Al Horford Coy on Reasons for Leaving Celtics, Open to Return

The veteran forward discusses his departure from Boston and possibility of rejoining the team.

Feb. 20, 2026 at 10:18pm

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In a recent interview, NBA veteran Al Horford was evasive about the specific reasons behind his decision to leave the Boston Celtics, but he did not rule out the possibility of returning to the team before the end of his career.

Why it matters

Horford was a key part of the Celtics' rotation during his time in Boston, and his departure was seen as a significant loss for the team. Fans are eager to understand what led to his exit and whether there is a chance he could come back to finish his career in green and white.

The details

Horford, who currently plays for the Golden State Warriors, stated that his reasons for leaving the Celtics were "deeper than just the basketball stuff" and that he would share those reasons with people "at some point." However, he did leave the door open for a potential return to Boston, saying "it would definitely be a privilege to do that" and that he is "just trying to focus on finishing out this year."

  • Horford left the Celtics for the Philadelphia 76ers just before the end of the Kyrie Irving era in Boston.
  • Horford later returned to the Celtics via a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder after his stint with the Sixers.

The players

Al Horford

A veteran NBA forward who has played for the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and currently the Golden State Warriors. He is a two-time NCAA champion from the University of Florida.

Kyrie Irving

A former Celtics player whose tenure in Boston overlapped with Horford's time on the team.

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What they’re saying

“For me, the decision has something – it's something that's deeper than just the basketball stuff of it. And it's something that at some point I'll share with people. But for me, it felt like it was the time for me to go elsewhere.”

— Al Horford

“As far as the end of my career, I don't know. I mean, I always keep that open. It would definitely be a privilege to do that, but I'm just obviously just trying to focus on finishing out this year.”

— Al Horford

The takeaway

Horford's departure from the Celtics remains a mystery, but the veteran forward's openness to a potential return to Boston suggests there may still be an opportunity for the team and player to reunite before he retires. Fans will be closely watching to see if Horford and the Celtics can find a way to bring the big man back to finish his career in green and white.