Report: Knicks ‘aggressive in their pursuit’ of Celtics forward Gordon Hayward

Published by

Ryan Ward

4 years ago

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

All signs point to Gordon Hayward leaving the Boston Celtics by opting out of his deal with the team and pursuing a fresh start with another NBA franchise.

One team looking for a veteran star of Hayward’s caliber is the New York Knicks, who are hoping that the Celtics forward indeed opts out of his deal and enters free agency.

Although Hayward is not the same player he was with the Utah Jazz and has battled injury issues ever since joining the Celtics, the 30-year-old is hoping to get back to form, and New York might be the ideal place to do just that.

In 52 games with the Celtics last season, Hayward averaged a respectable 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. He also shot an impressive 50.0 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc during the 2019-20 campaign.

With the Knicks missing out on Chris Paul and potentially unable to land another big star like Russell Westbrook, the addition of Hayward might be a step in the right direction.

New York, much like Hayward, seeks to turn things around, making this potential partnership an intriguing one for both sides.

Ryan Ward

Ryan is a veteran sportswriter with nearly a decade of experience covering the NBA and NFL. He has also interviewed numerous players and coaches as a credentialed member of the media. Follow him on Twitter @RyanWardLA.