Philadelphia 76ers: Al Horford looks spry as age-33 season begins
The Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest offseason signing has lived up to the hype so far.
A classic example of foe turned friend, Al Horford signed a four-year, $109 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers this summer. At age 33, it turned heads — what happens when Father Time, undefeated to this very day, comes knocking.
At some point, Horford will regress in a meaningful way. No right-minded fan should expect a fully effective Horford in four years. The 37-year-old version of Horford, barring a miraculous breakthrough on the de-aging front, will not contend for an All-Star spot.
For now, however, fans should have a sense of thorough contentment. Horford looks good, his impeccable wit, versatility, and instincts still on full display. In six games, Horford is averaging 18.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. His .495/.367/.706 shooting splits come on a career high in field goal attempts per game.
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At some point, Horford’s numbers could even out and regress to the mean. The three non-Embiid games have inflated his point output to a degree, but that’s also the beauty of Horford’s early-season production. It’s clear he can fill Embiid’s void at center.
In three games without Embiid, Horford has averaged 26.7 points. He has made the necessary adjustments to Philadelphia’s personnel — his three-point attempts are way up — and, when necessary, he has unlocked a level of aggressiveness rarely seen over the course of his career.
Scoring was a major concern coming into the season, especially in Embiid-less situations. The Sixers aren’t loaded with traditionally strong perimeter bombers, even on Tobias Harris‘ best night. Horford showing he can consistently generate his own offense, on top of his playmaking abilities, is a positive sign.
Six games at the beginning of the season isn’t enough to vindicate the Horford signing. He’s still 33. There is a legitimate fear factor tied to the final years of his contract, not to mention the odds his body works differently in game 75 than in game five. There’s considerable room for error.
And yet, there is also considerable room for optimism. Horford has long been a steady All-Star presence who thrives on basketball I.Q. and skill, not rim-busting athleticism. He looks good, and his fit is cleaner than expected. As long as the threes continue to fall in expanded volume, he should have no problem thriving in a new situation.
There is also Horford’s defensive presence, which remains elite. His lateral quickness might seep away with age, but for now, he has had little issue surviving switches and defending stretch fours. And, similar to his offense, positioning and instincts are more important to Horford’s success than raw athleticism.
Next. Rotations that are working well so far. dark
He looks good. He looks spry. The Sixers should be very happy with Horford right now.