Gordon Hayward opted out of his contract for the 2020-21 season with the Boston Celtics, becoming an unrestricted free agent as one of the biggest names to hit the NBA open market this offseason.
A career 15.3 points-per-game scorer in 10 seasons with Boston and Utah, Hayward could still re-sign for a longer term with the Celtics or agree to a sign-and-trade deal. But the Celtics, who signed Hayward to a four-year max contract worth $128 million in July 2017, now could lose him without compensation.
Earlier in the week, Hayward and the team — coached by his college coach at Butler, Brad Stevens — agreed to a two-day extension before he would decide whether to accept the $34.2…
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