With their Game 6 loss to the Miami Heat firmly in the rear-view mirror, the Boston Celtics must now turn their attention to the future, and retooling the roster.
And while it’s much too soon to probe the feelings of players like veteran forward Gordon Hayward about their plans or hopes to re-sign with the team, it’s an issue the front office will have to address in very short order.
To be clear, this is no article that will take the Indiana native to task for how much money he makes or what he did in the postseason to earn it — the former All-Star had his best season as a Celtic to date after the horrific injury that marked the start of his career in Boston.
A eulogy to an incredible Celtics season, in which they fell short of a championship, but showed what was initially called a "bridge" season was a bridge to a bright future.
Read on @TheAthleticNBA
and sign up for just $1: https://t.co/JGx9uSekZF— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) September 28, 2020
And he finished it playing hurt, skipping the birth of his own child to be there for his team — if you want Hayward slander, look elsewhere.
He is a potential free agent though, meaning he could simply walk away to a team willing to pay whatever salary the Celtics might not longer-term.
Still, the uncertainty surrounding the league’s salary cap figures and general lack of space around the league suggest that outcome is a longshot, even if it came into play with big man Al Horford last summer.
If anything, Horford served as a cautionary tale with his ill fit and lack of fan support making for a rough first season in his new home with the Philadelphia 76ers.
But if Hayward does come back and doesn’t ink a new, team friendly deal longer-term, Boston may have little choice but to move him in order to retain the space above the cap to best maintain their ability to compete for a title.
‘We had our chances’, ‘didn’t take advantage,’ says Stevens on G6 loss https://t.co/t2x7p9sgAp
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) September 28, 2020
And according to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, it’s not out of the question that the home team for Hayward’s hometown might be one such interested destination.
With guard Victor Oladipo reportedly looking to move on from the Indiana Pacers, and perhaps big man Myles Turner as well, a trade might be had that makes everyone happy with the outcome, at least within the constraints that limit their situations.
Controlling three first round picks and little space to roster them, Boston will need to do something with them this summer, and if moving up in the draft isn’t on the table, securing additional talent that will be under contract beyond next season might just be the way to go.
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