Caitlin Clark was injured. He could not have arrived at a worse moment – for the NBA.
Imagine a summer during which your TOP viewing options are American football matches against Ireland and Guatemala, a guy named Misiorowski for brewers, and Aaron Rodgers extending to Minicamp.
And unfortunately, not in this order.
This exerts a lot of pressure on the NBA, which has tried in recent years to have summer with a NFL style off -season game book.
He strengthened the recovery coverage, transformed the free agency into a frenzy of Scoop and an excited summer league as a chance to experience a lot of un residged players that you ignored when their matches had fully counted six months ago.
Well, the project was so boring, Stephen A. Smith had to be brought just to declare that the Phoenix Suns are in disarray. (Gee, do you think?)
A Snoozy Draft takes place in a summer league that needs a rehearsal button. No wonder NBA TV is bankrupt.
This leaves a free agency. And yes, there were fireworks before July 4: Kevin During A landing in Houston, Kristaps Porziņģis Boxing in Atlanta, Deandre Ayton (Wait, it is not withdrawn?) Is now the safeguard plan of Luka Dončić, and Myles Turner has released on the pacers.
Cam Johnson for Michael Porter Jr., Jordan Poole for CJ McCollum, Anfernee Simons for Jrue Holiday, Desmond Bane for a bag of choice in the first round – Be honest: most of these movements were only puffs. Has anyone better?
Ok, maybe the Rockets have done. And a few other teams (looking at you, Atlanta) who don’t really matter. Have you seen what the Hornets do? Wow.
But here is the truth: each team from the East not named Indiana feels better today only because the best dog in the conference, the Celtics, essentially agitated a white flag on the 2025-26 season. And each western team not named Phoenix has more rebound in their approach after the champions seem terribly defeated in the final.
The doors of the NBA title hardware were so large … The Knicks dream of Lebron, the Bucks serve Giannis and the Warriors … Well, we still don’t know what they are doing.
And it’s terrifying.
Forget LeBron. The Celtics do not exchange Jaylen Brown. Damian Lillard treats this season as a sabbatical leave. But there East A player who could make 15 instant teams of teams or take existing suitors in a level.
Al Horford.
It corresponds to the symbolic white flag of the Celtics could have a sewn green “42”. This too proud franchise would be a short banner without the stabilizing presence of the most underestimated star of the NBA.
Everything Horford has done in the past four seasons in Boston is Jayson Tatum’s all-nba. (You saw what happened when Tatum went to Paris last summer and left Horford behind a forgotten toothbrush.)
While playing in the center, Horford has drained 456 three in four years – about 400 of those who become assists for Tatum, which helped him the Doris Burke badge “does all the little things”.
And Horford struck them with a clip of 39.2%. For comparison, Tatum pulled 35.5% when he tried to do everything himself.
It is a reliable and embraced – floor space at one end of the ground. And it’s not even its best end.
Even at 6 feet 9 inches, Horford remains one of the best defenders of great men in the league. Before each match, Celtic coach Joe Mazzulla had the luxury of giving Horford to the top scorer of the opposing team. Tatum, meanwhile, was able to stand up next to the edge and bounce the undisputed failures. (And has always obtained a vote on any defense.)
If Horford could make Boston big again … Imagine what he would do for Golden State.
He and Draymond Green would build a defensive wall that even Olajuwon and Sampson could not evolve. And more importantly, Horford – not Draymond – would launch the 246 Three Green Histors last year with an efficiency of the Tatum type.
Horford. Green. Butler. Curry. Go ahead and count thunder.
In fact, no. Oklahoma City could wake up from her napping nap and join the Horford competition. This is another advantage of the 39 -year -old man who made $ 280 million in his career – he does not need a maximum contract.
Just buy it a ring.
He could absorb the inevitable broken bone of Chet Holmgren during the 2026 qualifying series, filling the potential dynasty which collapses without him.
Lakers are interested in Horford. Of course, they are. He could supervise Wemby, Babysit Anthony Davis, anchor Joel Embiid, revive the heat, calm the mowers … He could even be able to make the cities of Karl-Anthony smart.
Or maybe Horford stays in Boston by loyalty. But if that happens, the Celtics could also lower the Jolly Roger.
A man currently has disproportionate power in the NBA. Call him the Clark Caitlin male – with a much more reliable jumper.
