NBA Rumors: Jazz Open To Gordon Hayward Sign-And-Trade With Celtics

UPDATE (9:30 p.m. ET): The Jazz and Celtics are engaged in sign-and-trade discussions for Gordon Hayward, according to multiple reports, and the mystery player Boston is considering sending to Utah apparently is Jae Crowder, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Gordon Hayward news might not be over.

The most coveted NBA free agent decided to leave the Utah Jazz and agree to sign with the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, but the C’s still have some work to do in order to fit the forward’s contract into their salary cap space.

One move that could help Boston is to complete a sign-and-trade for Hayward, and it turns out the Jazz would be willing to do one, a source told The Salt Lake Tribune’s Tony Jones on Wednesday. That also could help Utah, since it might get one of the players the C’s reportedly are trying to move to free up cap space — Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Jae Crowder.

One catch to the Jazz’s reported willingness to a sign-and-trade, though, is Hayward “would have to agree and get the ball rolling,” according to Jones. Also, while Jones didn’t mention it in his report, the Celtics could believe that they can make salary cap room by making separate trades and gathering more assets.

But a sign-and-trade still could be a helpful solution to the issues facing both Boston and Utah.

Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images