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Boston Celtics: Gordon Hayward is more important than Kyrie Irving

By Hans Themistode

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 21: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 21, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 21: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball in the first half against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game Three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 21, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics fans should be excited about Gordon Hayward, while holding expectations for Kyrie Irving at bay

Kyrie Irving has stolen, and will continue to steal, the headlines. The Boston Celtics had officially nabbed themselves a true NBA superstar. He’s a champion, multiple time all-star, arguably the best finisher at the basket in the entire league and he isn’t afraid of the big moments. After all, he did hit one of the clutches shots in NBA Finals history.

There’s no doubt that Kyrie Irving is a phenomenal talent and an important player to this Celtics team but the acquisition of Gordon Hayward is who Celtics fans should be most excited about heading into 2017-18.

The problem with Kyrie is that everyone looks at him for the player he is now. What exactly does that mean? Well it’s what I stated above. A champion and a winner. We can’t take that away from him but we must look at things in their proper context. Before LeBron James made his infamous return back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving was running the show. He was still a spectacular player but his team’s accomplished nothing with him as the lead player.

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Now there are those of you that will claim that Kyrie was young and did not understand what it took to win and you will also point out that he had little to no help.

It is hard to argue the lesser talent that surrounded Kyrie Irving in his earlier Cleveland years. The likes of Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett and Anderson Varejao aren’t exactly the best players around. With that being said, it is also hard to defend the fact that his teams have gone a combined 78-152 pre-LeBron.

Fast forward to the Cavaliers of the past few seasons. Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Kyle Korver, Channing Frye, Timofey Mozgov and Iman Shumpert to name a few. Forget about LeBron James for a moment. The previously named players are good enough to win games and fight for a playoff spot in the weak Eastern Conference, but yet for some reason Kyrie has gone just 4-13 in games where LeBron didn’t play.

It’s one thing to not have the players needed to win but it’s another to have them and still not be able to win.

Kyrie is arguably the best scorer in the NBA today but the problem is that is the only thing he does. He does not defend nor does he get his teammates involved enough. There are too many instances where his teammates stand by and watch him go into his dribbling act.

Gordon Hayward, on the other hand, is a solid defender and with his 6-foot-8, 240 pound frame opposing players can’t simply bullying him down low in the paint. He’s also a willing passer, averaging close to four assists last season and over five assists two seasons ago. There’s no need for me to go into details about his offensive prows because it is well known that he is capable of scoring over 20 points per night efficiently.

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Kyrie Irving is a great player and he is a bit of an upgrade over Isaiah Thomas, but I urge the Boston Celtics fans to take notice to their new starting small forward Gordon Hayward. He’s the piece that will ultimately help them get over the Cavaliers hump.

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