The Golden State Warriors have moved quickly to retain one of their most important veteran contributors, with NBA insider Shams Charania reporting that Al Horford will remain with the franchise on a new multi-year deal.
According to Charania, Horford is declining his player option and intends to sign a two-year, $14 million contract to stay with Golden State. The agreement keeps the veteran center with the Warriors after a season in which he provided frontcourt depth, floor spacing and leadership for a team that finished 37-45 and narrowly reached the Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Charania noted that Horford, who turns 40 during the 2026-27 season, will become just the 13th player in NBA history to reach 20 NBA seasons. The milestone adds another achievement to a career that has already included five All-Star appearances, an NBA championship and more than 1,200 regular-season games.
The news comes after weeks of uncertainty surrounding Golden State’s frontcourt plans. NBC Sports Bay Area previously reported that the Warriors had interest in bringing back both Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, two veteran big men acquired to address the team’s longstanding need for size around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler.
General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. publicly endorsed that approach earlier this offseason, saying the organization would “definitely love to have back” both players. Horford’s return now gives Golden State at least one key piece of continuity as the front office continues evaluating the rest of its roster following the NBA Draft.
While Horford’s statistical production was modest, his impact extended beyond the box score. In 45 appearances during the 2025-26 season, he averaged 8.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 36.1% from three-point range. His ability to stretch the floor remained valuable in lineups featuring Curry and Butler, while his passing helped facilitate Golden State’s motion offense.
The Warriors also entered the draft with an eye toward strengthening their frontcourt pipeline. Golden State selected forward Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick and later added guard Lajae Jones in the second round. Retaining Horford gives the organization an experienced veteran capable of mentoring younger players while continuing to contribute in a rotation role.
