There has been lots of chatter about Gordon Hayward leaving the Utah Jazz for the Boston Celtics due to his ability to opt out of his contract and connections to Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. The 6'8", 225 pound small forward is coming off his first all-star season in the NBA and is just starting to enter his prime at 27 years of age. After watching the Eastern Conference Finals, it is clear that the Celtics are in need of a major addition to leap frog the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. While Gordon Hayward is one of the best young talents in the league, is he the missing ingredient to a Boston Celtics championship run?
At the moment, the top player on the Celtics is Isaiah Thomas, who averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game last season. Thomas led the NBA in fourth quarter points and should have been a much more serious MVP candidate than he was. While he is blossoming into an elite player in the NBA, he can't carry this Celtics team on his shoulders. He needs someone else to help him carry the load and Al Horford so far is not looking like that kind of player.
What makes Hayward such an attractive option for the Celtics is the fact that he could easily slide into their starting lineup without disrupting what they already have. He averaged 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, better numbers than everyone else on the Celtics aside from Isaiah Thomas. Hayward would instantly become the #2 scoring option on the Celtics and give them an elite wing, something that every championship contending team needs to have.
The big question that is on everyone's minds is whether or not Hayward will stay in Utah or leave for greener pastures in Boston. A lot of that comes down to whether or not Boston is in fact "greener pastures." While Boston does offer Hayward the chance to be the next major star of a storied franchise, that may not be something that he is looking for. The pressure to deliver in Boston is enormous, especially when you are playing for the Celtics.
As for Utah, there is much less pressure there and it is also a much more family friendly environment. Hayward is married with a young child, something that is sure to factor into his decision. He may feel that Utah is a better place for him to raise his family and that he doesn't want to put them through the pressures that come with playing in Boston.
Plus, it's not like the Utah Jazz are chopped liver. They won a playoff series last season and are one of the up and coming teams in the NBA. Hayward has good reason to feel that Utah is the best place for him from a competitive standpoint as well.
While we are yet to know where Gordon Hayward will be playing next season, the Boston Celtics better hope he suits up for them. They need an elite wing that can put up points and take the pressure off of Isaiah Thomas. By landing him, the Celtics would put themselves in a great position to reach the NBA Finals and dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers as the champions of the Eastern Conference.
Note: Wednesday Windmill is a weekly post focusing on the Eastern Conference. This article also appears on my Utah Jazz blog. Click here to check it out.
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