Should the Boston Celtics stop playing Gordon Hayward?
Expectations were sky high for the Celtics in the summer of 2017 when they acquired both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. While the team came one win away from the NBA Finals last year, neither Hayward nor Irving were playing during their run. Now Irving is struggling leading the team. Worse yet, Hayward is borderline unplayable.
The Boston Celtics are on the brink of elimination from the 2019 playoffs and there are a couple of scapegoats Celtics fans can look to. Kyrie Irving is one option, after failing to be that top option he wanted to be when he demanded a trade to the Celtics.
Irving has been the team’s best (if not most efficient) player though. He has led the team in points, minutes, and assists per game. Whether having the offense revolve around him is the best idea is a debate for another day (or better yet this upcoming off-season). His play tangibly helped the Celtics win at least one game this series.
On the other hand, the player who has undoubtedly been most disappointing has been Gordon Hayward. Hayward is a max-contract talent that has performed like a role player. He’s contributing minimally across the board (seven points, three assists, three rebounds per game) and hasn’t shot the ball well (35% from the field).
Out of all the Celtics players that have played at least 100 minutes so far, Hayward has the lowest box plus/minus. In fact, only two Celtics have a worse point differential. Terry Rozier (who has not adjusted well to being marginalized behind Irving) is one and Marcus Smart is the other. Smart has played only 15 minutes in the postseason.
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Hayward shouldn’t be compared to Smart or Rozier. They are young role players not expected to be leaders on this veteran-laden team. Hayward is supposed to be Irving’s co-star. The fact that he hasn’t been able to earn back his starting spot is damning enough.
It is unacceptable just how bad Hayward has been though. The Celtics are on the hook for over $35 million each of the next two seasons. It shouldn’t be a debate as to whether or not he should be in the rotation in the second year of his deal.
The easy response would be bringing up his injury. Yes, Hayward suffered one of the most gruesome looking injuries the league has seen since Baron Davis’ knee collapsed in the 2012 playoffs. That was also in the calendar year 2017. He has had a full season under his belt since.
Hayward has the Celtics in a short-term bind, but also a long-term conundrum. He is not contributing much against the Bucks’ pair of All-Stars in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton defensively and he isn’t serving as the second option on offense he was signed to be.
Worse yet, his cap-clogging deal could have ramifications that prevent Boston from adding any top-line talent. That, in turn, is forcing the Celtics current title window shut sooner than ever anticipated. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to have ever been open with the current iteration with Irving and Hayward.
If things don’t improve quickly, Hayward may be nearing the end of his Celtics run. If it weren’t for the wing rotation being so thin beyond their starters, his time may have already been cut short. Luckily, there’s more time for Hayward to make me eat these words.