Boston Celtics: 3 regular season goals for Gordon Hayward in 2018-19
By Gio Rivera
Last season ended in tragic fashion for Gordon Hayward. Not even a full quarter into his year and a misplayed alley pass from Kyrie Irving led to catastrophe. Hayward has been an awaited name in Boston Celtics green ever since the hiring of Brad Stevens. A name that’s been linked to Boston for years and years prior to the signing.
After coming short of an NCAA Butler Tournament victory, it almost seemed as destiny for Hayward to sign with the Celtics and reunite with former college head coach, Brad Stevens and complete unfinished business.
Let’s take a look at Hayward’s final season with the Utah Jazz. A fairly successful year entering free agency for Hayward in 2017. A season in which Hayward averaged a career high 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds, earning him his very first trip to the NBA All-Star Game. Just a sweetened deal for Boston, who’d again expressed their interest in Hayward back in 2014.
Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics were linked to a possible Gordon Hayward trade with the Jazz that never fell through. Perhaps it was due to the Utah’s interest in multiple of Ainge’s many accumulated first round picks.
Yet, Ainge got the last laugh as we all know.
Not only did Ainge elect to keep the first round picks. Draft selections which eventually became Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. However two summers ago, Danny Ainge landed exactly what he wanted in Boston.
On July 4, 2017, Gordon Hayward and the Boston Celtics sparked the biggest fireworks in the city of Boston. Ainge landed Hayward on a four-year deal worth $128 million. All which leads us to where we are today.