Philadelphia 76ers: What does Al Horford bring to the table?

The Philadelphia 76ers look to run through the Eastern Conference after the addition of Al Horford who brings versatility and leadership

The Philadelphia 76ers signed five-time All-Star Al Horford hoping he could be the final piece to a championship puzzle.

While Horford is not the star Jimmy Butler is, he is an extremely underrated player for what he brings to the table. So exactly what does he bring to the table?

From the moment he steps into the locker room, Horford will bring veteran leadership to still a fairly young Sixers team that could use that “adult” in the room. Elton Brand said of Horford after signing him to a four-year $109 million deal that he is a “Championship-level teammate”.

With the loss of JJ Reddick, not only do you lose shooting, but you lose a veteran presence that was in that locker room and was a huge boost in the Sixers being in the position they were in the past two years.

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Horford is the ultimate glue guy on a championship team he defends; he spaces the floor, plays the right way and always carries himself like a pro on and off the court. Big Al brings versatile to the Sixers lineup, going back to his most comfortable position at power forward he can also play the 5 while Joel Embiid is on the bench or inevitably sitting out games.

Unlike this past season when Horford slides into that center spot the Sixers shouldn’t drastically miss a beat. With Embiid on the court, the Sixers had a defensive rating of 104.9, which would be tied for first in the league, and when he is off the court it plummets to 110.5, ranking in the bottom half of the league.

Brett Brown will always now have the luxury of having a defensive presence and rim protector on the floor. The Sixers now also have a plethora of bodies to throw at reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, should they meet in the postseason.

Along with a defensive presence, Horford adds another floor spacer to a team in desperate need of space. Horford has been a very reliable 3-point shooter, especially in the latter stages of his career. He is a career 36.8 percent shooter and has shot it at 38 percent over the past three years with the Boston Celtics including 43 percent in the postseason.

Next. What Kemba Walker Brings To The Celtics. dark

The Philadelphia 76ers are going into the season with championship expectations and rightfully so. The addition of Al Horford gives the Sixers the most versatile defensive lineup in the league. As long as injuries and sickness don’t get in the way, the process could turn into a parade down Broad Street.