Boston Celtics: B/R has Hayward going to Portland in latest trade idea

Bleacher Report has mixed in the Boston Celtics with various different trade ideas as of late. Most recently, we’ve seen them send Gordon Hayward to “Rip City.”

Since their latest campaign officially ended a little over a month ago it has been a “hypothetical palooza” in regard to moves in which the Boston Celtics could make this offseason.

From draft targets to free agency signings, the shamrocks have found themselves all over the media circuit thanks to the numerous publications that, frankly, are just bored from the lack of news as of late — this includes ourselves.

Because of this, we’ve been “forced” to speculate on the different routes in which the Celtics could take this offseason to try and better position themselves for a run at glory come 2020-21 and beyond.

One of our favorite topics of discussion here at Hardwood Houdini is figuring out trades Boston can partake in this offseason to rid themselves of some of their less-fortunate contracts and, in turn, potentially add players they wouldn’t be able to on the open market or via the NBA Draft.

From 3-team mega deals to simple “low-risk, high-reward” trades we’ve simply gone down every conceivable path this team can take. One constant in the majority of our concoctions is the concept of using Gordon Hayward‘s remaining one-year, $34M (assuming he opts into his player option) on his contract as a draw for other teams as well as a salary matcher.

While his name has oft been associated with the likes of the Indiana Pacers, Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley thought up a way in which the Boston Celtics send their former All-Star to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for both depth and youth.

The deal: Gordon Hayward and the No. 26 pick for Zach Collins, Anfernee Simons, Rodney Hood, and Trevor Ariza.

Buckley’s reasoning as to why this trade could work for Beantown reads as follows:

"While this deal would require the Celtics to split with Brad Stevens’ prized pupil at Butler, the ball might already be rolling that direction. Hayward’s deal is down to a $34.2 million player option, and if he picks it up, that wouldn’t guarantee the relationship extending beyond next season.Boston already has massive money committed to Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. Jayson Tatum will add to that whenever he puts pen to paper on a max extension. Even if the C’s wanted to keep Hayward, it might not be financially feasible, so ditching that deal while adding current contributors and long-term prospects might be the move to make.Boston would need to picture Zach Collins as a building block big for this package to work, but it doesn’t require much imagination to see that kind of potential in 2017’s No. 10 pick. Anfernee Simons has the talent to scratch the Celtics’ itch for shot-making and distributing on the second team. Rodney Hood and Trevor Ariza can both soak up wing minutes next season, and their best-case scenarios put each one into the postseason rotation."

While we certainly respect the writer’s creativity in thinking up this never before discussed scenario, in comparison to all the other very realistic possibilities involving a Hayward deal — specifically those including Indiana — this comes in as one of the least beneficial for Boston.

Perhaps the most intriguing piece coming back to the Celtics in this hypothetical is Ariza, who would add defensive toughness, consistent floor-spacing off the bench, and much needed veteran leadership.

That said, is all of that worth giving up you 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists per game player?

Answer: no.

Despite his ailments, at the end of the day exchanging a quality starter AND a pick on a team that just went to the Eastern Conference Finals for four role players just isn’t worth Boston’s time.