It sounds like the Celtics are going to have to wait on Al Horford’s decision

The Boston Celtics seem to prefer re-signing Al Horford, but there are two sides to every contract.

Horford himself may have a market to work with as a free agent, but that doesn't mean he's about to dive right in. According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Horford "continues to mull potential options for next season and at the moment appears unlikely to have a final decision on the first day of free agency [Tuesday]."

Himmelsbach later added in a Globe column that it's "unclear" whether Jayson Tatum's injury would push Horford toward signing with a team that's closer to contending for a championship. The Knicks and Lakers have both been mentioned as potential suitors for Horford in free agency, according to various reports.

Based on the totality of the reports, it doesn't seem that retirement is on the table for the 39-year-old Horford. The veteran still averaged nine points and 6.2 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per game in the 2024-25 season, while his leadership qualities could prove invaluable for a team looking to get over the hump in the playoffs.

^{Al Horford, Karl-Anthony Towns}

Meanwhile, Himmelsbach also reported that there's "believed to be extensive interest around the league" in fellow Celtics big man Luke Kornet, who is also on the cusp of free agency. So, it may be tough for Celtics president of basketball ops Brad Stevens to keep even one of Horford or Kornet, let alone both.

“There's no question our priorities would be to bring Al and Luke back,” Stevens said in a recent press conference. “Those guys are huge parts of this organization. They’re going to have, I’m sure, plenty of options all over the place, and that’s well deserved. But I think that would be a priority, and at the same time, I don’t want to put pressure on them. It’s their call, ultimately. But yeah, we would love to have those guys back.”

If the Celtics don't retain Horford or Kornet, their center depth chart would be down to Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman. Meanwhile, the closest they have to true power forwards are Georges Niang and Miles Norris. So, with or without Horford/Kornet, Stevens has work to do in retooling the Celtics frontcourt. This could make for a tricky week for Stevens, in terms of balancing the interest in re-signing Horford with the urgency of adding viable pieces that could replace him.

NBA free agency officially begins at 6 p.m. ET on Monday night, as teams can begin to negotiate and reach agreements with available players. So, it's possible the Celtics swing another trade or agree to terms with another free agent. We'll keep you posted every step of the way here at 985TheSportsHub.com.