NBA Rumors: Boston Celtics Forming Superteam This Summer By Signing Gordon Hayward, Blake Griffin?

The Boston Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals this season before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games. The Celtics are on the precipice of being legitimate title contenders and they just need to add one great player to be a real threat to the Cavaliers. The latest NBA rumors suggest that the Celtics might be forming a superteam this summer by targeting free agents Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin.

Boston had the best record in the East in the regular season but the Cleveland was clearly the superior team. The Celtics managed to beat the Cavaliers once in the Eastern Conference Finals and they did it without their superstar point guard Isaiah Thomas. However, LeBron James and company were too much as the Celtics got eliminated in five games.

The Celtics have a really good roster with Thomas and All-Star center Al Horford as centerpieces while Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart are solid role players. They also have Jaylen Brown and the rumored first overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, Markell Fultz. The Celtics front office knows that they need to have an even better team in order to beat the Cavaliers in the East before going after the superteam Golden State Warriors.

Some of the top players linked to the Celtics include Paul George and Jimmy Butler, two superstars potentially on the trading block. Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin, on the other hand, are two free agents that the Celtics are reportedly targeting this summer. But can Danny Ainge manage to sign them both and form a superteam in Boston?

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (h/t Ryan Snellings of FanSided), the Celtics’ primary targets are going to be Hayward and Griffin. Wojnarowski noted that the Celtics are not going to sign them both but the team will take a good hard look at both players and how can they make Boston a better team than the Cavaliers.

“Boston is really the danger for Blake Griffin. I think Boston’s two primary free-agent targets, right now, are Gordon Hayward and Blake Griffin. Now, they’re not going to get both of them, but they’re both players that would potentially have interest there. I think Boston looks at in different ways with their future.”

The Warriors’ superteam has put the NBA on notice and they appear to be on their way to forming a dynasty. However, rumors have linked teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, `and San Antonio Spurs to free agents and players for trade. These teams are poised to make their own superteam and prevent the Warriors from winning three, four or five straight titles.

If the Celtics can sign either Hayward or Griffin, they have a real chance of dethroning the Cavaliers in the East. Hayward was named an All-Star this past season and he played under Celtics head coach Brad Stevens in Butler. On the other hand, Griffin is a perennial All-Star but he has suffered a lot of injuries during his career.

Hayward is a safer option than Griffin and the Celtics are undoubtedly going after him harder. According to SB Nation, Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford have started rumors on social media by following Gordon Hayward on Instagram. The moves came after Hayward’s wife posted a photo of their daughter Bernadette wearing a Celtics shirt.

It will take a superteam to beat another superteam and the Celtics have the biggest chance of making one this summer. However, Danny Ainge has been quiet about the deals he is going to make for Boston. The Celtics can add two superstars, one via free agency and one via trade but there are consequences in making those moves.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that these are just purely speculative at the moment and they are just rumors. There could be a lot more rumors leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft next week involving the Celtics since they will have a lot of suitors for the first overall pick.

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