NBA Rumors: Pacers Thought Offer To Celtics Was Plenty For Gordon Hayward

For a brief moment in time, it was thought that Gordon Hayward would be traded to the Indiana Pacers.

It certainly would make sense considering Hayward is from Indiana, and he reportedly already moved back. But the Boston Celtics reportedly didn’t like the return the Pacers offered, which included Myles Turner.

The Pacers, though, believed it was enough to acquire Hayward.

“If you can add a player that materially improves you, you have to take a shot,” general manager Kevin Pritchard said during a press conference Tuesday, as transcribed by MassLive. “It hurt a little more this time because the feedback was (Hayward) wanted to be here. We were probably overplaying in the trade, but we were trying to get a special player.

“It can’t come at a cost so debilitating that it doesn’t make sense.”

Hayward, as we’re sure you’ve heard by now, reportedly agreed to sign a four-year, $120 million contract with the Charlotte Hornets. A sign-and-trade with Boston still appears to be on the table.