Atlanta Hawks: Expect to Pay Al Horford Handsomely
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Hawks seem like they are in a good spot with regards to the NBA Salary Cap entering Summer 2016. But is the organization in a strong enough financial situation to sign All-Star Center Al Horford to a maximum contract to keep him in Atlanta?
This past summer, Atlanta Hawks fans saw a glimpse of the cruel reality of NBA Free Agency when the organization had to choose between All-Star Power Forward Paul Millsap and Starting Small Forward DeMarre Carroll. The Atlanta Hawks decided to keep Millsap with the team and chose to let Carroll walk to the Great White North to play for the Atlantic Division’s Toronto Raptors.
-= Atlanta Hawks Picked 3rd in East by ESPN =-
While I thought that Atlanta would do everything in its power to keep both Millsap and Carroll together with the Hawks in the long-term, I soon realized that the face of the franchise C Al Horford was hitting free agency next summer when the cap expands in 2016-17.
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Al Horford is entering the last year of his extension he signed back in 2010 to stay with the Atlanta Hawks. He will make $12 Million this season, second on the team behind only Paul Millsap ($18,671,659). Paul Millsap signed close to a max contract to stay with the Atlanta Hawks after two All-Star seasons as a member of HC Mike Budenholzer’s team.
Only Horford and Millsap will make over 8 figures in 2015-16 for the Atlanta Basketball Club. With Atlanta projected to have somewhere between $8.9-$34.2 Million in cap space for 2016-17, how much of that would go towards Horford’s max?
Both Kent Bazemore and newly acquired SG Jason Richardson are free agents after this year. Mike Scott, Shelvin Mack, Lamar Patterson, and Terran Petteway‘s salaries for next season are non-guaranteed. The Atlanta Hawks have team options on Dennis Schroder, Mike Muscala, and Tim Hardaway, Jr.
Where it stands now, the Atlanta Hawks only have one mega-deal on their books this season: Paul Millsap’s lucrative 3-year deal he signed this summer. Expect Al Horford to get one of the three largest offerings of any free agent in the Class of 2016, along with Cleveland’s LeBron James and Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant.
-= Al Horford: Would He Leave Atlanta Via Free Agency? =-
Where Atlanta has a distinct advantage is that they have Bird Rights on Horford since the Hawks are the only professional team he’s played for. Atlanta can actually exceed the cap and pay more money than any other of the 29 teams in the Association to keep The Boss in town. Horford has said publicly that he doesn’t wish to discuss his contract until after next season, but that he really likes playing in Atlanta for the Hawks.
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My gut tells me that the Al Horford contract scenario will play out more like how Memphis was able to re-sign C Marc Gasol than how PF LaMarcus Aldridge left Portland to play for Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. Both players wanted to play near home. Aldridge is a Texas native and Gasol went to high school in suburban Memphis when his older brother Pau played for the Grizzlies.
I don’t think Al Horford would want to leave a contender like the Atlanta Hawks to go play for Stan Van Gundy in Detroit, Al’s hometown, nor do I think that the Pistons front office can offer more than what Bud and Wilcox can offer Big Al to stay in Atlanta. SVG’s tendencies to overpay for the guy he wants is concerning to some extent, but I believe that Al Horford stays in Atlanta by signing a 4-year extension worth at least $80 Million next summer.
Next: Atlanta Hawks: 5 Intriguing Western Home Games in 2015-16
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