Post#140 » by Catchall » Wed May 17, 2017 11:32 pm
I think to get the mega-max deal, Hayward has to be an 8 or 9-year player. I'm not sure he's eligible for it this off season, but if he makes All NBA this year or next, he'd be eligible for that extension next year. I could be wrong.
Hayward is a big-time competitor. He took a major step forward with his game in the past year and made his first All Star game, which is no small feat in the Western Conference. He did things this season and especially in the playoffs he's never done before. Having followed Hayward this year, I think his #1 priority is to continue his own personal development. He wants to see how great he can become. Does he want to compete for a chip and play with excellent players? Absolutely. But he can stay in Utah one more year on a 1x1 max deal, continue to improve, keep pressure on the Jazz to improve, see if he can make an All NBA team and see what the competitive landscape in the league looks like next year.
Maybe the idea of teaming up with IT and Horford is enticing enough for him to jump, but I'm not sure it is. If Boston really wants to recruit Hayward this offseason, I think you could trade the #1 pick and some salary to get another solid veteran player. You'd have to move out enough salary obviously so that you still have money to pay Hayward. It would be best if you can add a big who helps your rebounding and interior defense because that's a weakness.
That's my 2 cents.