Boston Celtics: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

Gordon Hayward

Entering the third year of his contract with the Boston Celtics, Gordon Hayward has it all to prove. Following his horrific injury suffered in his very first game for the Celtics, it has been all doom and gloom for him.

Now with a full season under his belt, followed by a summer of work behind the scenes and a training camp, there will be no room for excuses. Hayward needs to begin to show consistency while performing at a level not seen from him since Utah.

He provided flashes of his talent during the final weeks of the season and again briefly during the playoffs, but he needs to do more.

Hayward wasn’t awful last year, just inconsistent and visibly nervous of contact around the rim, which is surprising considering he ended the season in the 92nd percentile for players in transition, knocking down 75 of his 112 shot attempts in the process.

Unable to rely on his speed due to clearly lacking in fitness, Hayward was able to stay relevant in transition by picking his moment to attack the basket — he would then read and react to the defense exceptionally well.

Unfortunately, transition is the only metric in which Hayward was a positive for the Celtics. Defensively he was unable to keep up with opposing forwards, causing him to commit unnecessary fouls or forcing his teammates to absorb the extra pressure.

Grabbing one rebound less per game is not a huge decline usually, except for a team such as Boston which was starved of a rebounder in any form.

Offensively Hayward turned the ball over 12.7 percent of the time while dishing out 3.4 assists per game per basketball reference. Displaying tentative tendencies throughout the season, it became obvious the mental demons of the injury he suffered the season prior had not yet been exorcised.

Heading into the new NBA season Hayward has it all to prove, placing Boston into a unique lose-lose situation.

Should Hayward return to the level of his Utah days, he may become inclined to decline his player option next summer and test the open market where he would be a premier free agent.

However, another year at the level of last season will definitely make Hayward exercise his option, which risks alienating him from the fan base.

Legacy is what all NBA players dream of. In Hayward’s case this year will be a defining point of the one he leaves behind in Boston when all is said and done.

Unquestionably the player with the most pressure on his shoulders heading into the new season, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.