The Boston Celtics’ ceiling if Gordon Hayward returns to pre-injury form

If Enes Kanter‘s optimism is a sign of anything, the Boston Celtics might just have to expect a career resurgence from Gordon Hayward. What is the team’s ceiling if the small forward can return to All-Star form?

When the Boston Celtics inked Gordon Hayward to a four-year max contract in the summer of 2017, expectations were sky-high. After a spirited run to the Eastern Conference Finals the season prior, the All-Star forward’s presence all but penciled in the franchise to reach their first NBA Finals since 2010.

Two years later, the Boston Celtics have fallen short of their goals of legitimate championship contention. While there are many reasons for Beantown’s faltering, chief among them were Hayward’s gruesome 2017 opening night injury coupled with his inability to bounce back.

The small forward has played a total of 73 regular season games out of a potential 164. In them, his performances have been subpar to say the least as he’s averaged 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

While his woes surely can be attributed to his unfortunate 2017 debacle, the fact still remains: the forward has not been able to live up to his lofty salary.

However, in regard to this offseason, there has been nothing but optimism that Hayward can potentially return to his pre-injury form. Recently, new teammate Enes Kanter discussed scrimmaging with the small forward, and keyed in on his rising confidence.

"“When I was in Boston, I played with (Hayward) in two-on-two action and I feel like he’s gained more confidence,” Kanter said. “When he played, he wasn’t scared of anything. It was me, Gordon, Jaylen Brown and Tacko (Fall).”"

Though Kanter is the most recent member of the Boston Celtics to mention Hayward’s positive progression since season’s end, by no means is he the first to do so. Back in July Head Coach Brad Stevens was gushing over how well Hayward looked during offseason workouts.

"“Gordon is going to be the dude who unlocks everything. He’s so skilled in all facets of the game. I saw him before we left to come here [Las Vegas Summer League] and he was kicking everyone’s a** in the gym. He wants to prove he’s still that dude.”"

If Hayward can return to “that dude” form, what is the Boston Celtics’ ceiling for the 2019-20 season?

Prior to injury, Hayward was seen as one of the most dynamic wings the league had to offer. During his seven year stint with the Utah Jazz, the forward improved his overall game in every consecutive season, specifically in the scoring department.

In his final season in Salt Lake City the, then, 27-year-old recorded his best season as he averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game on 47% shooting from the field and 40% from deep. With his impressive campaign, Hayward saw himself playing in his first All-Star game and guided the Jazz to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

That Utah Jazz team featured George Hill as the second best option on offense. The current Boston Celtics feature a top-5 point guard in Kemba Walker, two of the league’s most promising wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Not to mention, the team is flanked by talented role players such as Team USA Captain Marcus Smart and perennial double-double threat, Enes Kanter (a former teammate of Hayward’s).

If Hayward can return to his peak 2017 level of play, Boston has the potential to become a true dark-horse NBA Championship contender, as they were upon landing the talented forward.

Assuming Walker continues to be an elite point guard and Brown/ Tatum can convert their Team USA experience into sustainable NBA success, a rejuvenated Hayward could be the missing piece that the Boston Celtics believed they signed two summers ago.