The Boston Celtics are reportedly eying Utah Jazz swingman Gordon Hayward in a possible trade before the deadline. Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, meanwhile, is reportedly insisting on a "high trade price" for Rajon Rondo and believes Boston can get it.
Hayward is the latest player linked to trade rumors involving Boston. The 23-year-old is reportedly piquing the interest of Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who coached him at Butler.
"The Celtics have expressed some interest in acquiring Utah's Gordon Hayward, a league source tells CSNNE.com," A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE wrote on Tuesday. "Hayward, who started for Celtics head coach Brad Stevens while at Butler, will become a restricted free agent this summer after he and the Jazz could not come to terms on an extension this past fall."
Hayward, the No. 9 overall pick of the 2010 draft, is averaging career-highs with 16.3 points, 5.0 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game this season.
While Boston may be eying a Hayward-Stevens reunion, Celtics president Danny Ainge is reportedly being ordered to demand an exceptionally high price for Rondo.
"One source close to the situation told ESPN.com this week that Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck - who has long preferred to keep Rondo in Boston even though he'll be an unrestricted free agent in less than 18 months - is insisting that Ainge set a high trade price for the All-Star point guard," ESPN's Marc Stein wrote on Wednesday.
"The thinking goes something like this: If the Celts could score first-round picks in the respective transactions that sent coach Doc Rivers to the Clippers and packaged Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets, you can imagine what sort of haul Ainge's bosses believe Rondo could bring."
The NBA trade deadline is on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 3:00 p.m. ET.
