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

Opt-in and trade

A far more tenable, and frankly realistic, scenario that would land Hayward with the Heat would see him opting into his $34 million player option and being traded to Miami for value in return. In this scenario, the Boston Celtics would also benefit from the 2017 All-Star taking his talents to South Beach.

Now to be clear, a sign-and-trade situation that would send Hayward on a long-term deal to the Heat in exchange for assets is off the table. The C’s are a tax-paying team, and teams over the tax threshold are not able to pull off such a transaction.

Instead, the Chris Paul/Houston Rockets trade from 2017 would serve as the template for a Hayward/Heat deal. In such a scenario, the C’s would be able to recuperate some value on their asset, one that scored 17 points per game on 50/39/84 slash lines. Hayward’s renaissance has kept the C’s as a top contender, but more importantly, it could allow them to acquire more value in a deal.

Miami has pieces that could intrigue Boston too. While Andre Iguodola’s $15 million cap figure isn’t exactly attractive, he could be a low-cost bench option that could replace Marcus Smart in the second unit and propel the six-year C’s veteran into the starting lineup. Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro are all worth inquiring about as part of a return package, though Herro may be the most unattainable of the bench.

Whatever Ainge asks for, getting back any value whatsoever is the best option for the C’s if Hayward wants to join one of the squads that courted him back in 2017.