The Celtics will get some clarity on their offseason by 5:00 pm eastern time on Tuesday, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald, who says that’s the deadline for Gordon Hayward to either exercise or pass on his $34.1MM player option for 2020/21.
A pair of league sources tell Murphy that Hayward still hadn’t finalized a decision as of Monday night. One source predicted Hayward would opt in, but the other suggested there would be plenty of interest for the Celtics forward if he becomes a free agent. “All I know is that there’s a lot of people who want him,” that source said.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- The Knicks reopened their Tarrytown practice facility on Monday, nearly a week after shutting it down due to three members of the organization testing positive for COVID-19, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Sources tell Berman that no players were among those who tested positive.
- The Raptors‘ chances of re-signing Fred VanVleet increased as a result of the Suns’ acquisition of Chris Paul, according to Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. Phoenix was considered one of the few teams that could make a run at VanVleet in free agency — Toronto still may have to contend with New York and Detroit, among others, however.
- ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Mike Schmitz, and Bobby Marks (Insider-only link) identify the Knicks, Celtics, Nets, and Sixers as four of the eight best candidates to make draft-night trades on Wednesday.
Hayward stays. He likes the coach. Hoosier people are loyal.
Loyalty in the nba? In 2020? I have a bride to sell you…. and it isn’t miles bridges. Money doesnt talk it tells. Gordon wants a check he even looks a little like a grown up richie rich
How dare players get paid for what they are worth – they should take a pay cut so owners can pocket more money.
“Loyalty, a noble cause, where hath thou gone?” I despair in iambic pentameter with a hand to my forehead
Where did anyone say it was a bad thing? He is entitled to whatever a team thinks he is worth. Use ur brain tybalt
Well Done, Thou Good and Faithful Servant
That idiom would have worked better if you didn’t misspell it.
You seemed to understand it just fine. Who’s the idiom now?
Loyalty in sports is going to practice and that’s about it
Some fans are the only idiots that think these athletes are “worth” the ridiculous money they make playing a sport for 2 or 3 hours a day. I watch sports for what it is, entertainment. I don’t worship players, nor l care about their lives…
Thou doth protest too much
Your right, the people who create the product don’t deserve the money, the old rich white men sitting in an office should get all the money that’s the American way.
Your worth (fiscally speaking) is whatever people are willing to pay for your services. It is a multi billion $ industry shouldn’t those who carry that industry be entitled to profit from it?
No athletes are not “worth” it in the overall scheme of things. But it’s a business and they are worth whatever someone is willing to pay. I don’t begrudge an athlete for trying to maximize his profit from a company that is trying to maximize theirs. My biggest beef in sports is the athlete who signs a contract and the holds back his services because he wants more. He misjudged his worth and now wants to renegotiate mid term. You sign it / you fulfill it.
I’m sure Knicks will pursue Hayward & Westbrick…
They might fit together, but how would the salarymatches work?
Hayward isn’t turning down 34 mill. No one is paying him more. He needs a trade imo. Needs mins wherever to show he’s worth another contract. Personally he’s not the same player to me. He can help a contender as a 6th man, rotation guy. Celtics are better if moving him for a PF. They are not resigning him. Probably be gone by TD.