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Boston Celtics: 3 players that could find themselves on the trading block by February’s deadline

By Mark Nilon

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 06: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics and Enes Kanter #11 of the Boston Celtics looks on before the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on October 06, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 06: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics and Enes Kanter #11 of the Boston Celtics looks on before the preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on October 06, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

Gordon Hayward

Another injury for Gordon Hayward is straight up damning at this point in the season. He has missed the past two games with a foot injury. Before that, a hand injury kept him out for a few months.

Last season, he missed just 10 games but was visibly slowed down from the injury that prematurely ended his 2017-18 season just five minutes into the season’s very first game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

It has been far from a perfect ride here in Boston for a player for whom the team signed to become an Eastern Conference contender. Remember, before the 2017-18 season, the big three of Hayward, Kyrie Irving and Al Horford were supposed to be enough to take down LeBron James’ Cavs in 2018.

Instead, the spotlight was stolen by the young guns in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (and of course the few weeks Terry Rozier was on top of the basketball world as “Scary Terry”). This year, it doesn’t seem as though either player intends to cede that spotlight to the 10-year veteran under any circumstances.

So, with the injuries, with the fact that his role is being outsourced to younger, home-grown options, it seems like Hayward is naturally a fit for the trade block. What makes him even more of a goner-candidate is the fact that he holds a player option at the end of the season.

If you check the Houdini’s archives, you will see that my fellow co-editor Andrew Hughes has been trying to scour the trade market to replace Hayward with any sort of long-term value whatsoever. Remember, if Hayward leaves in free agency to a team that would rather build for 2020-21 than wait until the 2021 offseason to sign a marquee name, the Boston Celtics could only replace him with a player in the $20-22 million range–aka not of equal value.

Next. Can C's win it all without making a trade?. dark

Not everyone is going to be happy with his inclusion here, but it is simple: if Hayward is a flight-risk in any way, he needs to be moved. Being proactive has gotten Ainge prospects like Brown and Tatum via the Nets. If the team isn’t a bona fide contender in February, the possibility of dealing Hayward has to be explored.

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