The NBA has granted the Boston Celtics an $8.4 million disabled player exception for Gordon Hayward, ESPN has confirmed. The Celtics have until March 10 to utilize the exception, which was expected to be granted.
Hayward suffered a dislocated left ankle and a fractured tibia in Boston's season opener and will be out for the season.
With an open roster spot, the Celtics can sign, claim or trade for a player on the last year of their contract. The team must have a roster spot to use and the Celtics have one with 14 players under contract.
This is the largest disabled player exception granted and just the 39th since 1995.
It has been used only 10 times since 1995, most recently by the Denver Nuggets in February 2015 when they acquired Steve Novak from the Oklahoma City Thunder. A month earlier that season, the Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Iman Shumpert from the New York Knicks.
The Vertical first reported that the exception was formally granted.