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Boston Celtics: Making sense of Gordon Hayward’s potential 2020 contract extension

By Lyle Morrison

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics in action in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on January 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics in action in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on January 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Boston Celtics (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Al Horford

The situation that they encountered with Al Horford last season played out in a similar fashion. Horford opted out of a substantial one-year player option, seemingly with the intent of getting a more long term deal done, a deal that ultimately didn’t come into fruition. The veteran eventually signed a 4-year, $109 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, who are doing great and are totally not experiencing any buyers remorse whatsoever.

There are a variety of reasons the deal didn’t get done. Some speculated that Big-Al really did not care for one Kyrie Irving, who also had a player option, and that even the most remote possibility of Irving mending fences and opting back in with the Boston Celtics was not a chance he was willing to take.

Still, others asserted that Horford wanted to compete for a title, and that Philadelphia gave him the best shot. I am also sure the 76ers were ok with backing up the Brinks truck in order to avoid Joel Embiid getting exposed by Horford again and again.

Yet in the end I think it was Boston who had hesitations about paying Horford. The consensus around the league at the time was that he would command a contract in the $100 million ballpark (which he ultimately got). However, the C’s clearly had reservations about giving him that fourth year, which would be his age 37-season.

Very few players are able to maintain that kind of effectiveness late into their career, especially big guys like Al Horford, and they just didn’t want the potential of that albatross on their books.

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