Rumors

Run It Back: . @gordonhayward on LeBron confronting Stephen A. Smith: "I think we all have moments where we want to confront the talking heads...but, I would never do that in public like that. I don't think that's the time or place to do something like that." @MichelleDBeadle | @ChandlerParsons | @TeamLou23

x.com

Jayson Tatum, who was drafted 3rd overall by the Celtics in 2017, shared his initial concerns about his role on the team, especially when Boston signed forward Gordon Hayward the same summer. The unexpected addition of a high-profile player led Tatum to question whether he would see substantial playing time, leading him to consider a trade. “I get drafted, and Gordon Hayward signed with the Celtics. I called my agent, like, yo, I gotta get traded,” Tatum recounted.

BasketNews

His agent, however, reassured him to stay calm and be patient. “He was like, yo, just, like, you’re in a great organization. They’re gonna teach you how to play right away,” Tatum explained, revealing that his agent urged him to wait it out and trust the Celtics’ development system. Despite Tatum’s eagerness to start immediately, he acknowledged feeling frustrated. “I'm like, yo, I'm trying to play. I didn't get drafted to come off the bench and not start,” Tatum recalled during the podcast.

BasketNews

The Timberwolves' defense is anchored by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Recently, retired NBA guard Gordon Hayward, who played alongside Gobert for several seasons with the Utah Jazz, broke down the one key weakness that Gobert has on that side of the floor during a visit to the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone. “He always had problems guarding around the perimeter and that was something anytime we played like a quick guard that can also shoot it was going to be tough for us,” said Hayward. “We had really tough times against Boston when they had IT (Isiah Thomas). We had really tough times against Kemba, we had really tough times against Dame. Guards that if he came out too far they go right around him, and if he’s back at all they’re just shooting.”

Clutch Points

Hayward made sure to reiterate that Gobert was still excellent overall on that end of the floor. “So I think that would probably be his only critique as a defensive player is being able to guard the perimeter,” said Hayward. “Now I don’t think he’s bad at it, I think its just those are world class elite level players, that’s just what they did was coming off pick and rolls, shooting.”

Clutch Points

Recently, retired NBA guard Gordon Hayward, who played alongside Gobert for several seasons with the Utah Jazz, broke down the one key weakness that Gobert has on that side of the floor during a visit to the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone. “He always had problems guarding around the perimeter and that was something anytime we played like a quick guard that can also shoot it was going to be tough for us,” said Hayward. “We had really tough times against Boston when they had IT (Isiah Thomas). We had really tough times against Kemba, we had really tough times against Dame. Guards that if he came out too far they go right around him, and if he’s back at all they’re just shooting.”

Clutch Points

Tim Bontemps: It was a turnaround led by a spectacular performance from star guard LaMelo Ball, who had 34 points, 8 rebounds and 11 assists in 38 minutes. It's a huge year for Ball, who has played just 59 games since his breakthrough All-Star season in 2021-22. To help combat that, Ball has taken the Stephen Curry approach to his balky ankles, sources said, wearing strong braces to try to avoid having the same injury issues that have cut short each of his past two seasons. And it wasn't just Ball who impressed, as Tre Mann -- who had discussions with the front office about a rookie contract extension, sources said, before ultimately not signing one -- had 24 points off the bench and could be primed for a big first full season away from the Oklahoma City Thunder after joining Charlotte in the Gordon Hayward deal last season.

ESPN

What happened in Oklahoma City? That’s a good question. I think it was a difficult situation going into it. I hadn’t played since December 26, so I’m coming off of a calf injury, which is hard to come back from to begin with. But then you’re going to a team that was No. 1 in the West. So in my mind, I’m thinking, ‘Why do you guys need me? You’re doing fine.’ I was told (by Presti), ‘No, we really need you and we really believe you can help us out.’ But it was one of those things where I said, ‘I don’t necessarily want to ring chase. If you want me to come be there, I want to play because I do think I can help.’ Before the calf strain, I was still doing well. I get there and I still have to come back from the calf injury, so they were working me back slowly and it never changed from my perspective. It was like I’m not getting a chance here, I’m not doing anything. I’m not necessarily doing much wrong, but I’m not doing anything right because I’m playing such limited minutes. I’m just kind of out there. Then it got to the point where I wasn’t just playing at all, so it was like why did you trade for me?

New York Times

When did you know it was time to walk away? Gordon Hayward: It had been in the back of my mind for a couple of years. But I think just this summer and talking with my family and (agent) Mark (Bartelstein) and hearing some of the offers and where I could potentially be going, it was just like, I’m very content and at peace with how everything went. I can be happy just staying here in Charlotte and living life. So it’s kind of just like, all right, that’s how it’s going to be.

New York Times

When did you feel you were satisfied with your career? Gordon Hayward: It was probably the first year in Charlotte. I wanted to be an All-Star so bad and I did that. Then, I was hoping to win a title and continue that as I came over to Boston and then the major injury happened. Then it was like, I want to prove that I’m still the player that I was. I feel like those first couple of years in Charlotte, I did that. We didn’t win as a team and I got injured, it seemed like every year. I was healthy up until that major injury (in 2017) and then it seemed like after that, every year, there was something that was just out of my control. That part was disappointing. But I felt like there were glimpses and flashes when I was in Charlotte that I was the same player. After I did that, I got back to where I was and I was cool with it.

New York Times

Gordon Hayward: I had career highs in Charlotte that I had never had. I had 41 in three quarters, so I was like, OK, I’m back. I was proud of that and that was something where I was like it hasn’t worked out with injuries and stuff and that’s a big reason why the team stuff never worked out, which was disappointing. But I’m at peace with that now.

New York Times

When you left Boston, were you at peace with the way it went down? Gordon Hayward: Yeah, it was obviously disappointing and frustrating with how it all worked out. It sucks to attribute it all to injuries, but I had a major injury that changed the course of my career. That is not what I envisioned when I decided to come play in Boston, but I am at peace with it. Your injury was a turning point in your career. Do you ever think about what could have been? I haven’t thought about that. There were a lot of expectations, and it would have been a lot of fun, for sure. But I think my injury and then Kyrie’s (knee) injury at the end of that year were key for the development of the younger guys on the Celtics. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown still would’ve gone on to do exactly what they’re doing, but I think there’s nothing better for a player than being able to play through mistakes and just experience everything.

New York Times

Gordon Hayward: If I had been healthy that whole season, I would have just taken their reps. It’s just the nature of how it would have gone, so they would have just developed maybe a little slower. That season, they went to the Eastern Conference finals against LeBron (James). You can’t get any better development for that. They probably should have won. That was great for their development as players and then they took it to a whole other level. But it was certainly not what I expected.

New York Times

Gordon Hayward’s NBA tenure came to an end this offseason. Hayward, who last played with the Oklahoma City Thunder, announced on social media that he decided to retire at 34 years old, marking the end of a career that included stops in Utah, Boston, and Charlotte. Like many retired athletes, Hayward has appreciated the opportunity to focus on things that he just could not pack into the busy schedule of an NBA player. He’s “excited,” he tells Dime, about what he has going on outside of basketball, taking golf lessons and getting back into tennis, the latter of which he famously played in high school. He’s relishing the chance to be a dad, too, as he ran through the list of things he had to miss as a father during his playing days — even if his kids weren’t thrilled with his decision at first.

Uproxx