Gordon Hayward has been on a tear for the Charlotte Hornets, proving that his contract was not that overvalued. Can we see him back as an All-Star?
The Charlotte Hornets have recently been playing really good basketball, competing on high levels with other quality basketball clubs. The Hornets have been energized by the emergence of LaMelo Ball, who quickly began improving since his debut.
But overall the team has been carried due to the efforts of Gordon Hayward, and at the time of his signing fans were skeptical of his value, but now it’s a different story. Hayward had a career-night already with a new high of 44 points and he has been on the roster for less than a month.
I’ve already stated that I think snagging Hayward was a great signing due to the fact that the team probably can’t attract any bigger names, it really wasn’t bad. Gordon Hayward is looking the best he has since his injury and Hornets fans should be super excited.
Hayward is having a great year and if he continues, he can have one of the best of his career. But is there a possibility of being an All-Star?
So even though Hayward is having a great year, I am skeptical of him earning a spot on the All-Star squad. Hayward is averaging over 21 points per game, which ranks him right outside of the top-30 in terms of scoring.
Hayward is a very valuable part of Charlotte’s young roster and could be considered to be sent to All-Star weekend but it depends on how much averages drop. Since it’s so early, many players can get injured or can have a cold streak and if Haywards averages increased then he could propel himself into a clear All-Star spot.
If the organization decides to start LaMelo Ball, then his chances can go up drastically. Ball being on the court means a lot more facilitating and since Hayward is a spot-up shooting from the mid-range, his usage can skyrocket with Ball’s playmaking. Hayward’s averages can go up and his possibility of making an All-Star team goes up with it.
If James Borrego continues to be hard-headed and refuses to start LaMelo then Hayward’s usage can stay fairly similar unless you play him more minutes, which can risk injury. I am making the claim that Hayward could make an All-Star if he was paired with a starting LaMelo Ball.