In case it isn’t obvious, the Boston Celtics like having Gordon Hayward around.
The team could have dealt away the veteran forward at the trade deadline if they thought they didn’t have an excellent chance of retaining the Butler product at the price point they’re willing to pay, but instead chose to stand pat and roll the dice this summer.
With the Indiana native able to opt out of the final season of his current contract this summer, the possibility of a large offer sheet looms at a time when the Celtics will be jacking their payroll sky-high.
Fourth-year shooting guard Jaylen Brown will see his extension kick in, and presumably the season after that, third-year swingman Jayson Tatum will follow with one of his own.
Brian Robb of Boston Sports Journal reports, “the Celtics remain very interested in bringing back Hayward over the long-term whether or not he elects to pick up that option this summer.”
This doesn’t necessarily mean Boston is unconcerned with their cap situation going forward — in fact quite the opposite, according to Robb.
“Price point is always going to be an area of concern for the [Celtics] with future deals though as seen last summer when the team declined to match the hefty four-year $109 million offer from the Sixers on Al Horford (and also give up the assets necessary to make a sign-and-trade to keep Horford and bring on Kemba Walker).”
This of course opens the door to a similar scenario to play out with Hayward, but it seems Boston believes it has an excellent shot at avoiding losing the Butler product for nothing.
For now, the focus is on winning in the present — there’s few things like a deep postseason run to cement ties to a franchise on the upswing, but after leaving roughly $40 million on the table just to come the Celtics in 2017, it’s anyone’s guess what Hayward will do once summer arrives.
