ORLANDO, Fla. – Free time during the pandemic proved significant for Gordon Hayward. He was able to heal from various troublesome wounds, including a broken hand and a sore foot. He was able to spend time with his wife and three daughters, most notably teaching one how to ride his bike without training wheels.
“You can’t get it back,” said Hayward. “You can’t get those times back. It was nice to be with the family, having fun with my girls, being able to go to bed, bathe every night. He was good in that respect.
“It’s nice to go back to shooting with the boys, being with the boys. I hadn’t seen anyone for a long time and played basketball; probably the longest period I’ve ever played basketball. “
A completely healthy Hayward becomes a potential X factor. This is probably the best one that has physically felt like a Celtic, and brings the motivation to finally live up to his maximum salary contract.
It wasn’t his fault. Hayward suffered that horribly broken / dislocated leg in the ankle for five minutes in his Celtics term, missing the remainder of his first season. Last year was an important transition period, when he sometimes seemed comfortable and unsure of himself in others. He started this season playing some of his best basketball before suffering a broken hand in San Antonio on November 9th.
Hayward returned in December, then returned to shape in January. In his last 30 games before the season ended, he averaged 17.7 points, 48.8 percent shooting and 40.5 percent from the 3-point line. Only annoying injuries prevented an even better Hayward.
So can Celtic believers expect the Hayward who has become an All-Star and max player in Utah? Their expectations have always been dampened by injuries and inconsistencies – perhaps a lack of confidence – so Hayward hasn’t boasted that he hasn’t missed a drill for two weeks. But he wants to play well. It has never been questioned.
“I want to be the best player I can be and I want to help our team win basketball games,” he said. “We saw during my time here in Boston, but also last year, that means different things on different nights. It could score. It could be a game. It could be in defense. It could be turning on different people. I just want to help our team win. “
What Hayward made sure to point out is that if the Celtics play together – a big problem from last season that led to their untimely demise – then they can make a long playoff run. With Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker, there is enough talent to reach the finals. But can they share wealth enough to beat the best teams?
After around eight unscored possessions in their battle, Jayson Tatum is able to get buckets on Jaylen Brown in a rare 1 on 1 between two #Celtics cornerstones. pic.twitter.com/SfzVOAKOja
– gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) July 21, 2020
“We must use all our strengths and help each other play with our strengths,” he said. “We have many guys who can do many different things, many who can score, who can defend. I think that’s what makes us dangerous, but we have to use each other. We have to play each other’s strengths, help each other, and if we do, we will be good. We have to stay away from the “take turns” mentality and try to help each other as much as possible. “
Meanwhile, Hayward’s wife, Robyn, is expecting the couple’s fourth child – and the first boy – in September. Hayward said a few weeks ago that he would leave when she went into labor. Staying away from his pregnant wife and three girls “sucks,” he said.
“It is strange to think the next time I see [Robyn] she’s offering our baby, “she said.” We’re adding another one to the family, and it’s really hard not to be able to be with her in these moments. I don’t know what it means to be pregnant, [but] I know it is exhausting and is able to be pregnant and to be with three other little ones who are running out of steam. It allows me to do what I do. “
Hayward remained in Boston during the pandemic, and now considers it his home. What will become difficult as the offseason approaches is a contractual option for next season. Believe it or not, although Hayward has only played 118 games in total with the Celtics, he is able to complete his third full season.
He has a $ 34.1 million option for next season, and it would be hard to imagine that he would attract that annual salary if he opts for a free agency. With a low season low and the salary limit likely to drop as a result of the pandemic, most players with contract options should be playing safely and exercising for the past few years. Hayward will probably do the same.
“It’s unprecedented, just like this situation,” he said. “It’s one of the reasons you hire an agent to let him do all those things, focus on basketball. I love being in Boston. Our family has settled here. So we’ll see how it goes. “
Gary Washburn can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.
