Warriors Plan to Rest Horford for All Back-to-Backs
The Golden State Warriors signed 39-year-old Al Horford to a two-year, $11.6 million deal this summer, hoping his experience and defensive skills would strengthen their frontcourt. But fans expecting to see the veteran big man in every game will be disappointed.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has already made it clear that Horford won’t play in both games of any back-to-back this season.
“Steve Kerr makes it very clear Al Horford will never play both games of a back-to-back this season,” reported NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson. “The plan is to look a week ahead at the schedule in collaboration with Al and Rick Celebrini.”
This isn’t shocking given Horford’s age, but it does raise questions about how the team will handle their depth throughout the season.
The Warriors have 16 back-to-backs scheduled, which means Horford will miss at least eight games automatically.
It’s a classic case of quality over quantity.
Despite being in his late 30s, Horford has been surprisingly durable, playing at least 60 games in each of the last four seasons. But Golden State is taking no chances with their veteran center.
The approach mirrors what we’ve seen with other aging stars like Joel Embiid. The Warriors want Horford healthy for the games that matter most, not just racking up regular season appearances.
Horford is still expected to start on opening night, but his planned absences will test the team’s backup options. Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post are next in line at center, though neither brings Horford’s combination of rim protection and veteran leadership.
This situation highlights a bigger concern for the Warriors – their bench depth.
The front office had limited financial wiggle room this summer. With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga eating up most of the cap space, they managed to add Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II, but also had to cut Seth Curry to stay within budget.
Nick San Miguel of Blue Man Hoop warned that Golden State’s bench could be their “downfall,” especially when stars need rest.
“There are going to be games where the Warriors have to win without their stars,” he wrote. The team will need young players like Brandon Podziemski and Kuminga to step up during those stretches.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton has projected the Warriors to win 56 games this season – an impressive total that depends heavily on staying healthy and getting solid contributions from their bench players.
Horford’s rest plan makes perfect sense from a long-term perspective, but it leaves Kerr with fewer options during those challenging back-to-back situations.
The Warriors added plenty of experience this offseason. Now the challenge is managing that experience effectively enough to make a deep playoff run.
