One of the Warriors’ objectives this offseason was getting younger and more athletic around 38-year-old Steph Curry. 

Re-signing Al Horford, 40, doesn’t quite accomplish that. Better yet, Horford told ESPN (opens in new tab) that he intends to sign a two-year, $14 million deal when free agency opens. 

While Horford doesn’t help in the age column, the Warriors have reason to be excited by his decision. He was excellent after Christmas, averaging 9.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 21.6 minutes per game. He’s a respected, steady locker-room voice who has bought into Steve Kerr’s system and delivered a signature moment for Golden State when he nailed four late 3-pointers in the play-in win over the Clippers. 

Horford played only 45 games last season, limited by sciatica and Father Time. He’s another player the Warriors must worry about when navigating back-to-backs and minutes restrictions. 

But in the frontcourt, the Warriors should be able to handle availability concerns. Here’s their depth chart at forward and center. 

PF/C: Draymond Green*, 6-foot-6 

PF/C: Al Horford, 6-foot-9

SF/PF/C: Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-8

PF: Gui Santos, 6-foot-7

*Green must decide on a $28 million player option by Monday. 

That’s a lot of size and a lot of depth. The list doesn’t include Jimmy Butler, the forward sidelined until at least December as he recovers from a torn ACL. 

• What the Warriors’ tense draft room scene reveals about their process

• Kawakami: ‘He can play everything’ — How the Warriors locked in on Yaxel Lendeborg

If the Warriors re-sign the 7-foot-2 Kristaps Porzingis — and Mike Dunleavy has hinted there’s mutual interest in a return — the Warriors could have their beefiest front line since Demarcus Cousins joined the squad in 2018. 

If the Warriors are really running it back, they could also re-sign Gary Payton II, who’s a power forward on offense and a guard defensively. 

Just imagine if LeBron James’ negotiations with the Lakers go south and he decides to take his talents to the Bay. Then it would really be Steph Curry and the Power Forwards. 

Having depth in the frontcourt is a luxury — especially when one key player is the rookie Lendeborg, Horford is the third-oldest NBA player, and Porzingis is a lock to be in and out of the lineup. 

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Let’s check in on the rest of the Warriors’ roster as the free-agency period approaches: 

PG: Steph Curry

SG: Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard 

SF: Moses Moody (injured) 

That is … not ideal. 

The Warriors, after years playing small-ball and running three-guard lineups, are entering the offseason with a frontcourt-loaded roster. Outside of Curry, who is breaking down their defender from the perimeter and getting to the cup? 

De’Anthony Melton has a player option, and Pat Spencer is a restricted free agent. Both would make sense as guard depth. But bringing them back risks too much continuity. Drafting Lendeborg, running back a 37-win team, and hoping for better injury luck isn’t exactly an inspiring plan. 

The answer to an upgrade is via trade or free agency. 

Golden State would’ve been all over the deal that sent Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta, but it doesn’t have second-round picks to dangle. The Warriors don’t have cap space to make a competitive offer for free agent Norman Powell. CJ McCollum, Coby White, and Ayo Dosunmu have already agreed to return to their respective teams. 

Perhaps 76ers guard Quinten Grimes would take the non-taxpayer midlevel exception (available to the Warriors if they duck under the luxury-tax threshold). He’d be great as a slasher and microwave shooter. Anfernee Simons, 27, may have reached his ceiling, and that might be as a $15 million player. Collin Sexton is another veteran firmly in that price range. 

Bones Hyland can get to the rim and is an unrestricted free agent. So is Jett Howard, a former lottery pick who flamed out in Orlando. The Kings are reportedly expected to waive-and-stretch DeMar DeRozan, and he’d help as a scorer and ball handler off the bench. Those players are at least a tier below McCollum, White, and Dosunmu.

Maybe the Warriors could give restricted free agent Caleb Love a modest offer sheet and test the frugality of the new Blazers ownership. He can at least provide a heat-check scoring punch from the backup point guard spot. 

As for trades, Trey Murphy III would solve a lot of problems. But the Pelicans weren’t close to trading him before this year’s deadline and didn’t move him for a lottery pick during the draft. There’s not much evidence to suggest the Pelicans are shopping him, only waiting to see if any team will bite with an overwhelming offer.

Boston is listening on Jaylen Brown, but the Warriors don’t appear to have the assets to make a compelling offer to the Celtics.

Perhaps the Warriors could find a way to parlay their frontcourt abundance into Jalen Suggs, the oft-injured, defensive-minded guard who’s in a crowded backcourt with the Magic. He’d be worth a flier at the right price. 

But filling out the guard depth is for tomorrow. Today is for Horford, and it’s a good day for the Warriors. Locking in for two years is a surprise, but Horford has played for five teams in his 20-year career, and only one regretted adding him. He won’t give the Warriors reason to be the second.