By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward elected to not extend his contract up to the end of the 2020-21 season, per Shams Charania of The Athletic. His player option was set at $34.2M.
Hayward, 30, will test free agency after three seasons with the Celtics. Injuries starting off from his debut in Boston limited him to 139 games in that stretch. He never really got things going after his successful 7-year run with the Utah Jazz.
His unexpected move will likely see him sign a new contract as a free agent with the Celtics or elsewhere at a much lower wage. Most teams will be conservative in the market due to the coronavirus pandemic and salary-cap restrictions.