COVID-19: 3 Boston Celtics free agents most affected by NBA season suspension

Gordon Hayward

No free agent has more influence on a franchise this upcoming free agency more than Gordon Hayward. A $34 million player option is on the table for the ten-year veteran. If he were to opt-in, that would severely limit the other options the team would have in free agency.

At this point, it’s definitely fair to question whether or not he is worth that cap number. In an off-season where teams would have less than projected, that number is definitely an excessive amount spent.

That said, Hayward did everything he could to end the season on a high-note if that worst-case scenario comes to fruition. His final two games were what earned him the free agent deal he got back in 2017 when he was one of the most highly sought free agents on the market.

Hayward’s free agent decision is the most important of anyone’s on the Boston Celtics. It may even be the most important player option decision league-wide.