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Al Horford will sign a two-year, $20 million contract extension with the Boston Celtics, agent Jason Glushon told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Horford was set to hit free agency in the summer, but will now remain under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season, at which point he will be 39 years old.
The extension is fully guaranteed and has a trade kicker, according to the Boston Globe‘s Adam Himmelsbach. This also means that Horford’s full $26.5 million salary this season is now guaranteed. (Previously, $19.5 million of it was guaranteed.)
In 18 games this season, Horford has averaged 10.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.9 blocks in 31.3 minutes, while shooting 55..5 percent and making 48.8 percent of his 3-point attempts. His usage rate is a career-low 12 percent, but his true shooting percentage is a career-high 69.7 percent.
If Horford maintains something resembling this level of production, the new deal will be a bargain for Boston. He was an enormous part of the Celtics’ NBA Finals run last season, providing versatility on both ends and raising his game in the playoffs. Most memorably, Horford scored 30 points on 11-for-14 shooting in 42 minutes in Game 4 of their second-round series against the Milwaukee Bucks and hit six 3-pointers in Game 1 of the Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
Horford could have waited in hopes of finding a bigger contract in free agency, but signing the extension allows him to stay where he’s comfortable and continue winning a ton of games for the foreseeable future. Boston is a league-best 18-4, with a historically efficient offense and the best point differential in the NBA.
Most of the Celtics’ rotation is locked up through at least the end of next season. The exception is Grant Williams, who did not agree to a rookie contract extension before the Oct. 17 deadline and will be a restricted free agent in July.
