3 ways the second overall pick will shift Hornets’ offseason plans

1. The Hornets move on from Gordon Hayward

Gordon Hayward has struggled with injury throughout his tenure with the Charlotte Hornets, missing a minimum of 30 games per season over his first three years with the team. Assuming that the Hornets do draft Brandon Miller, it would make sense for Mitch Kupchak to explore avenues to potentially move on from Hayward.

The primary reason for this would be that both Miller and Hayward have a similar skillset, and while it’s clear the former All-Star’s game is more refined, the incoming rookie would benefit from absorbing Hayward’s minutes on the floor.

Of course, finding a team to take over the final year of Hayward’s contract – which is set to be in the region of $31.5 million – won’t be an easy task. However, a franchise that is entering a rebuild, or one that has cap space, would both be logical trade partners. The downside to moving on from a veteran like Hayward, is that Charlotte would likely have to part ways with some future draft assets or a couple of player prospects to entice a team to eat such a hefty cap hit.

Nevertheless, if the Hornets believe they have a potential All-Star wing in Miller, we can expect them to create a path to legitimate playing time for him in the 2023-24 season, regardless of who he usurps in the rotation.