time we would consider trading him.  In the meantime, he will help us win some games (but not every game).  I don't love the contract but I understand and see it overall as positive addition to the "process".

[Smitty77]

Al is not Alpha player and no one (from Celtics management) expected to be. He's great, but not one of these. No dissapointment regarding Al. I repeat all the time. We need to move on. We have a great team, but we mustn't stop. We have all (assets). We just have to improve this roster more.

Then why does Brad keep running plays for HIM in the last minutes of games IF EVERYONE in Celtics' management did NOT expect him to be an Alpha player?

Makes NO sense.

Smitty77

[Moranis]

Al is not Alpha player and no one (from Celtics management) expected to be. He's great, but not one of these. No dissapointment regarding Al. I repeat all the time. We need to move on. We have a great team, but we mustn't stop. We have all (assets). We just have to improve this roster more.

Then why does Brad keep running plays for HIM in the last minutes of games IF EVERYONE in Celtics' management did NOT expect him to be an Alpha player?

Makes NO sense.

Smitty77

Boston only has one alpha offensive player and he didn't dress for the game last night.

[ederson]

Al is not Alpha player and no one (from Celtics management) expected to be. He's great, but not one of these. No dissapointment regarding Al. I repeat all the time. We need to move on. We have a great team, but we mustn't stop. We have all (assets). We just have to improve this roster more.

Then why does Brad keep running plays for HIM in the last minutes of games IF EVERYONE in Celtics' management did NOT expect him to be an Alpha player?

Makes NO sense.

Smitty77

I don`t see today any real A player in the team (excluding IT) and somebody should try to score.

[jbpats]

My initial reaction down the stretch last night was exactly the same as the OP. Horford has choked under pressure this season, that being said you can't overreact. He's been a solid player for us and is playing the game we are paying him to play.
That being said I think he still needs to take on a leader role and for $26 mil a season a NBA vet should not be making these careless mistakes down the stretch. Last night was tolerable, but the missed layup against Houston when he had every chance to put it down with force (given it was a wide open lane) makes last nights hiccup(s) that much more intolerable.

The silver lining to all of this is that we aren't getting blown out. Our record thus far is disappointing, i think that we can all agree on but at least we are in it every game. I think this team can and will turn it around.

[MrMorrill]

Lotta moaning about Al... A handful of teams wanted to throw max at him, he's not the flashy big everyone is dying for but he makes this team much better. If (a big if) the Celtics can pair him with a half way decent big instead of Amir he will be even better.

The problems with this team are not Al, he blew a few layups at the end of games but they had leads the whole team lost. Hell when the Celtics traded Pierce, KG, Rondo and Green away I figured we'd slump for a number of years not be decent as quickly as they have been. Crowder was a throw in that turned into a good (not great) SF. IT was a gamble that in my eyes paid off and Bradley keeps on growing.

Team is down right now but I'm pumped for the season, I like the Al addition and think this is the year they finally fix that big position we've all been wanting/needing.

[TA9]

Unfair to judge Al when his big man partner is named Amir Johnson. I think Horford has been good so far, and I'm sure that he could be even better with a legit center on this team.

[kozlodoev]

He's an excellent player, but I hope it's not his norm to turn into Chris Webber in 4th quarters of close games.

Did you miss the first decade or so of his career?

[Ed Hollison]

He's been excellent for most of his career, excellent for the Celtics thus far, and excellent in end-of-game situations.

Good players have bad possessions, bad games, and bad stretches sometimes.

[kozlodoev]

He's been excellent for most of his career, excellent for the Celtics thus far, and excellent in end-of-game situations.

And that's why the Celtics have an excellent record and an excellent position in the standings. Let's keep that up.