Celtics, Hayward delay option deadline until Thursday

[November 18, 2020]    Gordon Hayward and the Boston Celtics agreed to push back his deadline to exercise his $34.2 million player option for next season.

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward (20) reacts during the first half of game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2020 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

According to multiple reports, Hayward and the Celtics are discussing options for his contract with the new deadline moved from 5 p.m. ET Tuesday to Thursday.

The new deadline comes one day after the 2020 NBA Draft is held, which led to speculation in Boston that Hayward is part of a proposed trade involving draft picks. Or it could buy the team time to adjust Hayward's contract.

The Athletic reported Tuesday that the Celtics offered Hayward and their three first-round picks in the 2020 draft to the New Orleans Pelicans for guard Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans instead traded Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Hayward, 30, averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in the 2019-20 regular season.

After seven seasons with the Utah Jazz, Hayward signed with the Celtics as an unrestricted free agent in 2017. He ruptured his Achilles in the first game of the 2017-18 regular season and played a total of 125 regular-season games in his first three seasons in Boston.

--Field Level Media

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