NBA free agency features a very predictable domino effect. Many of the players looking for new deals have to wait for the top guys to sign before they’ll get a chance. This is exactly what’s happening right now. After news broke that Gordon Hayward would be signing with the Celtics, Celtics nation got excited, including Isaiah Thomas.
However, not long after that suddenly everyone had to hit the breaks, and hard.
Gordon Hayward's agent, Mark Bartelstein, tells ESPN: "Gordon hasn't made a decision yet. We are still working through it."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 4, 2017
It’s not exactly fair to criticize Gordon Hayward. But his drawn-out decision to maybe/maybe not sign with the Boston Celtics is keeping other players from landing deals.
And according to a couple of NBA insiders, this isn’t sitting well with Hayward’s peers.
Fellow NBA free agents are annoyed by this Gordon Hayward mess. They've been waiting on the GH domino to fall, and now it's being drawn out.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 4, 2017
Can concur. Several agents have said this to me https://t.co/9mRJ06cBRg
— tribjazz (@tribjazz) July 4, 2017
Now, as we already mentioned, it’s not exactly fair to criticize Hayward. He’s about to make a life-altering decision that will create a ripple affect in his personal life, and in the NBA in general. He really shouldn’t rush to make a decision like this.
On the other hand it’s easy to understand why other free agents are frustrated.
This will all blow over soon, and we doubt there will be any permanent hard feelings from anyone who’s annoyed right now with Hayward.
However, this does amplify just how crazy NBA free agency can be. So many lives are affected in the blink of an eye, and there is plenty of stress to go around while uncertainty lingers.