A former star player, who once signed a $120 million contract, is being considered as an “optimistic” offseason target for the Celtics.
The Boston Celtics will head into the 2024 NBA Offseason with minimal incentives for free agents, likely limited to offering the veteran’s minimum. This situation is partly due to certain players aging and no longer being in their prime, making the veteran’s minimum a more realistic option for potential signings.
Gordon Hayward may align with this scenario, potentially becoming a target for the Celtics in free agency. Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey outlined why he sees Hayward as an “optimistic” acquisition for Boston.
“Going from a high-value player to one on a minimum contract can happen fast in the NBA, and Gordon Hayward may have reached that point this season,” Bailey wrote in a March 19 story. “He turns 34 this month and is averaging just 4.3 points since being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.”
Bailey suggested that Hayward could potentially fill a role similar to Joe Ingles, whom he also mentioned as a target for the Celtics.
“For Boston, he could fill a role similar to the one described for Ingles above while being younger and bringing more experience as a volume scorer.”
Back in 2017, Hayward signed a max contract with the Celtics, but his tenure with the team was marred by a career-altering leg injury just five minutes into his first game. Currently, Hayward is in the final year of a four-year, $120 million contract that he signed with the Thunder in 2020.
Gordon Hayward Reveals Why Former Celtics Team Failed
Hayward was a part of the 2018-19 Celtics team, which is considered one of the most infamous in franchise history. Despite nearly reaching the NBA Finals without him or Kyrie Irving, the team fell significantly short of their title expectations.
As a guest on “Podcast P with Paul George,” Hayward explained the factors that contributed to the team’s struggles and what went wrong during that season.
“We all had too many agendas, and the agenda to win the whole thing was not the main one,” Hayward said, per the show’s X account. “Not to blame anyone either because I think it was all human nature.”
Hayward revealed that his mindset going into that season was focused on proving himself as an All-Star again after being sidelined due to injury. He mentioned that Kyrie Irving, who was also injured the previous season, aimed to assert his leadership on the team.
Additionally, players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier were looking to solidify their status after starting and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals the year before, striving to show that they had arrived as key players in the league.
Yes, despite having a talented roster, the Celtics were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in five games during the 2019 NBA playoffs.
Gordon Hayward’s Red Flag
Hayward has indeed faced injury challenges, playing limited games since leaving Boston. This could potentially impact his price tag in free agency, especially considering he is now 34 years old. Given his injury history, Hayward might prioritize joining a team with a strong chance of winning as he progresses in his career.