Boston Celtics: 2 trades C’s should consider involving Gordon Hayward

Gordon Hayward to the Indiana Pacers

The other proposed deal gives the Boston Celtics several rotation players that compliment the current core. This time, the Hayward haul brings back two starters in Myles Turner and T.J. Warren and a backup hybrid forward in Doug McDermott.

The thinking here is simple: Hayward isn’t being used to full capacity as long as he is on the C’s. Someone with his talent could realistically be a first or second option even on a playoff team. At best, he is a third option, but mostly serves as a decoy with Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum all of higher priority in Brad Stevens’ offense and Danny Ainge’s future plans.

Indiana would be that team. The Pacers would retain their three best players in Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon while adding a former All-Star to their ranks. Turner’s exodus would ease the positional logjam at Indiana’s center spot.

Meanwhile, Turner would compete for (and likely win) the starting spot with Daniel Theis while joining his Team USA 2019 teammates in Walker, Tatum, Brown and Marcus Smart. Warren is an underrated addition, averaging a shade under 19 points per game the past three seasons. McDermott is a better perimeter scorer than anyone currently on the Boston Celtics bench.

Sending Hayward home would make the Celtics an objectively deeper team. If any draft considerations would need to be included, Ainge shouldn’t stop short of offering any first rounder but Memphis’ first rounder.

The Houdini thinks this deal brings the team closer to a title, but both deals benefit the short-term and long-term trajectory of the future in Boston.