Al Horford lastly received his title, and he plans to defend it. The 38-year-old large man will return to the Boston Celtics for his 18th NBA season in 2024-25, staff proprietor Wyc Grousbeck stated throughout an interview on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Present” on Tuesday.

“Al is coming again for subsequent 12 months,” Grousbeck stated. “That is what I have been informed.”

Grousbeck continued: “Paradoxically, we gained in ’08 over Al’s staff. The Hawks took us to seven [games] within the first spherical, so we have been a part of his drought. And now he got here residence to us. He loves it right here. He and his household like it right here. He could not be happier. We’re all so comfortable.”

Horford, a five-time All-Star, accepted his position as Boston’s sixth man this season after beginning each single recreation through which he appeared for the primary 17 years of his profession. After Kristaps Porzingis damage his calf within the fourth recreation of the playoffs, although, Horford stepped again into the beginning lineup. He averaged 9.2 factors and seven.0 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per recreation within the postseason, with a 60.9% true taking pictures proportion, and Boston outscored its playoff opponents by 11.4 factors per 100 possessions with him on the courtroom.

Extremely, Horford stays one of many recreation’s most versatile bigs. He is comfy in a number of pick-and-roll coverages, and, whereas his utilization fee has fallen to 11.9% for the final two seasons, he’s efficient on offense as a flooring spacer (he made 42.9% of his catch-and-shoot 3s in 2023-24 and 44.8% in 2022-23), ball mover and handoff hub. In a pinch, Horford can nonetheless get a bucket within the put up or off the dribble, too.

Horford is owed $9.5 million subsequent season. The extension he signed in December 2022 has been a discount for the Celtics, and, given how this season ended, it is labored out fairly nicely for him, too.