Danny Ainge and his staff will be on the phone at midnight tonight, expressing their abiding affection for a number of free agent targets — even though the success or failure of this annual venture will really hinge on the decision of just one.

And needing a number of pieces to fall into place, the Celtics are hoping things can unfold rapidly.

While the Jazz were trying to entice Gordon Hayward to remain in Salt Lake City with today’s trade for Ricky Rubio, the slick wing has plans to meet with Miami and the C’s as well as Utah these next few days.

The Celts have been aware for some time that Hayward would be opening to at least hearing their presentation, but, with others in the running, they can have no strong confidence he will choose them.

In the best case scenario for the C’s, Hayward would give them a verbal agreement by early next week. Even though free agents cannot be signed until the moratorium period ends on Thursday, having such a nod would allow the Celtics to set up their next move and assess what it will take from a player standpoint to get it done.

The top goal in trade remains Paul George, and it is important for the Celts to know how many players they will have to clear to make room for Hayward’s salary and if any of those people could be a part of a trade with Indiana.

As of today, there is no real closing of the wide gap between the Celtics and Pacers, who understandably would like to get as much as possible for their best player, but, according to others in the hunt, are likely being a bit unrealistic on what they can expect for a player who can opt out and become a free agent after this coming season.

One league exec still expects the Celts to be the last and best team standing when Indiana, which can’t stay the course and let George walk for no return at this time next year, makes its decision.

“I know there’s been some talk of getting a third team involved and sending George somewhere else, but I still don’t think Indiana can get the combination of young players who can help them now and maybe picks from anyone other than Boston,” he said.

As far as those picks are concerned, the Celtics have been steadfastly unwilling to include next year’s first-round pick from Brooklyn or the Lakers 2018

Sacramento 2019 pick they received from Philadelphia as an inducement for moving down from No. 1 to 3 in this year’s draft. The Celts’ top picks from the last two years, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are also not on the table.

“I can understand what Boston’s thinking on that,” said one Western Conference source. “If you’re only guaranteed to have George for one year, you have to ask yourself whether he’s going to be able to win it all for you with whatever else you’re able to put together. And with Golden State sitting there, how realistic is that? Not very.”

If the Celtics were to somehow add Hayward and George and form an All-Star quartet with Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, they would make themselves far more competitive in a playoff matchup with Cleveland than the 4-1 dispatching we saw in May. But the C’s would still need to use exceptions and moves to solidify their rotation for a more lengthy run as a contender — and that’s assuming George likes the view from the Garden enough to stay on.

But what happens if Hayward stays with the Jazz or takes his talents to South Beach? The Celtics would like to get a meeting with Blake Griffin, but his injury history (a total of just 163 regular-season games played the last three years) is a concern, particularly in light of the commitment — both financially and in years — he’d be seeking. Then again, with the Clippers having lost Chris Paul in a forced trade with Houston, there is every indication they’re redoubling their efforts to keep Griffin.

If they can’t get Hayward or Griffin, they will look elsewhere in the market. But in that case there is really little sense in trying to sign a player of lesser value. Your best course of action then would be to give those wing minutes to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum with the hope

expectation they could develop into the kind of players you’re throwing max millions at today.

It’s clear that Brown turned a number of heads in NBA front offices with his rookie performance, and what will he be worth when he shows off his offseason improvement during summer league the next couple of weeks?

But that’s a longer term proposition for the Celts, who are hoping to get significant business done by the time their summer crew takes the floor in Salt Lake City Monday night.