2 Hornets who could be on a new team by the trade deadline

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 11: A detail of the Charlotte Hornets logo is pictured on the shorts worn by Miles Bridges #0 of the Charlotte Hornets during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on February 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images /

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Gordon Hayward, Charlotte Hornets (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

Gordon Hayward

This is a very obvious choice to make this list. Gordon Hayward is a veteran, on the other side of 30, and is in the final year of his current deal. If there is a picture-perfect candidate to be someone on the move at or before the trade deadline, it is Hayward.

The decision to sign Hayward in the first place was an interesting one, to begin with, but it was not without merit. Charlotte just drafted LaMelo Ball third overall 19 days prior, so adding a veteran with playoff experience to pair with him made a ton of sense. Even though they missed the playoffs, the team’s win total increased by 10. There was another 10-win increase the following season, but that trend did not continue last season.

Now with the team entering sort of a reset period, with younger talent being infused to help out in the long term, a player like Hayward could find himself on the outside looking in rather quickly. The future of the franchise is being put into place, and that does not appear to include Hayward.

Even if Hayward is not traded by the deadline, the writing appears to be on the wall regarding his future in Charlotte.

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