Done: Hayward Announces He's Joining Celtics

[Drucci]

Welcome to Boston 

I'll admit I was scared he wouldn't sign with us after yesterday's drama but it's a huge relief. Now let's bring some reinforcements for the bench and the paint and we're good to go.

[Casperian]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

[moiso]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

We can have an allstar team of non superstars!

[Surferdad]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

We can have an allstar team of non superstars!

Like the 2004 Pistons.  That formula has never been repeated, though a few teams tried shortly thereafter.

[Granath]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

[Neurotic Guy]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

Superstar FAs go to LAL or to supersteams.   

There aren't that many opportunities to grab a top 10 player as a FA.  The fact that the Cs are getting all-star level talent thru free agency is a good thing. But true that they'll need to home-grow or trade for the next Celtics superstar.

[ozgod]

YES!!!!!!!!!

Glad he got to do it the way he wanted to do it.

Totally agree. He wanted to be the one to make the announcement and not disrespect his former team by having to hear about it in the news. It's a shame some vitriol was being directed his way yesterday afternoon by some who said he was being indecisive and flip-flopping, something about his character. The vitriol seems to speak more to the desperate need of some fans than the respect that should have been given to someone for making a big career and life decision. That said I would assume now he has signed all is forgiven.

[hpantazo]

I think some Celtics fans are underrating or unaware of Hayward's defense. This video shows it well imo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=177&v=X4YssyOJQAc

He's going to help this team tremendously. His ability to score , handle the ball, create shots will take the pressure off IT and allow our offense to flourish, and we lose nothing with him on the defensive end. If we keep Bradley, imagine how good he will be as the 4th option on offense? Imagine how many more open looks having Hayward on the floor will create for IT and Bradley, especially with Horford and Hayward's combined passing abilities?

[Bobshot]

Welcome to Beantown, Gordon Hayward.

That was an incredible scoop by Chris Haynes of ESPN, beating everybody, including Hayward on this.

How did he do it? There's a story there on top of the story.

[kmart12]

A lot of reports have been strongly emphasizing Haywards status as a non-elite talent, but I'm reserving my opinion for after this upcoming season. I understand his limitations and I've seen enough of him to know what he's worth, but there's a part of me that thinks that his "breakout" last year was only the beginning of things to come. Maybe he'll continue his progress and crack that top-10? People didn't think IT would ever take that next step and he did.

RealGM has been my source for post-trade analysis for a while now, and this article was disappointing to say the least. They graded the Millsap-Nuggets signing an A and gave our signing of Hayward an A-. I don't get it. Check it if you're interested in that sort of thing: http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/246748/Grading-The-Deal-Gordon-Hayward-Finally-Joins-Celtics-On-Four-Year-$128M-Deal

[hpantazo]

A lot of reports have been strongly emphasizing Haywards status as a non-elite talent, but I'm reserving my opinion for after this upcoming season. I understand his limitations and I've seen enough of him to know what he's worth, but there's a part of me that thinks that his "breakout" last year was only the beginning of things to come. Maybe he'll continue his progress and crack that top-10? People didn't think IT would ever take that next step and he did.

RealGM has been my source for post-trade analysis for a while now, and this article was disappointing to say the least. They graded the Millsap-Nuggets signing an A and gave our signing of Hayward an A-. I don't get it. Check it if you're interested in that sort of thing: http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/246748/Grading-The-Deal-Gordon-Hayward-Finally-Joins-Celtics-On-Four-Year-$128M-Deal

Playing under Stevens makes every player better. He helped turn IT into a top 5 scorer and an MVP candidate. It will certainly help Hayward. Also, playing together with another top tier scoring option in IT and an excellent passing big man in Horford is going to do wonders for him.

[Cman]

Welcome to Beantown, Gordon Hayward.

That was an incredible scoop by Chris Haynes of ESPN, beating everybody, including Hayward on this.

How did he do it? There's a story there on top of the story.

I bet Woj is still steaming mad.

[manl_lui]

in light of this

https://streamable.com/zjrtf

Didn't know Gordon was a gamer, liking him a bit more every day 

[hpantazo]

Welcome to Beantown, Gordon Hayward.

That was an incredible scoop by Chris Haynes of ESPN, beating everybody, including Hayward on this.

How did he do it? There's a story there on top of the story.

I bet Woj is still steaming mad.

It's the second year in a row that Woj was wrong in his report of the Celtics free agent hunt, and got scooped on it. He clearly has no connections with Celtics staff and no clue what is going on regarding the Celtics franchise. It must drive him nuts, because his insider info on every other team is insane.

[Casperian]

I thought Boston is where no Free agents will come. Welcome to Boston you will be Well Loved here. Let's Go Celtics!!!!!!

No, it's "No major free agents will EVER sign with the Celtics!!!!1!!*

*except Al Horford**

**and Gordon Hayward"

Actually, it's "no superstar will ever sign with the Celtics!"

Still true.

Exactly.

Forgive me guys, but I just can't get excited about this. I don't see any way how we're winning a championship with this team, or how this leads to a championship down the road.

All I see is a perpetual treadmill team. The worst kind of treadmill team, the one that gives you hope. The only difference to three weeks ago is that we lost our cap flexibility for the forseeable future.