Al Horford plans to return to the Golden State Warriors next season, he told ESPN on Thursday.
Horford, 40, is declining his $6 million player option, with sources telling ESPN that he intends to sign a two-year, $14 million contract to return to the Warriors once free agency begins next month. Horford’s new deal will be fully guaranteed and includes a trade kicker, sources said.
He will become the 13th player in NBA history to reach a 20th season, joining LeBron James, Vince Carter, Chris Paul, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Willis, Robert Parish, Kyle Lowry, Udonis Haslem, Jamal Crawford, Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“I knew a few off the top of my head, but I hadn’t seen the list,” Horford told ESPN. “It’s hard to believe. It’s something that, for me, I’m very grateful. It’s just so hard to be in this league for that amount of years. There’s a lot of commitment, a lot of sacrifice and time. I still feel like I’m able to contribute and have an impact on a team.”