S.I. thinks Al Horford is perfect for Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are rumored to be big players for Al Horford in free agency. But does Horford really fit the Pistons’ current nucleus of players? Sports Illustrated thinks so. In fact, they think the pairing would be a perfect match.
The Detroit Pistons have interest in Al Horford. As a Michigan native, there’s a chance that Horford has some interest in the Pistons’ too, particularly when factoring in the minutes he would be receiving at power forward and the chance the team would have to compete next season.
But do the two parties really fit? Sports Illustrated says the fit is perfect.
"Al Horford: Detroit PistonsDetroit quietly cleared $6.5 million in salary this week by trading Jodie Meeks, who missed almost the entirely of last season with a foot injury, to Orlando. That—along with Andre Drummond’s preposterously low cap hold—further enables the Pistons to explore their options in free agency. Horford is among their targets, according to ESPN.com’s Zach Lowe, and makes perfect sense. Andre Drummond doesn’t just need a floor-spacing big alongside him. He needs a playmaker; Reggie Jackson is single-handedly responsible for so much of Detroit’s ball-handling and shot creation that it makes the offense vulnerable. A few intermediaries would go a long way.Horford, for example, could man the high post and pick out cutters with passes, catch on the move and find open teammates, or act as an outlet on the weak side. So long as wings like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris, and Stanley Johnson are the rotation norm in Detroit, facilitation would have to be found elsewhere. Horford could be stellar in that capacity while also working as the team’s second-unit center and helping to coach up Drummond on the finer points of positional defense. The fit is rather tidy from the Pistons’ perspective. At issue is whether Detroit’s roster (and the chance to finally play power forward on a more regular basis) interests Horford enough to leave a solid situation in Atlanta and the financial particulars of the Pistons clearing a bit more room for him to land."
I couldn’t agree more. I love the fit with Horford at power forward. Not only does Horford give the Pistons something they lacked last season–an experienced big man with range–but he also fits into their short and long-term plans.
Short-term, Horford fills the role of big man who can stretch the floor offensively. He’s a leader who teaches rookie Henry Ellenson how to play. By the end of his contract–assuming it’s a four year deal–Horford could be coming off the bench while Ellenson assumes the starting power forward role.
I also love the versatility Horford would bring. He’s the perfect center for small ball lineups where Tobias Harris would slide over to power forward.
I don’t know if Horford will eventually sign with Detroit, but if he does, I think the Pistons’ chances at a title in the next few seasons just got a whole lot better.