Insider predicts Karl-Anthony Towns’ potential union with Celtics’ free agent

A possible reunion between New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns and veteran center Al Horford could be reportedly in the works this offseason.

In Sunday's "The Hoop Collective," NBA insider Tim Bontemps floated Horford signing with the Knicks. This would reunite Horford and Towns, who are both from the Dominican Republic and have spent time with its national team.

"Al Horford is a free agent," Bontemps said. "I don’t think at this point it makes a lot of sense for Horford to be back in Boston. Maybe he will be, but given where things are with the Celtics, I think he’s now much more in play than he might have been a month ago.

"Al Horford is a longtime friend of Karl-Anthony Towns and has played with him with the Dominican national team for a long time. If they go get Al Horford this summer, I think he would be an unbelievable fit on this Knicks roster. ... That's a team that could beat the Pacers next year. That's a team that'll be in the mix in the East."

Horford and Towns was part of the Dominican Republic national team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Centrobasket in Puerto Rico. Horford officially played for the national team from 2008 until 2012.

Meanwhile, Towns has been a member of the national team since he was 16, playing in several stints. He most recently represented his country at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Changes are widely expected to happen with the Boston Celtics. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Boston is projected to have the largest payroll history that could surpass $500 million.

Horford's two-year, 19.5 million contract expired at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Looking at Al Horford's fit with Karl-Anthony Towns' New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are expected to retool their roster this offseason following a conference finals exit. They already have a solid core of Jalen Bruson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart.

However, there are glaring issues with defense, particularly in the frontcourt. In the conference finals against the Indiana Pacers, New York started Mitchell Robinson in place of Josh Hart to cope with their defensive struggles.

At 39, Al Horford could still be an impactful role player. He fits in what New York needs: a big known for his defense that could add bench depth. He had the same role with the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics. The five-time All-Star primarily comes off the bench and could be tapped to start occasionally.

In his 18th NBA season, Horford averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 rebounds on 42.3% shooting, including 36.3% from 3-point range.