Hawks could emulate Boston Celtics’ Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade to land top RFA

The Atlanta Hawks can look to emulate the way the Boston Celtics handled the Gordon Hayward sign-and-trade to the Charlotte Hornets during the 2020 offseason to land restricted free agent Grant Williams in the coming weeks according to Soaring Down South’s Joshua Buckhalter.

“The Hawks could take a similar approach as the Celtics took in 2020 in the trade that sent Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets for a second-round pick and the largest trade exception in NBA history at $28.5 million — Boston is said to be eyeing a first-rounder for Williams,” Buckhalter wrote.

Atlanta created a $25.3 million trade exception by trading John Collins to the Utah Jaz for Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick. Buckhalter’s scenario would subsequently create a trade exception for the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics have squandered multiple trade exceptions through the years

Danny Ainge and, in particular, Brad Stevens, have not been able to make the most of the various trade exceptions the Boston Celtics have created throughout the years. Stevens squandered the $17 million TPE created by the Evan Fournier sign-and-trade to the New York Knicks in 2021, and has done the same with several smaller ones in recent years too.

This isn’t to knock the job Stevens has done as President of Basketball Operations, though. Stevens acquired 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White before him by using a single future first-round draft pick and salary filler — though to be fair, Aaron Nesmith has played his way out of the “salary filler” description with the Indiana Pacers.

Still, creating another trade exception can’t be seen as much of a victory given what the current regime has done with a TPE in their possession. With the new punitive collective bargaining agreement the NBAPA and owners agreed upon, the team may be hesitant to add more salary in the future given the luxury tax implications.