After details regarding the contract Al Horford signed with the Warriors were finally made public, it looks as if the NBA veteran might just finish his career playing alongside Stephen Curry and his squad.
Golden State Warriors fans were incredibly relieved to hear that the team made a move to acquire Horford. The team was largely silent throughout the offseason, with the majority of the focus on Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the organization.
When news broke that Horford had been added to the Warriors’ lineup, the basketball world launched into an intense debate on this interesting upgrade. At the time, details on the contract Horford signed had not been made available. Now that it has been revealed, let us take a closer look at his contract and find out the hidden key details.
Al Horford Has a 15 Percent Trade Kicker in His Contract With the Golden State Warriors
Since Horford was coming off a two-year contract worth $19 million with the Celtics, it was evident that he would not get much through a veteran contract with the Warriors. However, Horford could negotiate and include a special variable in his contract.
It was soon reported that Horford signed a two-year contract with the Warriors for $11,654,250. The contract includes a player option in the second year and a 15 percent trade kicker, meaning that the Warriors will have to pay him more money if they decide to trade him away.
Update: Al Horford has a 15 percent trade kicker included in his two-year, $12 million deal with the Golden State Warriors, league sources told @hoopshype. Horford also has a player option, as previously reported. https://t.co/ia0iJ4nqlu
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) October 6, 2025
The trade kicker offers Horford a form of leverage and also implies that the Warriors are confident that he will stay with the team. Simply put, it provides for a sense of mutual trust and belief in a future partnership.
Since Horford is on a relatively small contract, it is also possible for the Warriors to pay the price that comes with his trade kicker. Although this scenario is unlikely, it could occur if Horford sustains a serious injury or faces some other issue in the middle of the upcoming 2025-2026 NBA season.
Read More: Stephen Curry’s ‘Unspoken Chemistry’ With Al Horford Is Already in Effect at Warriors
The 2024 NBA champion has stayed relatively healthy for most of his long career. The Warriors’ upper management does not currently have any good reason to believe that their decision to add him to the team was a bad one. Reports have also indicated that Horford is eager to contend for an NBA championship and is expected to start for the Warriors.
Ultimately, Warriors coach Steve Kerr will likely have to decide on dividing the center position’s minutes between Horford, Draymond Green, and the rest of the Warriors’ bigs. This team aims to get its veteran core to the playoffs with the key players completely healthy.
Horford is now one of those players and will have to do his best to provide for the Warriors on both ends of the court. If the team gains momentum heading into the postseason, Horford might just be able to win another championship before his career comes to an end.
