The Golden State Warriors are implementing a cautious personnel management strategy with veteran addition Al Horford. Head Coach Steve Kerr has officially confirmed that the 39-year-old center will not play in any back-to-back games throughout the season.
This is a understandable move to preserve the health and effectiveness of Horford, who signed a two-year deal expected to be his final NBA contract. With 16 sets of back-to-back games on the schedule, Horford is guaranteed to miss at least 8 contests. The plan involves looking a week ahead at the schedule in collaboration with Horford and the team’s medical staff, led by Rick Celebrini.
However, this decision also highlights a potential vulnerability in the Warriors’ roster. The absence of an experienced center like Horford for at least 8 games will place significant pressure on younger big men Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post, while exacerbating the team’s well-documented concerns regarding bench depth.
Having allocated most of their salary cap to the quartet of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga, building a quality supporting cast has been challenging. Success this season, with a projected win total of 56 games, will heavily rely on the health of their stars and the rapid development of young talents like Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Jackson-Davis in Horford’s scheduled absences.