Gordon Hayward has been one of the most talked about names being thrown around in trade rumors so far this offseason. With teams like the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks, and New York Knicks being interested in acquiring the veteran wing, Hayward has decided to opt out of his $34 million deal with the Boston Celtics.
That news comes as a surprise to many, but Shams Charania of The Athletic dropped the bomb on all of us.
Very few players would be willing to give up that kind of money to enter free agency. More than likely, it means that Hayward has a promise of similar money from someone in free agency.
It also goes to show just how fractured the relationship between Hayward and the Celtics was. There were reports that he wasn’t happy, but this proves it. No one gives up a certain $34 million to test unknown waters.
Hayward put together a big season last year for the Celtics. He averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. In addition to those numbers, he shot 50 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 38.3 percent of his three-point attempts.
At 30 years of age, Hayward will be looking for two things this offseason. He will want to cash in with a big deal and will be looking for a better role and a chance to compete.
Of the teams mentioned above that had interest, both the Knicks and Hawks can afford to sign Hayward in free agency outright. The Pacers would have to work some kind of a sign-and-trade to get a deal done, as they don’t have much cap space to work with.
All of that being said, expect to hear more news and rumors about Gordon Hayward in the coming hours and days. He will hit free agency and plenty of teams will have varying degrees of interest in acquiring him.
