Al Horford announced to the world on Twitter he was going to the Boston Celtics.
A person with knowledge of the agreement told USA TODAY Sports the contract will be four years for $113 million.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the contract can't officially be signed until the NBA's moratorium periods lifts on July 7.
Horford averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game last season for Atlanta and he was a pivotal part of a Hawks defense that ranked second overall during the regular season (98.8 points allowed per 100 possessions).
By one measure — the Player Impact Estimate that comes courtesy of NBA.com/stats — he was even more valuable than the Golden State Warriors’ do-everything forward, Draymond Green (13.7 to 13.6).
By another — win shares, courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com — he was the 17th most impactful player in the league last season (9.4, just behind the Celtics’ Isaiah Thomas and ahead of the Indiana Pacers’ Paul George).
Even without Horford, the Celtics managed to play to the Hawks’ level during the regular season (they had identical 48-34 records) before falling to them in six games during the first round. Losing Evan Turner to the Portland Trail Blazers certainly hurts, but Celtics coach Brad Stevens would surely take his program to the next level with Horford in tow.
Add in the fact that a commitment from Horford could make the Celtics’ late Saturday presentation to Kevin Durant in the Hamptons a lot more compelling, and you start to understand the magnitude of this moment for Boston.
Horford has established himself as the ideal big man for the new era, a versatile player who can shoot from range, move the ball and provide top-notch defense. He has played center with Atlanta but also has the capability to slide to power forward in bigger lineups, giving his coaches multiple options to help them match up with opponents.
He struggled with injuries in 2011-12 and 2013-14, but bounced back to play 76 games two years ago and all 82 last season as the Hawks emerged as a top-tier team in the Eastern Conference.
Follow Sam Amick on Twitter @sam_amick. Contributing: Associated Press.
