Gordon Hayward Rumor Tracker: The Latest on Hayward’s Future

November 20, 2020 | 12:05

After declining his $ 34.2 million player option for next season, Gordon Hayward will become a free agent when the NBA’s free agency begins at 6 p.m. on Friday.

With Hayward becoming an unrestricted free agent, there are three things he could do.

1. Hayward could still sign with the Celtics again.
2. If he decides to leave Boston, he could agree to a signing and a trade in which the Celtics get something in return.
3. He could sign with a new team, leaving the Celtics empty-handed.

Here are the latest rumors about Hayward’s future as free agency approaches.

November 20, 12 p.m .:

At six hours before the start of free agency, the Pacers are trying to find ways to acquire Gordon Hayward. The Pacers are roughly $ 15 million above the salary cap of $ 109.1 million, so they can’t sign it outright and reportedly acquire it through a signature and trade. Indiana is exploring “signature and trade avenues to try to acquire Gordon Hayward from Boston,” according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Stein also added that the Knicks are still interested in Hayward. They wouldn’t have to run Hayward through the signing and trading because they have a cap.

Indiana continues to explore signing and trading avenues in an attempt to acquire Boston’s Gordon Hayward, league sources say

The Knicks, as reported here yesterday, remain a contender for Hayward with their salary cap space

– Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 20, 2020

November 19, 7:30 p.m .:

Hayward might end up staying in Boston. His decision to withdraw from his contract was seen as a formality and there is always the possibility that he will return to the Celtics on a restricted agreement, reported Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. A league source told Murphy that “Gordon doesn’t even know” what he’s going to do.

Hayward’s opt-out is no longer seen as a formality. A League source said there was always the possibility of him returning to C’s under a restructured deal, unless, ala Al Horford, he received a home run offer from Atlanta or New York. “Gordon doesn’t even know that yet.”

– Mark Murphy (@ Murf56) November 19, 2020

Moments before his decision to retire, the Knicks emerged as a potential touchdown point. The Knicks were “aggressive” in trying to sign Hayward, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.

Stein also reported that if Hayward disengages, “this is the strongest signal yet, he has a landing spot on a multi-year agreement.” In addition to the Knicks, the Pacers are also interested in acquiring Hayward via an ensign and trade, according to Stein.

Knicks have been aggressive in their pursuit of Gordon Hayward all week, sources say

As the league increasingly believes Hayward will turn down his $ 34 million player option for next season, New York could become Hayward’s best option given all of the Knicks’ regained ceiling space.

– Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 19, 2020

In addition to the Knicks, the Hawks are also interested in signing Hayward, according to Yahoo! Chris Haynes from sports.

Atlanta could acquire Hayward through a signature and trade, but with the amount of ceiling space they have, they’re equipped to sign him outright. The Hawks have around $ 44 million in cap space for next season, which is more than enough to sign Hayward outright. Hayward also has “a lot of interest” in joining the Hawks, sources told Haynes.

Yahoo Sources: The Atlanta Hawks are on the line to acquire Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward. https://t.co/fYmu59Cu30 pic.twitter.com/EscHXCnSJn

– Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) November 17, 2020

The Pacers are the favorites to land Hayward, league sources told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney earlier this week. If Hayward is to play in Indiana, the place where he grew up, the Pacers would have to acquire it through a signing and a trade, as they don’t have the ceiling space required for the. sign.

If Hayward ends up with the Pacers in a signing and trade, the deal could involve a third team. The Pacers have placed center Myles Turner and shooter Victor Oladipo in the trading market and the two could end up in Boston in a possible Hayward sign and trade, according to Deveney.