Danny Ainge apparently has been very busy.
With NBA free agency set to begin Saturday, the Boston Celtics have a plan to pursue both Gordon Hayward through free agency and then trade for the Indiana Pacers’ Paul George, league sources told The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Tuesday.
In order for the plan to work, though, the Celtics need to do things in a specific order. They have to sign Hayward first, and then they can trade for George due to the salary cap, according to Wojnarowski. He adds the Pacers might not want to wait that long, but they believe Boston can give them the most in return, which has put them in a tough situation.
The Celtics also have “contingencies in place to make deals” in order to make room on the roster for both players, per Wojnarowski. And if the C’s can’t sign Hayward, league sources told Wojnarowski that Boston might pursue Blake Griffin.
The Pacers and Celtics were close to a trade during the NBA draft, but the deal never came to fruition due to an unsuccessful three-team scenario, according to Wojnarowski.
One big problem with George, though, is that he has a player option after next season, although the C’s “have growing confidence” that they can get George to sign a contract extension, sources told Wojnarowski.
The rumor that George’s camp believes the Celtics would be a good fit could help matters, too.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Spurlock/USA TODAY Sports Images
