The Celtics are in a great position to sign free agent forward Gordon Hayward, but have competition in the Heat and Jazz.
It is no secret that the Celtics are looking to add a big free agent this offseason. That first option is Jazz star forward Gordon Hayward, who set up meeting with three teams before he makes his final decision. Those three teams are the Celtics, along with the Utah Jazz and Miami Heat.
Boston has competition in getting the player they desire, so we have to look at what kind of advantages they hold over those other two teams. If the Celtics sign Hayward, they might be more willing to offer what the Pacers want for Paul George, so I feel like Hayward is a must if the Celtics are trying to win a championship in the near future.
First we’ll look at the Jazz, who are probably the biggest form of competition to acquire Hayward’s services.
Utah Jazz
With the Jazz, you have a very good team that made it past the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, but were swept by the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. They have a good partner for Hayward in Rudy Gobert, who helped them become one of the best defenses in the NBA this season.
However, the western conference is and will continue to be a very steep hill to climb for the Jazz. Golden State is the king of the mountain now, and the Spurs and Rockets are much better than Utah even with Hayward on the team.
The Jazz are also in a bit of a pickle with their starting point guard situation. George Hill will demand a big contract, which will cause Utah to either lose an important player, or wrap up cap space to an aging starter who isn’t a star. So basically, Hayward would be returning to the same team, but with a much bigger contract than what any other team can offer him.
Chances of Winning
The Celtics can’t offer the bigger salary, but they can certainly offer a better chance of winning a championship than Utah can. Even though LeBron James has a hold on the eastern conference, that hold is near its end as opposed to the Warriors just beginning their run over the west. Boston made it to the eastern conference finals last season, but lost in five games to the Cavs.
There is also a chance that James leaves Cleveland. All of the best suitors for his services next summer are out west, so there’s a chance that the Celtics make a similar run of consecutive finals appearances with Hayward in the fold.
Also, if Hayward decides to sign with Boston, they can then trade a number of players and/or picks to acquire George from the Pacers. The Celtics can offer the best package for the superstar swing man, and would have a great chance at keeping George despite him saying that he would leave for the Lakers next summer no matter what. The Celtics can’t offer the big contract that Utah can, but they can still offer a max deal, along with a possible “Big Four” with Thomas Horford and George.
Brad Stevens
Stevens is an advantage for the Celtics in any free agency pitch, but in Hayward’s case it’s significantly greater since he used to play for him at Butler. On top of the talented roster, and promising future, Hayward has the opportunity to play for one of the best coaches in the NBA, and he surely knows it.
Hayward deciding on the Celtics would be a risk considering he’d be heading into a completely different situation than Utah. What he can be confident in is that Stevens will put him in a position to be successful, and that he’ll only be asked to be the best version of himself on the floor. That can go a long way in Hayward’s decision, and should give Celtics fans confidence in landing the coveted free agent.
Sustained Success
This is a similar pitch that almost resulted in Kevin Durant wearing a Celtics jersey. Not only can the Celtics give Hayward a chance to win titles right away in signing him and then likely trading for George, but they can offer sustained success to prolong his career.
The trade package that the Celtics give up for George will most likely not include young studs Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Marcus Smart. Also, the Celtics will likely keep at least one potential top five pick in next year’s draft, since the Pacers don’t have a ton of leverage in trade talks involving George. Even without the trade for George, the Celtics have an impressive core of young players that will help the veterans on the team down the line.
Next: Roster Implications of Adding Hayward and George
This is a big decision for Hayward, and will likely be the last team he plays for in a big role. He has to make sure that the team he chooses give him the best chance at accomplishing whatever goals he sets for himself. When comparing the Jazz and the Celtics, Boston gives him a better chance to win now and to win moving forward. Utah can offer more money, but not that much more where it should make a huge difference. Hayward playing for his beloved college coach is just the cherry on top of it all that makes me confident that he will be wearing green next season.