Boston Celtics: The 2 ways Gordon Hayward can end up in Miami

Signs with them outright

Like Hollinger mentioned, the Heat can etch out just under $30 million to prepare an offer for Hayward this summer. That would be a paycut from what he is set to make ($34 million player option) with the Boston Celtics in 2020-21, but he could find long-term security in South Beach.

The tricky part for Danny Ainge and co. in the coming years will be how they will navigate all of the rising salaries of their core. Kemba Walker‘s deal will see an escalation in yearly earnings, but that is nothing compared to the raises Jaylen Brown will receive next season and Jayson Tatum the season after that.

Factor in Marcus Smart‘s free agency in 2022 and even Daniel Theis‘ free agency in 2021, and you have quite a number of high salary figures being tossed around just to maintain the status quo. If Ainge brings back Hayward on a long-term deal, it will catapult the team (further?) into the luxury tax for years to come.

Miami has the advantage of having a relatively clean slate outside of Jimmy Butler‘s deal and Bam Adebayo‘s eventual extension. Signing Hayward this summer means the Heat are going all in on the next few years, but they will have significantly more flexibility to tweak their roster than the C’s would in signing Hayward to a near-max extension.