What does Gordon Hayward want in his next contract?

Only 46 players in NBA history have made more money ($148.3 million) than Hayward in their NBA careers. By the end of 2021, that number will rise to $182.4 million, putting Hayward in the top-30 earners in NBA history if the 30-year-old opts into his $34.1 million player option.

Despite the fact that Hayward has earned over half of his $148 million in Boston during an injury-plagued three seasons, Hayward shouldn’t be knocked for those high earnings. He suffered a catastrophic injury a quarter into his career in Boston and it took him two full seasons to fully recover. The Celtics and Hayward shouldn’t be faulted for a freak injury.

The guy we saw last season (when healthy) was worthy of big money even though the Celtics didn’t have him playing a lead dog role most nights. With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker leading the way most nights offensively, Hayward did a lot of the little things (rebounding, setting up teammates) while shooting the best percentage of his career with reduced usage.

We’ve already covered in depth here at BSJ why the Celtics should be willing to explore an extension with Hayward this offseason. With no cap space on the horizon, Boston losing one of their best players for no compensation if Hayward walks in unrestricted free agency would be a major step back for the team’s contending chances.

Yet, as next month’s deadline approaches for Hayward and his camp to make a decision on his player option for next year, a simple question must be asked by Boston: What does Gordon Hayward want at this point of his career?

For a player that has been paid like a superstar for the past six years of his career (all max salaries), Hayward has reached a point where he doesn’t necessarily need to have money be the No. 1 incentive in the next deal he signs. It was something we saw from Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in the closing years of the Big Three era. They got paid but they didn’t fully maximize their earnings in order to help the team’s payroll.

For Boston, Hayward turning down $34 million next season for a lower annual salary (with multiple years attached to the contract) would have significant advantages in the short-term for roster building. That type of salary reduction could keep the Celtics out of the luxury tax, which would allow for more long-term spending flexibility and avoidance of the dreaded repeater tax (a stiffer penalty when going over the luxury tax) over the remainder of this decade.

A lower Hayward salary would also open the door for the Celtics to use the full mid-level exception in the 2020 offseason ($9.7 million) instead of the taxpayer mid-level ($6 million) to add upgrades to other parts of the roster.

Sometimes players have the ability to maximize their earnings while also maximizing their chance at winning. Look no further than Al Horford last offseason when he turned down his max player option in Boston in order to lock in a four-year worth $97 million with Philadelphia. With Kyrie Irving headed out the door, Horford got his payday and landed with the team that everyone thought would be a top contender in the East next to the Bucks.

Hayward won’t have that same luxury of maximizing his worth and contending if he opts out. There are only eight teams that are expected to have near max cap room available and the Heat are the only contender among them. They have other guys that are expected to be a priority for them to bring back (Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder) and have incentive to keep cap room open for the 2021 offseason in case Giannis Antetokounmpo or another young star becomes available. Giving big bucks to Hayward on a long-term deal (if he becomes available) won’t be a priority for them, according to league sources.

So if winning and a big payday are unlikely to come anywhere else besides Boston, what is Hayward’s top priority going to be?

Is he content to be a critical piece (but still fourth option) in Boston for the next few seasons on a likely contender? Would he prefer to take the $34 million in Boston next year and potentially try to join a better contender in 2021 free agency for a big payout (mid-level money?) to maximize his chance at a ring? Or would he relish the opportunity to be a first or second option again for the remainder of his prime on a middle of the road team for the same kind of money he could get in Boston on an extension if he turns down his option this year ($20-25 million a year)?

Hayward has remained guarded when talking about his priorities going forward over the past year, so it’s tough to get a read on his preference just yet.

“What I want to do is help us win a championship here this year,” Hayward told BSJ back in February when asked about his future. “That’s our goal as a team, and I think that starts with trying to get better each day and focus on the game at hand. All the other stuff, you deal with as it comes to you. Right now, I’m trying to just play my best basketball and help our team.”

The signs from Hayward this past season show a willingness to sacrifice for the team, whether it was taking a secondary role for much of the season or missing the birth of his son in order to have a chance to play in the postseason in Orlando. Those choices could be viewed as positive signs for Boston in retaining him.

The uncertainty of the salary cap and the free-agent market for the next few years in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic will make long-term forecasting challenging for both sides, but could also encourage Hayward to seek out some long-term security. Given his injury woes, he’s never going to get a max deal again in his career and the odds of teams investing big money in him go down with every injury he gets. The chronic foot pain he experienced this year has to be worrisome for any team, including the Celtics as he enters his 30s.

The possibility of a high escrow withholding rate (up to 30 percent for players next season) in the wake of a restructured CBA next year could make giving up some money in the present easier to swallow for Hayward since he might only be getting 70 percent of whatever he makes anyway. Tacking up an extension where some of that value is guaranteed later could hold appeal, even though it’s possible the salary reduction could extend beyond this season for all players across the league (CBA negotiations will tell the tale there).

For Boston, re-signing Hayward to an extension at a reasonable number gives them an asset to use on the floor or via trade in the long run. There is a number they will stick to on that front, just like there was one for Horford last summer.

Hayward is under no obligation to do the Celtics any favors from a financial standpoint, but he does have a chance to rewrite his history in Boston if he’s willing to take a hometown discount that gives the front office more flexibility. He may also just want to start a new chapter of his career altogether in a new location. Either way, money and winning won’t be able to be equal top priorities for the 10-year veteran. Hayward’s going to have to eventually make a choice and that will likely signal whether he remains in Boston for another couple of years or if he’s traded for some assets that will be.