Al Horford Could Be The Boston Celtics’ Sixth Man Of The Year

The Boston Celtics, as currently constructed, might have the overall best top six players in the NBA. Unfortunately, starting them at the same time would violate a rather key league rule, meaning head coach Joe Mazzulla will have to do some lineup juggling this year. Because of this, it’s quite possible that veteran Al Horford could end up with a new role that involves coming off the bench.

Horford did just that during Tuesday’s 123-110 preseason win against the New York Knicks, leading to speculation that we could be seeing him in an unfamiliar spot during the 2023-24 season. Horford, who signed a two-year, $19.5 million contract extension last year, could find himself the odd man out of the starting lineup, despite starting all but ten of the regular season games he’s played in his lengthy career.

After the Knicks game, Jayson Tatum, as quoted by Boston Sports Media’s John Karalis, pointed out that they were all trapped in a numbers game. “At some point this year everybody’s going to have to,” he said about Horford coming off the bench, addressing the fact that he, Horford, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are all starting-caliber players. Assuming full availability, one of the six will be drawing the short straw every game.

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“If Al can come off the bench at this stage of his career, nobody should have anything to say if you’re the guy that’s coming off the bench or Joe takes you out of the game,” Tatum added, emphasizing the fact that Horford has emerged as a team leader since returning to the Celtics in 2021.

Tatum here is both lauding Horford’s willingness to accept an unfamiliar role as well as sending a not-so-subtle message to the rest of his teammates about the importance of sacrificing for the good of the group. Along the way, he casually reminds us that sometimes games come down to who’s on the floor when everything is one the line, rather than the ones who set the tone early.

While being an overqualified reserve is no NBA player’s first choice, it could end up being a key role on this particular Boston squad. After their trades for Porzingis and Holiday, the Celtics lost valuable bench depth that included reigning Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon. Whoever ends up in that spot could conceivably end up making a more impact than some of the ostensible starters.

While Mazzulla will obviously play with different starting lineups as he evaluates his roster for the first few months of the NBA regular season, it wouldn’t be shocking if Horford becomes his go-to guy, particularly when favoring smaller lineups. If so, it would be less of a demotion but a strategic move to get the most out of their aging All-Star.

At this point, one of the Celtics’ top goals should be keeping the 37-year-old Horford’s legs fresh for the playoffs. They rested him in last night’s preseason finale, a 127-99 drubbing of the Charlotte Hornets, as they did on the second night of back-to-backs all last season. The Celtics would probably be looking to reduce his minutes this year, saving his best for when the games matter the most.

As always, health is the most important factor in any team’s success and it’s nearly impossible to imagine a world where Boston’s big six all avoid the injury bug over the grueling NBA schedule. Porzingis is making his return from a case of plantar fasciitis he suffered during the offseason, meaning they didn’t even make it to training camp before getting bad news on that front. The “six starters” issue might end up being a short-lived luxury.

Let’s say that the Celtics keep everyone in relatively healthy condition and Horford does end up coming off the bench. This could end up being the perfect role for him as he transitions into the final part of what could be a Basketball Hall of Fame-worthy career. In the Celtics’ best-case-scenario, they might end up having the Sixth Man of the Year twice in a row.