Celtics center Al Horford has tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced today in a press release. Per the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, Horford is now isolating from players and team personnel.
The Celtics’ first regular season game will be an October 20 tilt against the Knicks in New York. It remains to be seen whether or not Horford will clear league protocols in time to return to the floor by then. Boston has two more preseason games on its slate — one tomorrow against the Magic and one on Friday against the Heat.
Horford was traded to the Celtics from the Thunder as part of the Kemba Walker deal earlier in the 2021 offseason. The 35-year-old big man last suited up for Boston during the 2018/19 season, before joining the Sixers in free agency. Horford will earn $27MM during the 2021/22 season, and is guaranteed to make at least $14.5MM of his $26.5MM salary in 2022/23, the final year of his deal.
In 28 games last season, Horford averaged 14.2 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 3.4 APG in just 27.9 MPG for the rebuilding Thunder, before Oklahoma City opted to shut him down for the home stretch of the season.
This news arrives on the heels of a recent announcement that All-Star Celtics wing Jaylen Brown also tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend.
What is with the Celtics? Tatum had covid bad last year! Others too. Evan Fournier came to Boston for the playoffs & immediately tested positive. Now this year two of our best, Jaylen Brown & now Al Horford, are out! Celtics have someone around infecting everybody? .
same thing happened with Red Sox
Doesn’t Boston have some of the highest infection rates in the country? It is in a very densely populated area.
Sounds like Mass should implement vaccine mandates for gyms & stadiums like NY & CA.
Definitely. We now know of two people who’ve been infected in the last 7 days. Probably should just lock down the state tbh.
Bbbbut he was vaccinated!
Yes, over and over again. But everyone must comply so we don’t all get it
Must comply??? Wow…that’s a scary term. I suppose that you’ll add.. for the greater good.
Thanks always…! You’re right! We get vaccinated for the greater good of America. It’s called being a teammate. Someone we can ride the river with. Who’s got our backs. We all want to stop this virus to protect ourselves, others and help our country.
Teammates? Ride the river with? Got our backs? I don’t know you like that man
Yes, and there can still be breakthrough cases. Vaccinations severely reduce the chances of getting it, but even if you do studies show that those who are vaccinated are far less likely to be hospitalized or die. So what’s your point? Not sure if you knew, but 96% effective isn’t 100%. Not sure if you knew this either, but 96% is also more than zero. Which is the amount of protection you have without a vaccine. Funny how numbers work.
However…I have a vaccine and am scheduled for my booster…I am just against mandates and what you or anyone else does or does not do…really does not matter a whole bunch to me. I am more concerned about mandates than I am the unvaccinated.
What a charmed life one must have to be more worried about people being mandated to get something proven to be positive for their health than whether or not people get ill.
Better get that booster now or he shouldn’t be aloud inside anywhere with other humans. Including his own home
You are a very tolerant individual a real paragon of virtue. Yes, anyone who does not comply should not be allowed to be considered human. Well done
Someone didn’t read the comment correctly
Horford will be an interesting HOF case. If Ben Wallace got in, I think he should easily get in. No rings, but a top big throughout his career.
At this point anyone who ever made an All Star team will eventually get in.
But just taking Horford as a comp for Wallace, I’d give Wallace the leg up and it’s not all that close.
4x DPOY 5x All NBA 2x RBD champ and a ring.
Horford has 1x All NBA.
True he’s a more skilled player and being nominally a PF for some years hurt him on the All NBA front. But Wallace was one of the most dominant defensive players of his generation and anchored a championship team.
So just on those credentials he’s got way more HOF than Al. Even if in today’s game he might not even be a starter.