As the NBA season begins, the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers could have an unexpected twist regarding the Warriors’ lineup and veteran center Al Horford.
Al Horford May Be Off the Bench in His Golden State Warriors Debut
On October 21, the 2025-2026 NBA season will kick off with an enticing double-header featuring Golden State and Los Angeles. Superstar LeBron James will not be on the court due to his injury, and a recent bit of news in the hours before tip-off concerns Horford.
According to ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania, the Warriors are leaning towards starting forward Jonathan Kuminga over Horford, who was previously listed day-to-day.
Shams: Warriors leaning toward starting Jonathan Kuminga ahead of Al Horford on Tuesday.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) October 21, 2025
The news is slightly surprising, as Golden State was all in on welcoming the veteran center to the team after seven of his past nine seasons with the Boston Celtics. Horford can play both sides of the floor and bring his championship experience to the West Coast. But Kuminga getting the nod to start gives a clearer look into head coach Steve Kerr’s long-term plans for the team’s season, with an eye towards minutes management.
Even though Kuminga and the Warriors spent most of the summer in a tense standoff over his contract, they finally agreed to terms two weeks ago on a two-year, $48.5 million deal. Kuminga opted for that deal rather than a three-year, $75 million contract to have more leverage over his future.
The deal includes a team option after this 2025-2026 season. It also works for the Warriors if they feel they can get a good deal for him if both parties are still sour on each other during this season.
MORE: Al Horford Fantasy Outlook: Should You Draft the Golden State Warriors Center This Year?
Another key element to Kuminga’s starting over Horford is Kerr’s decision that the 39-year-old center will not play in any back-to-back games the Warriors have this coming season.
NBC Bay Area Sports’ Dalton Johnson revealed that bit of news on Monday in a post on X, writing that Kerr would “look a week ahead at the schedule in collaboration with Al and (Warriors Director of Sports Medicine) Rick Celebrini.”
Golden State is set to play 15 back-to-back games throughout the upcoming season, and Horford played fewer games last season with Boston than he had previously. Meanwhile, Kuminga stepped up huge for Golden State’s Western Conference Semifinals series against the Minnesota Timberwolves after playing in the Warriors’ first series against the Houston Rockets.
Horford is expected to be back in the starting lineup for Golden State’s second game against the Denver Nuggets.
