A healthy Al Horford, at long last, had a full summer to work on his body and his basketball. Whether the Hawks’ center is trimmer is a matter of opinion.
“Maybe I did trim down,” Horford said during media day Monday. “Maybe it’s the new uniforms.”
Horford, most recently, couldn’t fully work out during the offseason as he rehabbed from a torn pectoral muscle that ended his 2013-14 season. This summer, Horford was again able to commit to an off-season program. He enters another season, his ninth with the Hawks after they made him the No. 3 overall pick of the 2007 draft. It’s the final year of his current contract and will be a free agent following the season. Both player and team have indicated they would like to work something out but that decision will come following another NBA campaign. Horford said this offseason he doesn’t want his contract status to be a distraction.
“Honestly, my focus is on this season and making sure we grow as a team,” Horford said after a recent training camp practice. “We got better this summer. It’s time to put everything together. (A new contract) is not a concern of mine. I want us to win. I want us to be successful. It starts now, day by day.”
Count Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer as one who sees a stronger Horford. He hopes the increased strength will make a difference on the offensive and defensive end of the court. “I think he’s going to be stronger because he has a summer to work on his body,” Budenholzer said. “I think you can see that. Hopefully, defensively he will be able to do things and have more activity and more physicality. Offensively, he is going to be stronger driving the ball, play with a little more force, get to the free-throw line. He looks even more comfortable shooting and making plays.”
Horford will remain the starting center even with the offseason addition of Tiago Splitter. What the former Spur will add is depth, relief for Paul Millsap and Horford in the frontcourt and options. Plenty of options. Budenholzer said, not unlike a baseball manager drawing up possible lineups during the long winter, he has thought about rotations and schemes with Splitter in the mix. Having a more traditional center will some take pressure off Horford in the middle.
“It will be interesting,” Horford said. “(Splitter) is a very smart basketball player, and is very familiar with this system. He is a good passer. I think he’ll be able to fit in with what Paul (Millsap) and I and (Mike Muscala) and Mike Scott. The more that we play together the more comfortable we’ll get playing with each other. It’s going to take time. Paul and I took a little while to get clicking. It will be the same way with Tiago.”
Despite his contract status, Horford remains one of the unquestioned leaders of the team. The longest-tenured Hawks player is at the center of what the organization has built, including last season’s record-breaking season and trip to the Eastern Conference finals. He averaged 15.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.3 blocks in 30.5 minutes over 76 regular-season games. He made his third NBA All-Star Game joining teammates Millsap, Jeff Teague and Kyle Korver in New York.
“I’m going to be the same person I’ve always been,” Horford said. “I consider myself one of the leaders of the team. I’m going to make sure I’m leading by example, making sure we are staying focused on what we need to do. And that’s to win.”
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