AINGE TURNS TO FREE AGENCY, AND GORDON HAYWARD

The Celtics president seems to have a particularly bullish attitude about next July, and the Celtics have long been linked to Brad Stevens' former Butler star.

Compatibility factor — The idea is to pair Hayward and his remarkable stroke with Jae Crowder, not to replace the Celtics forward. Hayward was Stevens' first great player at Butler and, in a sense, a creation of the Celtics coach. The transition would be seamless. Chance this actually happens — Hayward is said to be perfectly happy to stay and raise his young family in Utah — and the Jazz can pay him more than any other team under the new CBA — unless perhaps he senses a quicker route to the top with a coach he knows better than any other.