After coming to an agreement with Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtics are still faced with the dilemma of fitting his contract into their salary cap. The Celtics are planning to trade some key players that helped them reach the Eastern Conference Finals, including Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and Jae Crowder. Now, the Utah Jazz, Hayward’s former team, can help the Celtics get out of their current predicament.
According to Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune, the Jazz are willing to do a sign-and-trade involving Hayward. Jones said the Jazz are eyeing either one of the players that the Celtics are planning to trade.
However, Jones reported that Hayward must agree to do a sign and trade to get the ball rolling.
Earlier, Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported that the Celtics had already reached out to other teams about a trade involving Crowder, Smart, and Bradley. They need to create space to accommodate Hayward’s four-year, $128 million deal, which has a player option for year 4. Teams will want Smart and Bradley, who are both entering the final year of their respective deals with the Celtics, while Crowder has three years remaining on his five-year, $35 million contract that he signed with the Celtics in 2015.
Crowder became dispensable with Hayward’s arrival
Crowder became dispensable after the Celtics came to terms with Hayward, as they both play the same position.
Crowder criticized Celtics fans for cheering for Hayward during their regular-season game against the Jazz, claiming that they disrespected him.
According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, the Atlanta Hawks might pursue a trade with the Celtics for Crowder, who hails from Georgia. In his two years with the Celtics, Crowder emerged as an outside threat, making 37 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
He averaged 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game during his stint with the Celtics.
Kelly Olynyk released by Celtics
In another effort to create salary cap room for Hayward, the Celtics renounced the qualifying offer they extended to power forward/center Kelly Olynyk, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Indiana Pacers and the Hawks are also interested in acquiring his services.
The 13th overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in 2013, he was traded on draft day to the Celtics, where he played for four seasons. In his rookie year, he averaged 8.7 points before tallying 10.3 points and 10.0 points in the next two seasons. In his final year with the Celtics, he averaged 9.0 points and 4.8 boards.
