The Boston Celtics have been heavily linked to impending Utah Jazz free agent Gordon Hayward. And for good reason. Boston needs to add more top-end talent to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers back east.
Though, the Celtics themselves will not get the first crack at meeting with Hayward. Instead, that honor will reportedly go to the Miami Heat (via The Salt Lake Tribune).
This meeting will come on Saturday with Utah getting its turn to talk Hayward into a return on Monday. As it relates to the Celtics, no meeting has been scheduled as of yet.
Coming off a surprising campaign that saw the team win 30 of its final 41 games, Miami created extra cap room earlier in the offseason by moving on from Chris Bosh’s contract. Adding someone of Hayward’s ilk would go a long way in this team taking the next step.
Hayward, 27, averaged a career-best 21.9 points this past season. It’s the continuation of a career that has seen the All-Star up his game every single season he’s been in the Association.