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Boston Celtics: 3 players that could benefit from Gordon Hayward’s absence

By Mark Nilon

MADISON, NJ - AUGUST 11: Romeo Langford #45 of the Boston Celtics poses for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Sean Berry/NBAE via Getty Images)
MADISON, NJ - AUGUST 11: Romeo Langford #45 of the Boston Celtics poses for a portrait during the 2019 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot on August 11, 2019 at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, New Jersey. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Sean Berry/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics are completely committed to entering the Disney bubble intact. In regard to the long haul, however, they could find themselves without one specific core contributor.

Despite the large chunk of NBA players either testing positive for COVID-19 or, simply stating that they will not be attending the Disney bubble to avoid any health ramifications, the Boston Celtics as a whole appear to be committed to head to Orlando completely intact.

For fans, this should easily be seen as welcoming news.

Prior to the league’s hiatus, Boston was having quite a productive campaign. Through 64 games, the shamrocks produced a record of 43-21, good for third-best in the Eastern Conference, fifth-best in the entire association and, subsequently, were seen as legitimate contenders for the Larry O’Brien Trophy come the end of 2019-20.

Despite being sidelined for around four months now, experts and analysts still deem the Cs as threats to win it all once the season resumes. With this in mind, seeing the news that the team as a whole are all committed to heading to Disney should be nothing but music to the ears of fans.

However, while the team may plan on coming into the bubble fully intact, according to Gordon Hayward himself, he might be forced to duck out early:

By no means can we, nor anyone else fault the man for wanting to be with his family at such a time as this; at the end of the day, basketball is just a game while life… well, it’s life! What this does mean, however, is, should the Boston Celtics make a deep enough run to be playing during this time, players will assuredly need to step up in the wake of Hayward’s absence.

There are three specific players we believe could actually wind up benefiting from the available minutes that would come with the forward leaving the bubble:

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