Hornets: Gordon Hayward’s Return May Spark A Playoff Run

The Charlotte Hornets have been playing without Gordon Hayward for over a month at this point. In that stretch, Charlotte has gone 5-9 since their starting small forward went down to injury. As the end of the regular season draws near, the Hornets need Hayward healthy if they want to make a serious playoff push.

Charlotte is firmly in the play-in tournament at this point in the season. Sitting six games behind the sixth-place Cavaliers and two-and-a-half games ahead of the 11th-place Wizards, the Hornets should be playing for postseason basketball at the conclusion of this year.

Although the Swarm have shifted their starting lineup with Hayward out, it is not an ideal solution. Currently, the starting five consists of LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, P.J. Washington, and Mason Plumlee. Washington has been filling in for Hayward, which has slid Bridges to playing the small forward position.

While this is still a decent starting lineup, Washington and Plumlee do not have great synergy, and it leaves Montrezl Harrell as the lone big man coming off the bench. To say that Hayward has been missed would be an understatement.

While any team would miss a player averaging 16.1 points per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game, and 1.0 steals per game, Hayward’s absence is especially noteworthy for the Hornets. With him out of the nightly rotation, everyone except for Ball and Rozier are playing out of position, abnormal minutes, or both.

The Hornets should make it to the play-in relatively easily, but their only chance at making it into the actual best-of-seven playoffs is having a fully healthy Gordon Hayward. Reports have indicated that Hayward is progressing well and should be back on the court before the regular season concludes.

That better be the case. This young Hornets squad needs veteran leadership on the court as they prepare for another playoff push.