Tatum: “Hayward is one of the best players in the league”

[Rosco917]

This team will go nowhere without Hayward.

He has a skill set they're in desperate need of in general. One of which is ball handling from the wing position. Number two is play making from the wing position. Lastly, efficiency.

[ETNCeltics]

Oh how soon some have FORGOTTEN how potent this man's game was - IS -
He led a young Utah team (right before Gobert came into his prime AND before Spydah Mitchell) to the WCS.

Dude even had a few explosions LAST year - with Kyrie - but even THEN wasn't quite himself. But his brilliance shown through in those few games.

I doubt we'll see that kind of brilliance from him again with the weapons this team now has but make no mistake about it - Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart AND Kemba are the GLUE of this team.

I haven't forgotten his All-Star calibre play in Utah, what he is now (more or less fringe All-Star level) is just not "one of the best players in the league" material lol (unless your criteria is top 40-50).

Pre hand injury, he was the best player on our team. He was averaging 20/8/4 on 56% shooting. He's far better than a "top 40-50" player. That's absurd.

[Roy H.]

Usual empty comments about teammates.

I’ll take positive empty comments over last year’s chemistry fire any day.

[seancally]

This team will go nowhere without Hayward.

He has a skill set they're in desperate need of in general. One of which is ball handling from the wing position. Number two is play making from the wing position. Lastly, efficiency.

Agreed. Size, depth and talent at the wing position. I’ve come full circle in this - loving the wing depth, then being afraid of our lack of size, and now again feeling that the 3-headed monster at the wing is the way we need to be. There is no trade we can make for Gordon Hayward that will make us more of a problem for Embiid or Giannis, so instead of matching up at that position, let our 3 talented wings be the matchup problem. If they’re all playing aggressively and having fun that’s a mismatch for every team in the league.

[Somebody]

Oh how soon some have FORGOTTEN how potent this man's game was - IS -
He led a young Utah team (right before Gobert came into his prime AND before Spydah Mitchell) to the WCS.

Dude even had a few explosions LAST year - with Kyrie - but even THEN wasn't quite himself. But his brilliance shown through in those few games.

I doubt we'll see that kind of brilliance from him again with the weapons this team now has but make no mistake about it - Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart AND Kemba are the GLUE of this team.

I haven't forgotten his All-Star calibre play in Utah, what he is now (more or less fringe All-Star level) is just not "one of the best players in the league" material lol (unless your criteria is top 40-50).

If my criteria was "top 40 or 50" I'd be interested in where YOU'd rank Gordon Hayward.

To be fair I'd use his first 10 games of this season.

Just from his play while in Utah he made the All-Star game. That - alone - is top 30, right? (15 players each All-Star team).

10 games is a ridiculously small sample size - any good player can look like a world beater in such a small stretch if they get hot for a few games. I don't think I can confidently defend the take that he's a top 30 player - he certainly looks good so far but it's not top 30 level unless you see him in the most positive light (eg. he'd keep up that insanely efficient offensive production on a decently heavy offensive load for the whole season).

Btw I didn't dispute the opinion that Utah Hayward was a top player, I simply don't think that Boston Hayward is a top player like Tatum said.

[Roy H.]

Oh how soon some have FORGOTTEN how potent this man's game was - IS -
He led a young Utah team (right before Gobert came into his prime AND before Spydah Mitchell) to the WCS.

Dude even had a few explosions LAST year - with Kyrie - but even THEN wasn't quite himself. But his brilliance shown through in those few games.

I doubt we'll see that kind of brilliance from him again with the weapons this team now has but make no mistake about it - Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart AND Kemba are the GLUE of this team.

I haven't forgotten his All-Star calibre play in Utah, what he is now (more or less fringe All-Star level) is just not "one of the best players in the league" material lol (unless your criteria is top 40-50).

If my criteria was "top 40 or 50" I'd be interested in where YOU'd rank Gordon Hayward.

To be fair I'd use his first 10 games of this season.

Just from his play while in Utah he made the All-Star game. That - alone - is top 30, right? (15 players each All-Star team).

10 games is a ridiculously small sample size - any good player can look like a world beater in such a small stretch if they get hot for a few games. I don't think I can confidently defend the take that he's a top 30 player - he certainly looks good so far but it's not top 30 level unless you see him in the most positive light (eg. he'd keep up that insanely efficient offensive production on a decently heavy offensive load for the whole season).

Btw I didn't dispute the opinion that Utah Hayward was a top player, I simply don't think that Boston Hayward is a top player like Tatum said.

I think the Hayward we’ve seen this year is the same guy that played in Utah. He’s just surrounded by more gifted offensive teammates.

[GreenFaith1819]

Usual empty comments about teammates.

I’ll take positive empty comments over last year’s chemistry fire any day.

SO MUCH THIS.

Last year was perhaps my most painful year of being a Celtics fan - right up there with 1986-87.

This year? FANTASTIC.

[GreenCoffeeBean]

Hayward makes everyone on the team better. That's why he's a top 15 player. His impact is hard to quantify, just like Smart's.

[Ogaju]

Dude was top 15 player before injury..i would do "load management" during the season with him..

This. TP!!

[Donoghus]

I just want him healthy come playoff time.  I don't care if he's top 20 or top 50,  the ceiling for this team in the playoffs is higher if he's healthy & on the court. 

[Somebody]

Oh how soon some have FORGOTTEN how potent this man's game was - IS -
He led a young Utah team (right before Gobert came into his prime AND before Spydah Mitchell) to the WCS.

Dude even had a few explosions LAST year - with Kyrie - but even THEN wasn't quite himself. But his brilliance shown through in those few games.

I doubt we'll see that kind of brilliance from him again with the weapons this team now has but make no mistake about it - Gordon Hayward, Marcus Smart AND Kemba are the GLUE of this team.

I haven't forgotten his All-Star calibre play in Utah, what he is now (more or less fringe All-Star level) is just not "one of the best players in the league" material lol (unless your criteria is top 40-50).

If my criteria was "top 40 or 50" I'd be interested in where YOU'd rank Gordon Hayward.

To be fair I'd use his first 10 games of this season.

Just from his play while in Utah he made the All-Star game. That - alone - is top 30, right? (15 players each All-Star team).

10 games is a ridiculously small sample size - any good player can look like a world beater in such a small stretch if they get hot for a few games. I don't think I can confidently defend the take that he's a top 30 player - he certainly looks good so far but it's not top 30 level unless you see him in the most positive light (eg. he'd keep up that insanely efficient offensive production on a decently heavy offensive load for the whole season).

Btw I didn't dispute the opinion that Utah Hayward was a top player, I simply don't think that Boston Hayward is a top player like Tatum said.

I think the Hayward we’ve seen this year is the same guy that played in Utah. He’s just surrounded by more gifted offensive teammates.

On a really small sample size, I just don't think that I can make the conclusion that Hayward is back to All-Star form even though he's been playing really well.

But yeah he's been surrounded by more talented players this season and has played well with them so far due to his scalable skillset - he gives you some really nice secondary playmaking and floor spacing.

[Somebody]

I just want him healthy come playoff time.  I don't care if he's top 20 or top 50,  the ceiling for this team in the playoffs is higher if he's healthy & on the court.

^this. Thinking Basketball's latest podcast glossed over how valuable he's for Boston in response to some idiot proposing trading him and Robert Williams plus picks for Myles Turner and TJ Warren (I think the value is okay in a vacuum, but Hayward's value to us is much higher than what it would be for an average team).

https://soundcloud.com/thinkingbasketball/38-analyzing-trades-who-fits-where-and-what-do-teams-need
Skip to the 22nd minute of the podcast for the Hayward stuff.

[Ogaju]

I will assume that the negativity toward Gordon on this blog is not true negativity, but from a certain rabid brand of Celtic fan who fears being disappointed so intensely that they have to douse their fear with acerbic sarcastic criticism.

in this case, the haters are afraid we'll lose Hayward again to injury, so they take the negative track.

That's the only explanation I can think of for dismissing what was a full Hayward comeback earlier this year before the freak wrist injury.  He was DOMINANT on offense.  He wasn't just scoring he was driving all over the place, unstoppable.  He was the C's organizing principle, passing and getting whatever he wanted on the floor.  The national media took notice.  He was a top 15 player during that stretch. 

I am fearlessly rooting for him to get back to that zone he was in, Utah Hayward, and to stay healthy..

 

TP

He was just amazing. Looked like he was playing in slow motion and made the defense look like they were glued to the court.  That put him on par with Kawhi rhythm-wise.

[GreenFaith1819]

I "Still" think that we're only getting the PG-13 rated version of Gordon Hayward, even with his first 10 games this season.

The "Utah" Gordon Hayward?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LinS8LS8TVE

Clearly rated "R".

The Utah Gordon Hayward chased down blocks.....gave Greek Freak facials.....clearly had more "Bounce" to the Ounce.......

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE the BOS version of Hayward. As Roy alluded to - he has more weapons here in BOS and will probably rarely have his FULL repertoire on display.

But I still think we're only seeing about 85 percent of what he was in Utah. Dude had / has "Boing".

[Somebody]

I "Still" think that we're only getting the PG-13 rated version of Gordon Hayward, even with his first 10 games this season.

The "Utah" Gordon Hayward?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LinS8LS8TVE

Clearly rated "R".

The Utah Gordon Hayward chased down blocks.....gave Greek Freak facials.....clearly had more "Bounce" to the Ounce.......

Don't get me wrong - I LOVE the BOS version of Hayward. As Roy alluded to - he has more weapons here in BOS and will probably rarely have his FULL repertoire on display.

But I still think we're only seeing about 85 percent of what he was in Utah. Dude had / has "Boing".

Yeah and that's fine, having 5 players who're solidly in the top 50 is amazing. Really happy with what we've got and I think we have a shot at winning banner 18 (I've been pushing the banner 18 bandwagon for few weeks iirc lol).