In a tweet that was sent out on Friday morning, Marc Stein of The New York Times noted that the Pacers are still working on ways to complete a sign-and-trade deal with the Boston Celtics that would bring Gordan Hayward to his home state of Indiana.
The Pacers are believed to be one of several teams kicking the proverbial tires with regards to Hayward. As Stein notes in his report, the Knicks are also believed to be a potential suitor:
Indiana continues to explore sign-and-trade pathways to try acquire Gordon Hayward from Boston, league sources say
The Knicks, as covered here yesterday, remain a suitor for Hayward with their salary-cap space
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 20, 2020
Hayward officially opted out of his $34 million contract earlier this week to become an unrestricted free agent for this offseason. The 30-year-old has a well-documented history of injuries. But now that he's back in playing form, there will certainly be teams interested in his services. To be frank, he'll likely be the biggest name on this year's market.
Article Continues BelowThe Pacers could see about bringing Hayward home to the state of Indiana, where the veteran wing competed at Butler during his collegiate days.
Hayward struggled to get his fair share of touches in Boston. The team is just loaded with talent. Still, the former Butler standout averaged 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 52 regular season appearances. On another team—one where he is utilized more—Gordon's numbers could be even higher.
The Celtics made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. Ultimately, though, they were defeated by the Miami Heat in six games. The Pacers, on the other hand, were swept by the Heat in the opening round.
For now, it seems we'll have to wait a bit longer to find out where Hayward will be playing in the coming season.