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Gordon Hayward joined the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2017, as the franchise went all-in with the pairing of Hayward and Kyrie Irving. The All-Star duo was expected to propel the Celtics to the top of the East, however, Hayward went down with a season-ending injury just minutes into his debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Following his lengthy layoff, Hayward returned in time for the start of the 17-18 season, although the former All-Star struggled for form. Over 72 games, Hayward averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, and the 29-year-old spent much of the season playing from the reserve unit.
While Hayward has been working hard during the offseason, Boston is believed to be eager to offload the final two-years of Hayward's $127 million contract, and the veteran is among the most likely big names to be traded. So, ahead of the 19-20 season, here are three potential trade destinations for the former Utah Jazz star.
#3 Orlando Magic
After Dwight Howard left for Los Angeles in 2012, the Orlando Magic promptly found themselves amongst the NBA's worst teams. However, the 18-19 season proved to be the year that the franchise finally got its act together, as a late surge of form resulted in a first playoff appearance since Howard left.
Buoyed by a breakout season, the Orlando opted to bring back Terrence Ross and Nikola Vucevic on significant deals, although the Magic is still short on quality when compared to the best teams in the East.
Hayward would help to close the gap and a trade is fairly straight forward as sending Mo Bamba and Evan Fournier to Boston should be enough to get a deal done.
#2 Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder entered rebuild mode this summer after losing its All-Star duo of Russell Westbrook and Paul George. However, the franchise is still surprisingly stacked with talent, and with a record haul of draft picks at their disposal, the Thunder are a force to be reckoned with in the trade market.
Nevertheless, the Thunder is still keen to offload their remaining high earners, and Steven Adams has been linked with the Celtics over the past six months. Presti and Thunder won't entertain a straight swap for Hayward, although an expanded deal including Andre Roberson and a young Boston talent could benefit both sides.
The addition of Roberson and Adams would significantly improve the Celtics as they look to contend this season, while the inclusion of Grant Williams or Carsen Edwards would give the Oklahoma City another young talent to utilize on an increasingly young roster.
#1 Miami Heat
The Miami Heat pushed hard to sign Hayward before he joined the Celtics back in 2017, and Pat Riley is believed to be a big fan of the former All-Star. Riley is also desperate to sign a second star following his surprise acquisition of Jimmy Butler, and there are doubts that the Heat have the resources to sign someone such as Bradley Beal.
However, following his decline in value over the past 12 months, Hayward is a realistic target for the Heat, and Riley will be confident that he can help the 29-year-old rediscover his earlier form.
Due to the Heat's lack of trade assets, a path to a deal is tricky, and Riley may need to include the promising Justise Winslow. Nevertheless, the Heat need to make a bold move this season to please Butler, and a trade for Hayward is a real possibility.
