Gordon Hayward is owed $34.2 million next season.
He could opt out of that and become a free agent, but who is going to pay him mega money going forward?
He hasn’t been the same player since his horrific leg injury, but he is considering it according to Ryen Russillo on The Ringer’s The Bill Simmons Podcast:
I’ve heard that Gordon Hayward does want out, but I don’t know if he’s going to get the money. he’s not opting out of that huge number unless he knows he’s getting the deal.
It’s probably not happening. Hayward would have to decide that he no longer wants to play in Boston for this to happen. No team is going to give him a contract that approaches the $34.2 million he’d give up from the Celtics for 2021. Only the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks are in position to do that. It’s unlikely any would (insert your Knicks jokes here!), or that Hayward would want to play for any of those teams.
Beyond that, a sign-and-trade deal is pretty unlikely as well. Boston would have to find the right partner and that partner would have to want Hayward long-term. With so many teams angling towards cap space for the 2021 offseason, it’s unlikely anyone is positioned to take on a long-term deal for Hayward.
Would you be interested in Hayward on your team and if so how much would you be willing to pay?
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