Someone on Reddit made a joke post using Hayward's stats this season (in 5 minutes) to joke that we were better off without him according to advanced stats.  He joked that we should trade him to Denver for a Dunkins Donuts gift card and cash considerations.

I half-jokingly responded:  "if you dump Hayward's 30 million for a dunkin donuts gift card and then let Smart walk, you now have around 71 million on the books. With the cap set around 102 million, that gives Boston right around max cap space to target an unrestricted free agent like Boogie Cousins, Paul George or even LeBron/Durant (both unrestricted).

I'm not saying I'd do it, but I'd want to be [dang] sure Hayward can return 100% next year and I'd need to know how much value is on the Dunkin Donuts gift card."

It's think it's worth questioning, though.  If you could hypothetically just trade Hayward to a team with cap space and take back nothing... and let Smart walk...  how would you feel about heading into this Summer with essentially max cap room coming off a season in which we almost made the Finals?  Are we all confident Hayward is going to return to 100%?   Any of the upcoming free agents you'd rather pitch to?

https://hoopshype.com/2018/04/22/nba-free-agency-2018-the-top-players-2/

Quote from: LarBrd33 on June 03, 2018, 08:34:55 PM

Someone on Reddit made a joke post using Hayward's stats this season (in 5 minutes) to joke that we were better off without him according to advanced stats.  He joked that we should trade him to Denver for a Dunkins Donuts gift card and cash considerations.

I half-jokingly responded:  "if you dump Hayward's 30 million for a dunkin donuts gift card and then let Smart walk, you now have around 71 million on the books. With the cap set around 102 million, that gives Boston right around max cap space to target an unrestricted free agent like Boogie Cousins, Paul George or even LeBron/Durant (both unrestricted).

I'm not saying I'd do it, but I'd want to be [dang] sure Hayward can return 100% next year and I'd need to know how much value is on the Dunkin Donuts gift card."

It's think it's worth questioning, though.  If you could hypothetically just trade Hayward to a team with cap space and take back nothing... and let Smart walk...  how would you feel about heading into this Summer with essentially max cap room coming off a season in which we almost made the Finals?  Are we all confident Hayward is going to return to 100%?   Any of the upcoming free agents you'd rather pitch to?

https://hoopshype.com/2018/04/22/nba-free-agency-2018-the-top-players-2/

That is a very good question. Cousins would be a perfect fit in terms of play style, but he doesn't seem to be one of most desirable players to DA and BS.

I like Paul George better than Hayward, but he would be a long shot to go to Boston. There would be no shots at getting either Lebron or KD.

Therefore, no, we are probably just fine with Hayward.

I know that this is a hypothetical but we signed Hayward before the Irving trade.  I don't think that Boston expected IT to come back so the whole salary situation really changed.  After we got Irving and found out how good Tatum is, yeah, $31M tied up in Hayward suddenly looks a whole lot different.

Let's give him chance to actually play though before we start to do the "what ifs".  I don't think this will become a contract that is a problem.

Quote from: CelticsElite on June 03, 2018, 08:46:16 PM

Hayward is better than any free agents. I like him better than Paul “I couldn’t get out of the 1st round” George, plus PG WAS ALWAYS going to go play in La.

 lebron is going to gut the team to get his agents players on the team. Who’s left as free agents? Demarcus “no player especially center has ever recovered from a ruptured Achilles” cousins?

With kyrie  and Hayward coming back this off season, we already won the 2018 off season free agency

Well PG has taken teams farther than Hayward ever has. And how was he always going to LA? Did I miss him signing there already?

And you're assuming that not only Kyrie, but Hayward as well will be "coming back this off season", but Cousins won't because he ruptured his achilles? Doesn't make sense. Hayward's dislocated and broken ankle is just as serious.

Also, Dominique Wilkins came back from a ruptured achilles and was a beast.

Quote from: Vermont Green on June 03, 2018, 08:44:54 PM

I know that this is a hypothetical but we signed Hayward before the Irving trade.  I don't think that Boston expected IT to come back so the whole salary situation really changed.  After we got Irving and found out how good Tatum is, yeah, $31M tied up in Hayward suddenly looks a whole lot different.

Let's give him chance to actually play though before we start to do the "what ifs".  I don't think this will become a contract that is a problem.

how does $31 mill look different? Hayward is still our best 2 way player. He’s a bonafide superstar and all star. What exactly do you think Hayward is worth? He was going to get paid significantly more by the jazz

Quote from: Bucketgetter on June 03, 2018, 09:13:08 PM

Quote from: CelticsElite on June 03, 2018, 08:46:16 PM

Hayward is better than any free agents. I like him better than Paul “I couldn’t get out of the 1st round” George, plus PG WAS ALWAYS going to go play in La.

 lebron is going to gut the team to get his agents players on the team. Who’s left as free agents? Demarcus “no player especially center has ever recovered from a ruptured Achilles” cousins?

With kyrie  and Hayward coming back this off season, we already won the 2018 off season free agency

Well PG has taken teams farther than Hayward ever has. And how was he always going to LA? Did I miss him signing there already?

And you're assuming that not only Kyrie, but Hayward as well will be "coming back this off season", but Cousins won't because he ruptured his achilles? Doesn't make sense. Hayward's dislocated and broken ankle is just as serious.

Also, Dominique Wilkins came back from a ruptured achilles and was a beast.

pg is going to LA. Pg couldn’t get past the first round this year embarrassingly. Almost didn’t make the playoffs

 so 1 player returned, that means another will? Only like 30% players have returned from that injury, and almost none returned to the same level of play