Gordon Hayward Rumors: Deadline on $34.2M Celtics Contract Option Extended

The Boston Celtics and veteran wing Gordon Hayward have reached an agreement to extend the deadline on Hayward's $34.2 million player option for the 2020-21 season from today at 5 p.m. to Thursday afternoon, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

So, what does that mean?

That's up for debate, though if both Hayward and the Celtics were committed to a reunion next season at that $34.2 million figure, Hayward would simply exercise his player option. 

Extending that deadline essentially allows Boston and Hayward some more time to potentially work out trades given the NBA draft is Wednesday.

It benefits both sides if they don't see a future together: Hayward gets to keep his major payday for this season rather than becoming a free agent, where he wouldn't get offers anywhere close to the $30 million range given his struggles last season and the uncertain market with teams losing money amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On the other hand, Boston can potentially trade Hayward if he exercises that option rather than losing him for nothing as a free agent if Hayward has decided to move on. It's a win-win for both sides. 

Will there be a huge market for a 30-year-old, one-year rental on a $34.1 million contract who has never quite looked the same since his devastating leg injury in 2017? It's a fair question. Hayward looked like he might be returning to All-Star form at points last season, averaging 17.5 points per game in the regular season while shooting 38.3 percent from three. 

But he played in just five postseason games due to a right ankle sprain and struggled in those appearances, averaging 10.8 points per game while hitting on just 29.2 percent of his threes. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown the future for the Celtics on the wing—and Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart locked in as core pieces—Hayward felt like the odd man out. 

A change of scenery would make sense. Boston and Hayward now have a little bit more time to figure out if they can pull that off.