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Boston Celtics: 3 options for Gordon Hayward this off-season

By Andrew Hughes

HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 11: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics drives around Austin Rivers #25 of the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on February 11, 2020 in Houston, Texas. 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 Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 11: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics drives around Austin Rivers #25 of the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on February 11, 2020 in Houston, Texas. 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 Bob Levey/Getty Images) /
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Whenever the off-season begins, the Boston Celtics will have a $34 million question answered. What are the options for their oft-injured former All-Star?

Gordon Hayward is going to be a wealthy man no matter what happens this off-season. The Boston Celtics are on the hook for his $34 million player option if he chooses to forego free agency.

That might be the smart play for Hayward, and really any free agent, this off-season. The potential loss of revenue that could result from a cancelled season might make finding lucrative offers difficult for the already underwhelming 2020 free agent class.

Hayward’s free agency is key for the Boston Celtics this off-season. No other player represents such a significant portion of the team’s spending power–which again, is set to shrink as the NBA’s salary cap feels the effects of almost a quarter of the regular season..and potentially even the playoffs.

Talking about the future of the team may actually be talking about the next moves Danny Ainge has to make. We do not know when normalcy will return to the world. China’s CBA has pushed back its season to May after initially cancelling it in January.

That means the NBA is on a two-month lag. After having games cancelled on March 11th, that would put the season returning at July at earliest.

When talking about Hayward’s upcoming free agency, we could actually be discussing the next big roster decision for Ainge and co.

When that decision comes, here are three possible outcomes for Hayward’s status:

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