Gordon Hayward is quickly becoming underrated on the Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are going into next season as overwhelming favorites in the Eastern Conference, with a team that might have been able to compete with the Warriors before their latest signing.
The Celtics have young talent everyone is ready to believe in, and they are going to have incredibly high standards next season. Somehow, it still feels like people might be forgetting how good Gordon Hayward is going to be for the Celtics.
He has an opportunity to be the best player on this team, and with LeBron James out, he could be the most impactful player in the entire conference.
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It is easy to forget about a player who is coming off a bad injury and there really is only one season of Hayward’s full prime. The good news is that he should still be in that prime, and he will be in the best situation of his career.
Hayward has one of the best offensive skill sets in the NBA, along with incredibly versatility from his athleticism. He might be the ideal offensive weapon for Brad Stevens to work with, and we still have no idea what his ceiling will end up being under Stevens
Hayward will have the best offensive mind putting him in the best positions of his career, with a lineup that will help him create more than ever. The Celtics may have too much talent to consider him an MVP possibility, but overlooking Hayward in the slightest could be a big mistake this season.
Hayward keeps to himself, and even the young stars on this team get a lot more attention. On the court, that will change. Hayward has proven that he can carry an offense by himself, and now he will get to be a part of one of the best systems in the NBA.
The Celtics will not need anyone to put up crazy volume, but getting the most effective version of Hayward we have ever seen makes him arguably the best offensive option in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics have a lot of talent to get excited about, and we will focus on what we have seen most recently. This season, however, could be a true breakout season for Hayward, and a great season will make sure he gets the same respect as the top players in the NBA.
Hayward still needs to go out there a prove it. Part of the problem will always be that no one has seen him yet, so that immediately puts doubt in the mind. This was one of the top free agency signings not too long ago, and you know Hayward cannot wait to get out there and remind everyone what he is capable of.
The Celtics have a lot of pieces to work out, but there is no doubt that Hayward is a primary option, and a lot of what they do will be about getting him in the strongest positions, and generate offense from what he can create.
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Hayward is a special player, but it has been too long since we have last seen it. There is enough talent in the NBA to make people look elsewhere, but Hayward could easily have one of the best seasons in the NBA, while being an obvious comeback player of the year favorite.