Report: Thunder shut down Horford for rest of season
The Oklahoma City Thunder will hold big man Al Horford out of the lineup for the rest of the season before trying to find an offseason trade partner, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Thunder acquired Horford from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of a multi-player swap in December. However, the organization is now focused on supplying its younger players with more minutes, and general manager Sam Presti informed Horford and his agent that he'd attempt to find a new home for the center after the season, Wojnarowski notes.
Following the report, Presti and Horford issued statements regarding the latter's status for the remainder of the campaign. Though they didn't outright confirm Horford has been shut down, both sides appear to be in agreement over the situation.
"We've talked with Al from the time he became a member of the Thunder this offseason about the many ways in which he would be able to help us as we entered the early stages of the necessary transition of our team," Presti said. "From Day 1, Al has been a consummate professional and has had a tremendous influence on the team on and off the floor with his work ethic and total commitment to his teammates.
"Our conversations have been open and ongoing about how to maximize this season for him personally as well as the development of our team. Al has been nothing short of spectacular and will remain a part of the team as we build on an approach and mentality that we have taken for some time."
Horford, who will reportedly still work out with the team in Oklahoma City, says he will continue to support his teammates.
"When I arrived, I understood the direction of the team. We had a great individual plan in place for me, and I feel like, as a result, I've played really good basketball for the Thunder," Horford said. "At the same time, I know what it's like to be a young, aspiring player, and at this point in the season, I understand how important playing meaningful minutes is for their careers and their development. I also understand how important it is for the organization to give them that opportunity."
The Thunder recently lost rising star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for an undetermined period of time due to plantar fasciitis. That injury spurred the team to shut down Horford sooner than expected, sources told Wojnarowski.
The 34-year-old recorded 14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game while starting in all 28 of his appearances this season. He also shot 36.8% from deep on 5.4 attempts per contest.
Horford is earning $27.5 million in 2020-21, the second season in the four-year, $109-million contract he signed with the 76ers in 2019, per Spotrac. That figure possibly presented too big an obstacle for the rebuilding Thunder to trade the 14-year veteran ahead of Thursday's deadline.