2016-2017 Gordon Hayward Thread (We Did It Guys! Fireworks!!!)

[Chief]

Herald's article makes me feel even more that it will be Miami

I didn't read it that way. But I dout think we are a lock either. Hopefully,  CBS can bring his boy home.

[tonydelk]

Honestly, I hope the pitch to Hayward involved some kind of offer of proof on Ainge's part to explain how they're gonna add another piece.

Seems to me that's what these stars want to hear.  If you can't offer the most $$, you need to explain how you can offer them a fantastic winning situation like what Golden State offered Durant.

If Hayward joins the Celts as constructed, they will be the clear cut #2 team in the East with a chance to actually challenge Cleveland in the playoffs.  That's nice, but it's not so much better than what he has in Utah.

Can Ainge grab another star after adding Hayward?  Who is left at this point?

We may not be far off from AD being available if things sour in New Orleans. If Boogie leaves next summer, that franchise is in shambles. As long as Boogie's departure spells the end for Dell Demps, it'll be safe to assume that AD will be on the table for the right offer. Does Jaylen, Jayson, 2018 BKN, 2018/19 LAL/SAC, and 2019 Memphis get it done? I think there's a real chance. Does a lot need to go right for this to happen? Sure, but it's certainly possible.

Here's the problem with a trade like that.  You have a 2-3 year window to win and there is no G/T with AD the C's beat Golden State. When that window is closed the C's have zero young talent and a full rebuild is on with zero assets.  People need to calm down a bit and realize that this is the last year for a long time the C's will be in a position to sign a top FA.  Next year their only move is to sign and trade bradley, Crowder and a pick for a top player if you can even do that.  I think at this point the C's are building their future super team through high draft picks with the pleasure of watching good basketball now.  The players needed to beat the GSW are not available.  If LBJ, Kyrie and Love can't come close to doing it then it will be hard for anyone else.  You can argue that the GSW big 4 are all top 10-12 players in the league with Curry and KD number 2 and 3.

[Surferdad]

Gallo might be gone soon to the clippers

And the Clippers still won't make it to Rd 2 of the playoffs - if they even make the playoffs.

Beverly-Rivers-Gallo-Blake-DJ is an extremely strong starting five. The West is a bloodbath, but the Clippers have the talent necessary to make the playoffs.

Yeah, they could make the playoffs, but "extremely strong" is overstating it a bit.  Blake is arguably a "superstar" but with his injury history they could easily be a lottery team too, given the strength of the West now.

[Eddie20]

Herald's article makes me feel even more that it will be Miami

Please explain. Because the article didn't offer any evidence as to that or provide any information (see fondness for Spo) that we didn't.

[tarheelsxxiii]

In 33 years, I've only gotten this tickle in my loins right before a miracle happened. 

It's going down today.  Gordy and Robyn to Boston.  Book it.

[celticinorlando]

Herald's article makes me feel even more that it will be Miami

Please explain. Because the article didn't offer any evidence as to that or provide any information (see fondness for Spo) that we didn't.

The line about him being enamored with Spo. It just doesn't give me a good vibe

[Eddie20]

Herald's article makes me feel even more that it will be Miami

Please explain. Because the article didn't offer any evidence as to that or provide any information (see fondness for Spo) that we didn't.

The line about him being enamored with Spo. It just doesn't give me a good vibe

But that was already reported. It wasn't a revelation in that article.

If the Herald had wrote the following would it make you feel better? Because I doubt he's as "enamored" with Spo as he is with Stevens.

Into his late teens, Gordon Hayward, a local Indiana kid, was skinny and short. His only discernible NBA talent was “outstanding lateral movement,” according to one of Stevens’ assistants, Terry Johnson. That changed quickly.

“When Gordon committed, it was like, 'Great, we got a good player,'” says Johnson. “Then he came in for a workout and we were like, 'We got more than we probably thought.'”

Hayward, who had grown to 6'8", started as a freshman and averaged better than 13 points per game. As a sophomore, he was a revelation. On his way to becoming Horizon League Player of the Year, Hayward took Butler on an unlikely run to the national championship game, where it faced Duke. Trailing by two points in the final seconds, Hayward hoisted from half-court what would become one of the most famous misses in the history of basketball.

Hayward is an unrestricted free agent this summer. Utah can and will offer him a larger contract than any other team—potentially $180 million over five years, compared to $133 million over four years from other teams, per Ryan McDonald of the Deseret News—but Boston will make a strong push to sign him. The Celtics have what no other team does: Stevens. And not just Stevens in a buddy-buddy sense, but, far more importantly, Stevens as the controller of an environment that Hayward reveres.

While at Butler, Stevens “took the culture to another level,” according to Barry Collier, who coached the Bulldogs through the ’90s and later returned as athletic director. “It was a culture that fit a person like Gordon, who has high goals and isn’t afraid to work and make himself into a really good player.”

As a high school student, Hayward was an elite tennis prospect. But as a basketball recruit, he fell outside the top 150 in the national rankings.

Still, Butler showed early interest. “We really started watching him toward the end of his sophomore year,” says Matthew Graves, a former assistant of Stevens’ who is now the head coach at South Alabama. “You saw a skinny, gangly kid who was 6'3". I vividly remember the first time I saw him, it was in a county tournament. He stole the ball and went coast to coast and dunked with his left hand. That was unique for a righty.”

More impressive were the intangibles that Hayward possessed—the things that fit into the Butler culture. “Brad was drawn to him,” Graves says. “He saw the potential that Gordon had, but the traits that really attracted Brad were his competitiveness and that he was a cerebral thinker. Gordon was quiet initially, but he was very easy to talk to, and he had interests outside of basketball.” (He wanted to become an engineer if athletics didn’t work out.)

Hayward was pursued by a small handful of schools, including nearby Purdue and IUPUI. In the end, though, he committed to the man who most believed in him.

“He made a wise choice,” Hayward’s father told Thayer Evans of the New York Times in 2010. “Gordon really fit perfect into their style of play, the Butler way.”

Hayward and Stevens made for an easy match. “Gordon’s a really intelligent player who understands the game well,” says Matt Howard, the former bruising four-year Bulldog. “Put that with his willingness to do whatever is asked of him, and it’s exactly what Brad wants.”

Moreover, Stevens and Hayward share the same calm demeanor. Stevens, according to Zach Hahn, who played four seasons at Butler, “wouldn’t raise his voice, but he’d say something negative in a calm voice, and you felt like you let him down. It wasn’t a lack of intensity, it was just who he was, and he demanded the best.”

That worked for Hayward, who, according to the coaching staff, didn’t respond well to yelling.

Says Hahn: “Gordon was so unassuming. He was just a down-home Indiana kid who liked playing basketball.”

Before long, Stevens and Hayward developed a deep trust on the floor. Stevens would draw up plays for Hayward as is if he were a point guard. He fed him the ball as often as he could, but only so long as it served the team. Meanwhile, off the court, and even on the sidelines, there was no special treatment, no mentor-protege relationship that might threaten the larger team concept.

“Gordon’s relationship with Brad wasn’t different from any relationship Brad had with his players,” says Ron Nored, a four-year Butler guard who now coaches the Brooklyn Nets' G League team. “Brad coached everyone fairly. That’s Butler in a nutshell. The walk-on, the manager, the head coach, the best player—we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. I would say that’s the Butler Way.”

[Phantom255x]

Decision could come as soon as Monday night, per Steve Bulpett.

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics/2017/07/bulpett_celtics_hope_gordon_hayward_takes_their_best_pitch

My wish is to just read "Gordon Hayward agrees to 4-year, XXX million dollar max deal with the Boston Celtics" on the headlines tomorrow night.

Yes please!

[SHAQATTACK]

" Bad feeling Ripley "

[Roy H.]

Would Hayward's decision be easier if we had a pending acquisition of another elite player, like Paul George?

[Phantom255x]

Would Hayward's decision be easier if we had a pending acquisition of another elite player, like Paul George?

Even if Butler, it probably would.

But it would have been risky on our part anyways because what if Hayward didn't come here and we overpayed for George (or gave up #3, Bradley, one of Smart/Brown, etc for 2 years of Butler).

[celticinorlando]

Danny is not going to allow what just happened to Atlanta to happen to Boston. 2 years ago the Hawks won 60 games. Now they have nothing left and no real assets to rebuild.

Danny might miss on FA's but he does have 3 first round picks (2 should be top 5 picks) in a really good draft next year...Doncic, Ayton, Porter, Bridges, Bamba, etc...all should be there to pair with Zizic, Yabu, Tatum and Brown. Would like to see IT resigned to stay with Horford and provide some leadership. Bradley and Crowder should be gone

Just think they should stay the course and build via the draft if they miss on Hayward. Wait out the Cavs and Warriors. Look to dominate the 2020's. I would not waste money on C or D level free agents this year. Go with some of the second round guys.

[chambers]

I think the interview with Hayward in December with Zach Lowe was significant in why we should be extremely confident that we are gonna get Hayward.


"It comes down to where I can compete for a title," [Hayward] told ESPN.com's Zach Lowe in December. "Where I live—that doesn't affect me. The limelight doesn't matter to me. I just want to make a run at it."
- Gordon Hayward

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Herald's article makes me feel even more that it will be Miami

I didn't read it that way. But I dout think we are a lock either. Hopefully,  CBS can bring his boy home.

praying

[Phantom255x]

Danny is not going to allow what just happened to Atlanta to happen to Boston. 2 years ago the Hawks won 60 games. Now they have nothing left and no real assets to rebuild.

Danny might miss on FA's but he does have 3 first round picks (2 should be top 5 picks) in a really good draft next year...Doncic, Ayton, Porter, Bridges, Bamba, etc...all should be there to pair with Zizic, Yabu, Tatum and Brown. Would like to see IT resigned to stay with Horford and provide some leadership. Bradley and Crowder should be gone

Just think they should stay the course and build via the draft if they miss on Hayward. Wait out the Cavs and Warriors. Look to dominate the 2020's. I would not waste money on C or D level free agents this year. Go with some of the second round guys.

Honestly, if Lebron does leave CLE after this upcoming season, that means Boston probably has the East unless the Sixers vault into a Top-3 team within the next 2 years. Washington are a threat but they need another star caliber player IMO, along with a better bench. Toronto are about to likely pay a luxury tax for a team that's a 3-4 seed at best probably in the East.

I'm still holding out hope there's a star target available via trade if a team starts out bad next year. We still have 3 first rounders in 2018 and 2 (maybe 3) in 2019, and some players we can dangle too to make it happen.

Call me CRAZY, but if the Knicks start off atrocious again and Melo is gone this summer, Porzingis "could" legit demand a trade out of NYK. He didn't demand one now and it was only because of Phil he was on the block, but another horrid start, and who knows..