It’s understandable that Hayward was unhappy with his situation in Boston. He came here as a rising star, on the cusp of being a Top 10 player, getting All-Star nods, USA Basketball invites, and was regarded as a superstar. Instead, he’s become the Celtics’ version of a sparkplug, entering the game with the express purpose of scoring in short spurts.
He’ll never be the No. 1 option again, even if he signs an extension. NBA executives around the league are shaking their heads at Hayward rejecting the $34.2 million option during a pandemic, when the league and the world has taken a financial backslap. He opted out because he either wants to play for another team at any cost or believes there is a lucrative deal on the market that can give him a chance to reassume his role as a primary option.