The Cleveland Cavaliers could be major beneficiaries of the recent Boston Celtics teardown.
Following a heartbreaking Achilles tear, Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum will likely miss the entirety of the 2025-26 NBA season. Boston has begun shedding salary to restructure and exit the luxury tax second apron. Trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics are no longer viewed as a realistic Finals contenders next year, leaving the Eastern Conference wide open for the Cavaliers.
With Boston out of the picture, Cleveland will be a top destination for many veteran talents looking to compete for a championship immediately. Though the Cavs can only offer veteran minimum contracts with their inflated salary cap, players willing to take a pay cut to win now are likely to view Cleveland amicably.
The Cavaliers are still in search of a viable backup big man behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, making their free agency priorities obvious. Signing a minimum contract would offer a veteran a consistent, low-minute role that would allow them to impact winning without risking injuries. After years with the Celtics, a fan-favorite big man could be the perfect answer for the Cavaliers this summer.
Boston's Al Horford would be perfect for the Cavaliers
At 39 years old, Al Horford is in the twilight of his NBA journey, but last season proved the 2024 NBA Champion is still one of the most impactful backup centers in the league. In his 18th season, Horford averaged 9 points and 6.2 rebounds while shooting 36.3 percent from deep.
Cleveland's frontcourt needs perfectly fit Horford's skillset. He is a bruising big man with fearsome interior defense, and he is a floor-spacing offensive threat. While he may not be as dominant as he was in his five All-Star seasons, Horford is a game changer off the bench. Pairing Mobley and Horford in certain lineups could be a definitive composition to give the Cavs a five-out, space-and-pace offensive set.
On the boards, Horford ranks among the top free agents in both defensive and offensive rebounding, sitting in the 79th percentile of defensive rebounding talent and 73rd percentile in offensive rebounding talent, per BBall-Index (subscription required). Adding a two-way force like Horford could be the final element the Cavaliers need to win the title and make franchise history.
Given Horford's continued playoff success and proven veteran leadership, it is not hard to imagine he could command well beyond the veteran minimum in free agency. Still, if his priority is winning one final ring as a real contributor before he retires, the Cavaliers are probably worth the pay cut. Horford would serve as a key role player and an ideal mentor for the Cavs star big men. His track record as a hard-nosed paint presence and evolution as a three-point shooting big could serve as a catalyst for Mobley's and Allen's developments.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have built a talented and deep depth chart in the frontcourt and across the wing, but adding the final frontcourt talent like Al Horford could catapult the Cavs from favorites to win the conference to the eventual 2026 NBA champions.