The Elephant in the Room...

[biggs]

Towards the end of the year last season, Horford really meshed well and found his role here. Seeing him adapt like that, I feel like he will age gracefully into his role here. He doesn't even need to be the 3d best player on this team, (even if he is).

Horford will make it work, and his role here doesn't require him to dominate. He just needs to affect the game in a positive way, and mentor the youth like he did last year.

My only concern is the wear & tear that may occur from him banging at center all year. Hopefully BS doesn't grind him too bad, and offers some relief in a long season for our oldest player.

Go get em Al!

[Androslav]

Towards the end of the year last season, Horford really meshed well and found his role here. Seeing him adapt like that, I feel like he will age gracefully into his role here. He doesn't even need to be the 3d best player on this team, (even if he is).

Horford will make it work, and his role here doesn't require him to dominate. He just needs to affect the game in a positive way, and mentor the youth like he did last year.

My only concern is the wear & tear that may occur from him banging at center all year. Hopefully BS doesn't grind him too bad, and offers some relief in a long season for our oldest player.

Go get em Al!

I believe that Al will be on a 2200 regular season minute diet. 65/70 games, 31/32 minutes per games. He will be ready for the playoffs.

[Celtics4ever]

I think the timeline comment was a smokescreen at times for I traded a hurt guy.   Ainge does not want to come out directly and say that people would be all over him even more.

[Vermont Green]

Timeline is a fluid thing.  When it looked like our future was going to be all about draft picks (Before Kyrie trade), I felt that the timeline was being built around Brown, Tatum, etc.  This further assumed that we would not have been able to resign Thomas.  Under that timeline, Horford seem out of place and likely would be traded.

Now the timeline has shifted some when you consider a timeline built around Kyrie.  At 25 yrs, Kyrie makes the timeline much more immediate.  Horford is probably still being considered as available for a trade for a younger big or other star but now I think Horford is more aligned with the timeline (but still not exactly fitting the timeline). 

We have an awful lot of money tied up in him.  I am sure the Celtics would rather have that money invested in a younger player in the ideal world.  Right now, Horford is a useful productive player at a position of need.

[Onslaught]

Big men last longer.

This. Big men can often play at a higher level for much longer then guards. And when the guard in question is hurt........