Chinese sneaker brand Anta is signing Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward to a four-year endorsement deal, reports ESPN’s Nick DePaula:
Boston Celtics All-Star @GordonHayward has agreed to a 4-year footwear & apparel offer sheet with Anta.
The massive shoe deal also includes a signature apparel collection and marketing throughout Asia and the US. Nike will have 10 business days to exercise their “match clause.” pic.twitter.com/GIrLpxFA6d
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 26, 2018
Hayward was reportedly also being wooed by Nike and New Balance, but it looks like Anta won out.
Based on the wording of DePaula’s tweet, it appears that Hayward is the sneaker equivalent of a restricted free agent, meaning Nike can match what Anta is offering him.
We’ll have to wait and see whether Nike opts to exercise that match clause. It may decide that, in wake of Hayward’s injury and given the fact that Nike has many bigger stars than Hayward, letting him walk is acceptable, especially considering that DePaula described Anta’s offer sheet as “massive.”
Hayward suffered a season-ending injury five minutes into the 2017-18 season, his first with the Celtics. Hayward is healthy now, however, and will be ready to play in preseason.
#Haywatch update: Gordon told me he plans to play in the #Celtics first preseason game Friday. Get excited and catch it @NBCSBoston!
— Abby Chin (@tvabby) September 25, 2018
