5 reasons the Boston Celtics will be worse next season
By Jake Finnen
5. Gordon Hayward’s adjustment takes time
This was, by far, the most significant acquisition made by the Celtics. The Celtics shifted their focus to obtaining Gordon Hayward, which included trading Avery Bradley to the Detroit Pistons. Hayward is a great two-way player, but playing in Utah, some of his success can be credited to the system he was surrounded by.
He had weapons around him and the best defensive big man in the league protecting the paint, allowing him to be more aggressive. Without human cheat code Rudy Gobert surrounding the rim on both sides, Hayward is going to see heavier workloads.
More from Boston Celtics
- Why the new and improved Celtics are a major threat
- These two Celtics will be crucial to unlocking Kristaps Porzingis’ potential
- The new-look Celtics are closer than ever to an 18th title
- 3 Reasons Boston will regret trading Marcus Smart
- Ranking the 5 best available power forwards in 2023 NBA free agency
Not to take away from his talent, but the Jazz offense suited his style of play. He is a traditional scorer that can get to the rim, but he will not overpower his matchup. He will undoubtedly be a great supporting piece to Isaiah Thomas, but even a slower Celtics pace is a much faster than what he is used to in Utah.
The past five seasons, the Utah Jazz have been one of the 10 slowest teams when it comes to pace. The Celtics ranked 16th in pace last year, with Utah ranking last. Hayward will be in for a change of scenery and it will take time to get comfortable within the system. Next season might be the buffer period for the Celtics to mesh with each other.
Hayward is a superstar, but he’s still in a much different atmosphere. He will be playing under former head coach Butler coach Brad Stevens, but that does not mean he will automatically be proficient in Boston. Success is not guaranteed just because you got a superstar. Not everyone can be the Golden State Warriors, and not everyone is Kevin Durant.