Al Horford showed everyone he still has the will to win when he joined the Golden State Warriors a year ago. Now, he is set to run it back at age 40 in a new deal that places him in an elite group of players in the NBA.
Horford plans to return to the Warriors next season after telling ESPN he is declining his $6 million player option in favor of a two-year, $14 million contract once free agency opens. The deal pushes his career earnings to $290.9 million.
“I knew a few off the top of my head, but I hadn’t seen the list,” Horford said during his interview with ESPN. “It’s hard to believe. It’s something that, for me, I’m very grateful.” He will become the 13th player in NBA history to reach a 20th season, joining LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and others.
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The 40-year-old continued, “There’s a lot of commitment, a lot of sacrifice and time. I still feel like I’m able to contribute and have an impact on a team.” Last season, his first with Golden State, Horford played 45 games, averaging 8.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
He also missed part of the season due to a strained right soleus. Despite that, Horford remained a steady veteran presence in a rotation built around experience as much as production. The current Warriors roster is built around an aging yet elite core, including 35-year-old Steph Curry and Draymond Green, along with Jimmy Butler, who is also 35 years old.
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Horford will join the veteran roster as he is set to become the first Warriors player to appear in a game at age 40 or older. He also enters a rare statistical club as one of only seven players in NBA history with at least 1,000 career blocks and 1,000 three-pointers.
Apart from the veterans in the squad, the Warriors are also preparing for the future, as they drafted NCAA Championship winner Yaxel Lendeborg in the 2026 NBA Draft. They have also extended Steve Kerr’s contract for two more years, trusting the strong leadership of the nine-time NBA champion coach.
For Horford, the return is less about milestones and more about meaning. It’s about still being part of the fight and playing in his 20th season while hoping for a second NBA Championship to add to his resume.
