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Would you trade the Brooklyn pick for Gordon Hayward?

Chuck - Red's Army January 26, 2016 Rumors 33 Comments

In his latest column which examines the financial situation of the rebuilding Utah Jazz, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggests Utah partner up with Boston on a trade:

Hayward understands that financial realities could break up a team on the rise. “I’m constantly thinking about that,” he said. “Contracts are so short now. A lot of our guys are on their rookie deals, and they’ll come up for extensions. It all might determine whether or not I stay in Utah.”

Utah has acted boldly before in the face of tough choices, and the bold move at next month’s trade deadline would be flipping Hayward or Favors as their values crest. Hood and Burks could absorb most of Hayward’s playmaking duty. Dealing Hayward now would act as a hedge against his free agency and perhaps land Utah a top-five pick — one last shot at finding that elusive superstar. The Jazz have to at least think about calling Boston and Brad Stevens, Hayward’s college coach, about a deal sending Hayward to the Celtics for the Nets pick, and maybe another first-rounder if Danny Ainge wields his arsenal with the hyperaggression that had Boston dangling four first-round picks for Justise Winslow.

The Brooklyn pick and possibly another 1st for Gordon Hayward?

Not a chance in hell.

Lowe is obviously a big fan of Hayward’s game (19.9 ppg, 37% 3 FG) and thinks it’s likely GH develops into a top-15 player.

I’d consider another combination of 1st round picks, but there’s no chance I’m giving up Brooklyn’s 2016 pick until I know it falls out of the top 5. (Lowe adds that Boston likely won’t move the Brooklyn pick until after the lottery.)

Hayward is in year 2 of a 4 year, $63 million contract.

Curt Hays

Haven’t read your post yet, Chuck.

Yes, I would make that trade.
- Curt Hays
  
  Now that I’ve read it, I’d trade David Lee (expiring) and a first round pick for him.
  
  My biggest concern is whether the current Celtics would accept Stevens’s former Golden Boy.
  - Eisenhorn1976
    
    I think they would — I think Brad would make sure Gordon earned his spot in the lineup just like everyone else has (hrmm… except David Lee: I don’t know what he was thinking — maybe kicking the tires?). He has always struck me as having a lot of integrity that way.
    - Curt Hays
      
      To be sure, I wouldn’t argue the integrity of the man. However, I think it’d have less to do with integrity and more to do with awareness. Trying to force GH into the fold without him proving he deserves it would certainly diminish Stevens’s rapport with his team
      
      I’m with you though–Brad would make him earn it.
FantaXP7

Immediately I say no.

However if our draft pick is not a top 3 do we consider it? Him and Crowder play the same position and is on a nicer contract, how do we accommodate both of them…

I still am inclined to say no.
Brian Girolamo

Absolutely. Put Hayward at the 2 with Jae at the 3. Getting Hayward now, who knows Brads system, instead of hoping another lottery pick pans out further deepens this team and their chances at a playoff run.
- Sean
  
  How many college coaches have coached one of their players in the pros? Idk if that would work
  - Brian Girolamo
    
    I think this would be a great add to a team. Look what Brad has done with average players so far. An above average player would excel likt IT4 has
    - Sean
      
      If we’re trading for a player like Hayward Id rather have Parsons
  - MJ
    
    Rick Pitino for one. Look how that worked out…
    - Eisenhorn1976
      
      I get your point but Slick Rick isn’t in Brad’s league. Slick Rick is sort of the Anti-Brad… For one thing, Brad wouldn’t score chicks for Terry Rozier and Jordan Mickey…
Brad P

At the trade deadline? NO.

After the lottery when we likely realize that pick isn’t as high as we wanted it? Sure.
Sean

Why not give them another first besides the BK pick? Is Haward even that much better than Ben Simmons is now?
Richard Jensen

You don’t trade the BKN pick so you can bring either Bradley or Crowder off the bench. There’s no path to a championship in that.
- Sean
  
  Unless you trade them too
  - Richard Jensen
    
    That does even less to move the Celtics toward a title. The Celtics will either trade that pick for a definite top-tier player (in connection w/other picks/personnel), or they’ll keep it and use it. They’re not going to trade it for a pretty good guy. They’ve got a whole team full of pretty good guys.
    - Sean
      
      I agree with you how they will use the picks, I was just saying that’s the only way Hayward would really fit. I don’t agree that the Cs have a team full of pretty good players. It’s a bunch of kinda decent players with 2-3 pretty good guys. I think the whole team is above average, but most of them aren’t pretty good at least yet.
Michael Merriam

I think this trade is fine as long as pick does not end up #1. It’s not the blockbuster we need though. Would Crowder then become 6th man? I rather stick out the season and then sign someone like James Johnson to backup Crowder.

Yes we need that “go to scorer”, but I think the more pressing need is a solid 2-way big. A hybrid of Amir Johnson, Sullinger, and Zeller if you will. Marc Gasol is ideal and could be available if things go downhill for Memphis, however they look to be on the upswing after bad start. Vucevic even more unlikely to be available. Gortat is ok but too immobile and doesn’t seem to bring it every night. Happily take Cousins, but price too high right now. No interest in Whiteside. Maybe Pachulia but don’t love him.

I like the idea of offering reasonable $ to Festus Ezeli, or working some kind of trade with GS for one of our lesser picks. HIs personality fits well with Celtics and Stevens.
Adam Stark

I think it’s best to let it play out. Even with Hayward we won’t be winning a championship this year. Wait till after the lottery, if it’s a top 3 pick then no, but if it’s anything else then yes! There are very few players in the league o would trade the pick for without knowing the selection. How about Blake Griffin though?! I would give all our picks this year plus anyone not named Smart, Thomas and Crowder.
Rick Rice

Thank You Chuck! Shoulda traded it for Cousins before he turned into Shaqzilla the Second!
Michael Merriam

C’s actually already have a potential go to scorer (Hunter) and a solid 2-way big (Mickey). If we re-sign Sully and Olynyk, 2017-2018 roster projects to:

Guards – Thomas, Smart, Rozier, 2016 pick
Wings – Crowder, Bradley, Hunter, 2016 pick
Bigs – Sullinger, Olynyk, Mickey, 2016 pick

Favors might be a better target than Hayward. Start Sully and Favors with Olynyk and Mickey off the bench. Clearly we do need another wing, in which case Bradley slides back to guard. Is Bradley really a guard though? I think he’s a wing.

Hunter is very different from Bradley but also falls into the tweener 2-3 category.

Hayward fits a need but doesn’t drastically improve the team. Crowder is our starting SF and we have a solid 4 man rotation at the 1-2 spots. Hayward could play a similar role to ET, but other than 3PT% how much better is Hayward? Not $12 million better.

If we land #1 pick, we get Simmons and he becomes the next Laker fan to turn green. If #2, looks like we take Ingram who fits backup wing need and could eventually be a star. If 3rd, I’d go with Kris Dunn or maybe Jaylen Brown.

Ellenson and Poeltl have impressed me and they fill a need, just very hard to take either over Dunn. I haven’t seen Brown, but a SF who projects at #5 is worth a look. Next on my list (based on gut feeling alone) would be his Cal teammate Ivan Rabb.

Plenty of solid options 5-7, not even counting Bender and Labissiere. Of course there are always some other tourney stud underclass draft entries who we’re not even aware of at the moment (Ben Bentil?!). Our two additional picks in the 15-23 range provide many possibilities for quality talent or trades.
- Curt Hays
  
  Good comment. Very forward-looking.
  
  Hayward may not be $12m better than Turner, but I’d rather have Hayward at the end of a game. Would you rather overpay for a title, or not win a title? Hayward doesn’t get us there, but he gets us closer.
  
  Thomas/Bradley/Hayward/Crowder/Sully
  
  We can hang with GSW with that crew. We may not beat their starting lineup, but we will slow it down enough for the bench to do work.
  
  Rozier/Smart/Hunter/Mickey/Olynyk/Amir is not a bad bench at all. We needs vets though.
  - Michael Merriam
    
    Crowder at PF, didn’t think of that! It has worked at times this year.
    
    I suppose Hayward gets us closer, and he’s probably worth $15 million in the new NBA. Just thinking it’s going to take $ to bring Sully and Olynyk back, plus Danny probably wants to reserve a max slot for 2017 free agents. Maybe all possible with new cap.
    
    Pressing ? is still if it’s worth giving up the Brooklyn pick, which I have to say no at this point of my analysis
  - Jake Gruber
    
    Gordon is the 3rd best player on a real title contender. Certainly not a 1 or 2.
    - Curt Hays
      
      I’m not arguing that. What’s your point? Does that mean that he doesn’t get us there? That we would still need to replace Sully or Bradley?
      
      If we pick up Al Horford, would that help?
art

None of the 3 Brooklyn picks are going anywhere so not even worth discussing.
Eisenhorn1976

I don’t see a trade like this going down but if Gordon Hayward did wind up here, I think it’d affect Evan Turner’s minutes more than anyone else’s. Basically, I think it’d be a signal that the C’s aren’t re-signing ET in the offseason.

Also, you can play Gordon at the 2 and have him alternate with Isaiah on ball-handling — having watched several Jazz games, Gordon is a more capable (not to mention less erratic) passer than ET is. That means you can have Jae WITH Gordon. I like Gordon taking Smart or Bradley’s spot in Brad’s small-ball lineup too.
wil

Hayward is a great piece to have. Always loved his versatility. But then again, we are looking for a franchise changing player. Hayward is a huge plus but not the player that would get us to where we want. Now its a matter of how much they are asking for him.

But having him with the C’s will open us up to making Smart our primary point guard. Hayward can share ball handler duties with him when smart is getting pressured. Point in this is we need Smart to reach his full potential. And he is at his best when he is running the P&R rather than waiting on the three point line. Celtics got to have a conscious effort on breaking Smarts bad habits.

id like the line up 1.Smart, 2.SG 3.Hayward 4.Crowder 5.Amir.
And in late game situations IT, Smart, Hayward, Crowder, Amir.

I think AB and Sully got to go. We need alot more consistency in our team.
Jester00

No not worth it
Matthew Schuyler

I think Hayward can opt out after next year. And if you want to keep him you’re paying him 25mm. Eh….
art

If you want to discuss the non-Brooklyn picks, sure, we can discuss those. Maybe in your future articles, you can bring up the C’s picks in trades or the Dallas pick. But please…..the Brooklyn picks are completely off-limits.
Dawson Steele

Hayward is a young, fairly polished scorer who can create his own shot, a solid ball handler, and one of the very best wings in the league when it comes to creating for others. (His playmaking is better than anyone the Celtics currently have at any position). I don’t feel like you can pull the trigger on this trade until you know whether or not you can draft Simmons (because like Lowe says, Simmons has the better chance to be a top 5 player), but Hayward on this team immediately makes them far more dangerous and fills a gaping need. If Utah would take Hayward for a pick that falls outside the top 3, you probably do this in a heartbeat. But if I’m Utah, I want more than that.
Richard Mongcupa

yes!!!!!!!!!! gordon hayward is a perfect fit.. and makes brad stevens happy.. he will have his go to guy.. and continue their chase of title..:D