NBA Rumors: Charlotte Hornets Likely to Split With Former...

NBA Rumors: Charlotte Hornets Likely to Split With Former All-Star

NBA Rumors: It’s Likely That The Charlotte Hornets And The Former All-Star will split

The Charlotte Hornets might not be finished reorganizing their roster in front of the NBA trade deadline after dealing Terry Rozier to the

Miami Heat. Former NBA All-Star forward Gordon Hayward is rumored to be the next.

In the 2010 NBA Draft, Hayward was chosen by the Utah Jazz with the ninth overall choice. After seven seasons with the Jazz, Hayward

was selected as an All-Star only once. Over these seven years, Hayward averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game.

Reunited with his college coach Brad Stevens, Hayward inked a max contract with the Boston Celtics during the 2017 offseason. Hayward

broke his tibia and dislocated his ankle in his first game with the Celtics, which kept him out of the game for the rest of the campaign.

Nonetheless, Hayward fully recovered and participated in 72 Celtics games in the 2018–19 campaign. The former Butler player played one

more season for the Celtics before signing a sign-and-trade deal with the Hornets during the 2020 summer. Hayward averaged 13.9 points,

5.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists a game while he was a member of the Celtics.

Hayward has spent parts of four seasons with the Hornets, averaging 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game.

Hayward is turning 34 in March, but he is still a top-tier player, averaging 14.5 points per game this season. In addition, Hayward has been

battling a calf ailment. Since the Hornets’ December 26 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, he has been sidelined due to this ailment. The

$31.5 million deal of the former Jazz great also expires at the end of the current campaign, leaving him an unrestricted free agency in the

2024 offseason. Additionally, the Hornets find it challenging to deal Hayward due of his hefty contract.

Hayward might be a name to keep an eye on in the buyout market, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer:

However, he doesn’t fit into the Hornets’ plan to retool their roster, therefore a split is most likely imminent. According to two league

sources, Hayward may be a buyout candidate, which would enable the 33-year-old to sign with a preferred team.

Boone also asserts, though, that the majority of the best NBA clubs lack the salary cap space necessary to sign Hayward:

Getting bought out presents a little different wrinkle, though. With payrolls of over $182 million, several of the league’s championship

contenders are currently above a specific barrier that prevents them from signing waived players.

In any case, it appears that the Hayward-Hornets split is probably coming up to the All-Star Break.

With Hayward, who will be 34 this year, playing for the 10-32 Hornets (third-worst in the Eastern Conference), a separation is likely. It’s

unclear, though, if it will take the form of a buyout or a trade. Zach Lowe claims that Hayward is being considered by the league. The

Oklahoma City Thunder and the Philadelphia 76ers are two teams to watch. With their current records ranking in the top five in the league,

both teams could be aiming for a late-season playoff push.