One of Steve Kerr’s peers has placed his stamp of approval on Al Horford’s fit with the Warriors.
Former NBA coach and current ESPN analyst Michael Malone, who led the Denver Nuggets to their first championship in 2023, described in a segment for the network’s “NBA Countdown” how Horford’s addition could transform Golden State’s offense this season.
“They’ve added a proficient 3-point shooting big man,” Malone said. “Champion, high character, culture— they haven’t had this spacing, 1 through 5, in a long time.”
Horford’s ability to shoot from long distance is expected to make opponents pay for selling out on Stephen Curry and other Warriors playmakers. The 39-year-old center shot over 40 percent from 3-point range in his final three seasons with the Boston Celtics.
“The number of wide-open shots that he’s going to get is going to spread out their offense and make a really tough offensive team to guard even that much harder,” Malone said.
It isn’t just Horford’s range that has Malone so optimistic, however. In the 2024-25 NBA season, the Warriors ran just 10 total pick-and-roll plays involving Curry and a center. Their new acquisition, Horford, has tallied the sixth-most pick-and-pop shots of any player over the last 10 seasons.
“Steve Kerr, historically, has not been a big pick-and-roll coach,” Malone observed. “They haven’t had maybe the players…now, you’re adding a guy [in] in the last ten years [who] is one of the most prolific pick-and-pop bigs the game has seen. So, I think this is a match made in heaven. I know Steph Curry has to be really excited.”
Based on the early reviews from Malone and Kerr, Warriors fans should be plenty excited, as well.
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