Gordon Hayward's reported four-year, $128 million max contract with the Celtics is not only causing the NBA market to shift but its likely going to have a profound affect on Boston's roster.
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According to ESPN.com , the Celtics have been discussing trades involving Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Avery Bradley in order to clear out some cap space after signing Hayward.
The report confirms an article from the Norman Transcript's Fred Katz which said Tuesday the Celtics were taking calls for Oklahoma State product Smart, who is in the last year of his rookie contract, at $4.5 million.
Crowder is due nearly $22 million through the 2019-20 season and Bradley is due $8.8 million in his final season before becoming a free agent. Still, if the Celtics can trade all three and renounced the rights to Jonas Jerebko, James Young and Gerald Green, they still would not have enough space for Hayward's more than $29.4 million next season.
Money aside, losing Crowder, Smart, and Bradley would hurt the roster, especially on defense. Smart and Bradley are among some of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA and Crowder is a 6-6 scoring threat, averaging 13.9 points and 5.8 rebounds this past season.