Celtics Rumors: Latest Buzz on Gordon Hayward Trade, Pacers' Interest in Star SF

Gordon Hayward's time with the Boston Celtics has been heavily affected by injuries. But when the 30-year-old small forward has been on the court, he's proved he can still play at a high level.

In his first game with the Celtics in 2017-18, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle on his left leg, ending his season after only five minutes. He was mostly a bench contributor upon his return in 2018-19, averaging 11.5 points in 72 games (18 starts).

But this past season, Hayward had his best showing during his time in Boston thus far. He averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 52 games. Hayward missed some time in the playoffs with an ankle sprain, but he still averaged 10.8 points in five postseason games.

Now, Hayward appears to be drawing attention from another team. According to SNY's Ian Begley, there are some within the Indiana Pacers organization who have interest in trading for Hayward.

But it always takes at least two teams to complete a trade, too.

"It's unknown what Boston would want in return for Hayward—or if the club is even open to moving him," Begley wrote.

Hayward spent his first seven seasons with the Utah Jazz before signing a four-year, $127.8 million deal with the Celtics ahead of the 2017-18 season. He currently holds a player option for the 2020-21 season worth $34.187 million. If he accepts that, then he'll become a free agent after the season.

It appears that Hayward will pick up that option for 2020-21, as ESPN's Tim Bontemps reported last month that Hayward is likely to accept it. So the only way that he wouldn't be with the Celtics next season is if they decided to trade him.

The Pacers made the playoffs for the fifth straight season in 2019-20, but they also lost in the first round for the fifth straight year. They haven't won a playoff series since 2014. However, they've built a strong roster and should continue to be a contender in the Eastern Conference.

If Indiana found a way to deal for Hayward, it would get an offensive boost. The Pacers had six players average double-digit points among those who played at least 46 regular-season games, and adding Hayward to that mix would give them even more depth in a balanced scoring rotation.

As long as Hayward stays healthy, he should be a valuable player for whichever team he's on. It just may not be clear who he's going to play for until the 2020-21 season gets a bit closer.