4. Al Horford
Picking which player is better out of Al Horford and Paul Millsap was tough when the two played next to each other in Atlanta. It’s easier now. Millsap will still flourish with the Hawks, but Horford is going to have one of the best coaches in the NBA running an offense through him.
The Boston Celtics were the biggest winners in the East as far as free agency is concerned. Horford, like Millsap, has no weaknesses. He can score inside and outside, move the ball and defend incredibly well.
Although Millsap had the best defensive rating on the 2015-16 Hawks, Horford came in second. In his first season taking more than one three-point shot per game (he took over three), he nailed 34.4 percent of his triples. In addition, Horford averaged 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
The Celtics were very good last season with a core revolving around Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Isaiah Thomas. They still have those three players, but now Horford will be the man in the middle. Given his versatility, there’s no reason to expect either he or the Celtics to do anything but improve this season.
Next: Number Three