Al Horford finally won his first NBA title in his 17th season — and he’s not done yet.
Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck announced Tuesday that Horford plans to return for the 2024-25 campaign.
“Al is coming back for next year, is what I’ve been told,” Grousbeck said on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” “… He loves it here. He and his family love it here. He couldn’t be happier, and we are all so happy.”
The 38-year-old was lauded by nearly every Celtics teammate after Monday night’s championship-clinching 106-88 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Jrue Holiday said “one of the ultimate goals of this season” was getting Horford his trophy.
“(He’s) just the all-around great person and great human,” Holiday said. “I’d run through a brick wall for him. I’m so happy that he got one.”
Jaylen Brown, the NBA Finals MVP, teared up when asked about Horford’s impact. Both arrived in Boston in 2016, with Horford returning for a second stint in 2022 after two seasons with Philadelphia and Oklahoma City.
“Al is 37, 38 years old, and we leaned on him so much,” Brown said. “Probably too much for his age and where he’s at. He just delivered. So consistent, so disciplined with his body. Never complains. The only thing he does is add to winning. Great teammate. It’s been an honor to be by his side. Al Horford is a real-life legend and hero. It’s been great to be his teammate.”
As for Horford, he said the feeling of winning a championship, after 186 career playoff appearances, had yet to truly register. He recalled ogling Grousbeck’s 2008 championship ring during his free agent meeting with the Celtics eight years ago, desperately wanting one of his own.
“Man, I never forget what Danny Ainge told me in that meeting,” said a grinning Horford, who was a rookie on the Atlanta Hawks team Boston beat during the ’08 title run. “He said, ‘You can win championships in many places, but there’s nothing like winning in Boston. Nothing like winning as a Celtic.’ And that stuck with me.”
Horford served as the Celtics’ sixth man this season following the additions of Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, but injuries to Porzingis thrust him back into the starting lineup for most of the playoffs. He started Boston’s final 15 games, topped 20 points twice and notched nine points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals in Monday’s finale.
“Al is an unbelievable teammate, unbelievable person,” Porzingis said. “Everybody loves him. He’s a great leader. Knowing how he has been chasing this for so long in his career and finally get it done, and playing at a high, high level at his age — man, I don’t even know words I could use to describe him. … He gave everything to this team. He deserves it more than anybody.”
Mazzulla’s injury reveal
News broke late Monday night that Porzingis, who played through pain to log 16 minutes in the Game 5 clincher, will need offseason surgery to repair his “rare” leg injury and will be sidelined for several months.
He’s not the only one.
During a postgame “SportsCenter” interview, head coach Joe Mazzulla revealed he’ll also have to go under the knife now that Boston’s season is over.
“Hey, guess what? I’ve got to have knee surgery,” Mazzulla said when asked how he plans to celebrate the Celtics’ championship. “I tore my meniscus in March after we lost to Atlanta. … I’m going to be out a little while. I’ve been working through it since March.”
Mazzulla, who trains in mixed martial arts when he’s not patrolling the Celtics’ sideline, said he’s aiming to “get back on the mats hopefully in the next three to five months.”
The 35-year-old is the youngest NBA head coach to win a championship since Bill Russell in 1969. He faced sharp criticism during and after his first season in charge — which began with a last-second promotion to replace the suspended Ime Udoka and ended with an upset loss to eighth-seeded Miami in the Eastern Conference finals — but validated the Celtics’ trust by leading a dominant title-winner in Year 2.
“Praise and criticism are both just as dangerous if you don’t handle them well,” Mazzulla said in his postgame news conference. “… And it’s Boston. We wouldn’t want it any other way. …
“If someone tells you ‘Good job’,” that’s just as dangerous as someone telling you you suck. But you need both of them in order to get to where you want to get to, and there’s no place else I’d rather be.”
Van Gundy departing
Celtics senior consultant Jeff Van Gundy is off to Los Angeles to become the Clippers’ lead assistant under Tyronn Lue, according to an ESPN report.
A longtime NBA head coach and commentator, the 62-year-old Van Gundy joined Boston’s front office last October after being laid off by ESPN.
Van Gundy had been rumored as a candidate for a role on the Celtics coaching staff next season, as Boston will need to replace at least one of Mazzulla’s lieutenants. Top assistant Charles Lee was hired as the Charlotte Hornets’ next head coach last month but remained with Boston through the Finals.
Off the rim
All of the Celtics’ regulars are under contract through at least one more season, and of them, only Horford and Holiday are older than 29. “We’ve got some guys who are getting up there a little bit, (but) basically we’re a young team,” Grousbeck said on WEEI. “Most of our players are 30 or younger, and that is bad news for everyone else, hopefully.” … The Celtics jetted off to Miami on Tuesday for some championship celebrations. Their duck boat parade through Boston is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. ET.
