He is about to turn 39! Veteran Horford refuses to talk about his future. When is the end of retirement?

With the Celtics eliminating the season with the second round, veteran El Horford publicly hinted for the first time that he might consider retirement this summer.

On May 18, at the Celtics' season summary conference, Horford was asked whether to consider ending his career, and his answer was "It's too early to talk about this."

"I will spend some time with my wife and children." Horford, who is about to become a free agent, said, "It's less than a day since I was eliminated, so I still have a lot to digest and can't get out of everything last night. It's hard."

Although Horford didn't make it clear whether he would retire, his statement was very different from before. Horford once said that as long as his physical condition is good, he will continue to play. Last summer, he quickly refuted the claim that he would retire after winning the championship. Just in April this year, Horford also said in an interview that he planned to continue playing next season.

However, after the end of the season, the 38-year-old veteran's statement has changed. "I'm not ready to discuss this, I just need some time to spend with my wife and family, and that's what I'm going to do in the next few weeks," Horford said.

Objectively speaking, the Celtics' confusing future will greatly affect Horford's decision. Tatum suffered a severe injury to a ruptured Achilles tendon in the playoffs, which means he may miss the entire next season. Without Tatum, the Celtics are likely to press the reconstruction button next season, and Horford's stay or departure is naturally related to this.

"I just think it's too early to talk about everything now, and I'll think about these things in the next few weeks," Horford said.

Although he will be 39 years old in a few weeks, Horford still plays an irreplaceable role this year's playoffs. He averaged 31.6 minutes per game, started nine times in 11 games, and scored 8.0 points per game. In addition to his contributions on the court, his locker room value and leadership attributes are crucial to the Celtics. "He is one of the best teammates I've ever worked with. I learned from him that I should do my own thing step by step and stay efficient. When I first entered the league, I kept watching him from afar and learning from him. He has five kids in his family and he has to be very efficient when he is on the team. He always starts pre-match training and recovery, receives treatment, shoots, and does everything he can to prepare for the game." Celtic forward Hauser said of Horford.

Although separation is always difficult, everyone in the Celtics seems to be aware of the reality that the team will change its roster significantly. Horford and Cornett will both become free agents, and the Celtics may also explore the trading market to lower their total wages, all of which were doomed before Tatum was injured.

"It's hard to digest when you think that there may be some people on the team next season," Hauser said. "But everything is unknown now, especially when Tatum is injured. I really don't know when he will come back, but it won't sound very fast, so it will definitely make you wonder what will happen next."

(text/Thai Fu)