Boston Celtics: 3 players C’s could be replacing through the draft

Gordon Hayward

Now onto the toughest person on this list to replace, the former 2017 All-Star and max contract talent Gordon Hayward. Hayward’s inclusion is a tricky one, considering the chances of drafting someone that can fill his shoes during the duration of their rookie contract is almost slim to none.

The thing is, the C’s have been bracing for Hayward’s exit for years. They have been grooming Marcus Smart into a player that can start for them in a pinch, as he has this season when Brown, Walker and Hayward went down for periods of time. In fact, he even earned minutes as the starter during the Kyrie Irving era.

Last year, the C’s took Romeo Langford with their lone lottery pick. Langford doesn’t project to contribute just yet, and certainly didn’t make much of an impact in his rookie season before the season suspension. However, there are designs for Langford to eventually be a scorer and defensive specialist in a system that is predicated towards perimeter play.

As long as Hayward is in uniform, he will serve as a roadblock to Langford. Even if the latter never pans out, the C’s could continue to mine for a replacement through the draft this year. Jaden McDaniels out of Washington and Josh Green out of Arizona could be good combo wings that can replace at least some of Hayward’s versatility in the lineup.