Could vet Boston Celtics big man Al Horford end his career back with the Hawks or Bucks?
But new reporting from ESPN's Marc J. Spears suggests that the Hawks, Bucks, and even Lakers might have a shot at landing the veteran big in free agency this summer. "Golden State obviously expected him to sign last week, he didn't (sign)," said Spears via MassLive's Brian Robb. "Lakers, Milwaukee, and Atlanta, I believe are also interested in a nearly 40-year-old guy who also has retirement on the table."
"He's still considering retiring, he's not in any hurry," added Spears. He's got a sixth kid coming on the way, he lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason."
"I'm hearing that whether it's Golden State and a lesser extent to the Lakers, being away from the family that far isn't going to be in that decision," he related. Atlanta would make for an interesting bookend to a Hall of Fame career, and the Bucks could offer a real role in making the team into a club with a shot at being in the thick of things if they can add a bit more guard depth.
Celtics fans are understandably irked by a potential Los Angeles team up, but the chance to play with Luka Doncic and perhaps LeBron James still looms large. Horford deserves to land wherever appeals most at this stage of his career, however, and we are learning that many things we assumed to be likely with him may not be what he is looking for based on these reports.
Wherever he lands, we wish him the best.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Lakers jersey history No. 1 — Wes Matthews
Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary. As the Lakers approach their 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years. This article takes a look at Wes Matthews, a guard who played for the Lakers during the Showtime era. Matthews played three years of college basketball at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and was taken with the No. 14 pick in the 1980 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. As a rookie, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks and averaged 12.4 points and 5.2 assists a game. He ended up bouncing around the league, mostly as a reserve, over the next several years. In October 1986, the Lakers, needing some backcourt depth, signed Matthews as a free agent. The Lakers already had Hall of Famer Michael Cooper, who played both guard spots and small forward, but they also needed some added insurance at the point guard spot. Matthews didn't play much, but he averaged 4.9 points and 2.4 assists in 12.3 minutes a game during two seasons with the team. He was very lucky with his timing, as Los Angeles won the NBA championship during both of those seasons. Matthews moved on to the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association, where he won a league championship with the Tulsa Fast Breakers during the 1988-89 campaign. In the fourth and final game of the championship series, he hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Tulsa the title. That meant Matthews had won championships in three straight seasons of pro basketball. Meanwhile, the Lakers went after a third straight title that same year, only to get swept by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals after Byron Scott and Magic Johnson injured their hamstrings. Matthews would appear in one game with the Hawks during the 1989-90 season to close out his NBA career. His son Wesley would play 15 seasons in the league, including one with the Lakers.
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
LOOK: Matt Ryan makes appearance at Falcons training camp
Former Falcons QB was in attendance for Sunday's training camp practice The Atlanta Falcons had a special visitor in attendance as they went through their third training camp practice on Sunday morning. Former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan brought his sons down to the Flowery Branch facility to get a closer look at this year's team. Ryan, who started for Atlanta from 2008 to 2021, has made the transition to television analyst following his retirement. The former league MVP met with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. over the offseason to pass along some wisdom. Penix, who is entering his first full season as the Falcons' starting QB, said he received advice on how to plan for the offseason from Ryan. Since the team has not made the playoffs since Ryan was still playing for Atlanta, having him back around couldn't hurt. During his 14-year run with the Falcons, Ryan passed for 59,735 yards, 367 touchdowns and 170 interceptions. The former third overall pick made four Pro Bowls, one All-Pro team, and was the 2008 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Penix started the final three games of the 2024 season in relief of Kirk Cousins, passing for 775 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also rushed for a score on the ground during his impressive 312-yard, three-touchdown performance in the season finale. The future looks bright with Penix under center as the team attempts to finally snap its seven-year playoff drought in 2025.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Nikola Jokic's Agent Posts Cryptic LeBron James Message After Meetup
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. There's been plenty of speculation about the NBA future of Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James this offseason, and things took a wild new turn on Saturday. The 40-year-old James, who exercised his $52.6 million player option earlier this offseason, has made it known through his agent Rich Paul that he wants to win at least one more championship before he retires. "LeBron wants to compete for a championship," Paul said, via Yahoo Sports. "He knows the Lakers are building for the future. He understands that, but he values a realistic chance of winning it all. "... We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what's best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what's best for him." LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Arena on March 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at Arena on March 31, 2025 in Los Angeles, Basketball: Warriors' Steph Curry Reveals Surprising Bronny James Revelation There have been several conflicting reports this offseason about where James will ultimately end up, and things got a little more interesting over the weekend when James was photographed on a yacht with Misko Raznatovic, the agent for Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. What made things even more intriguing is the caption Raznatovic posted on his Instagram account along with the photo. "The summer of 2025 is the perfect time to make big plans for the fall of 2026! @kingjames @mavcarter," Raznatovic wrote. More Basketball: Angel Reese Sends Clear Message to WNBA About Salary Negotiations The cryptic post has several NBA fans buzzing about the possibility of a James-Jokic team up in Denver in 2026, especially given the number of reports that indicate the Lakers don't have much interest in keeping James around beyond next season. Many analysts believe the likeliest scenario for James sees him playing 2025 in Los Angeles with a revamped Lakers roster that already featured Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura and added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia, before moving onto a new team in 2026. Despite being the oldest player in the NBA, James is still one of the most productive players in the game. He ranked 13th in the league in scoring (24.4 points per game), and finished sixth in assists (8.2 per game) and 22nd in rebounds (7.8 per game) in 2024.
