Gordon Hayward’s current contract with the Charlotte Hornets is entering its final year. Throughout his tenure in Charlotte, Hayward has failed to scale the heights we saw from him during his time with the Utah Jazz. Instead, the veteran forward has navigated multiple injury-induced absences.
Hayward’s inability to remain healthy hurt his ability to live up to his heft price tag, while it limited the viability of regular-season success for the Hornets. As such, it makes sense to believe that Mitch Kupchak and the front office could look to trade Hayward before the February trade deadline so they can ensure they get some form of return on the former All-Star’s exit.
Otherwise, Hayward will leave for free in the summer of 2024, and the Hornets will have nothing to show for the $120 million they invested into the Butler product.
Here are five players the Hornets could replace Hayward within the coming months.
#1 The Hornets replace Gordon Hayward with Zach LaVine
The Chicago Bulls are on the verge of hitting the reset button. With Lonzo Ball ruled out for the upcoming season and DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic both showing signs of aging, there doesn’t appear to be much opportunity for Chicago’s current roster to compete. As such, the Hornets could look to take advantage of the situation.
The 2024 free agency class is expected to be full of high-level talent. If the Bulls would prefer to tank the current season for a high draft pick before adding fresh talent in the summer, they will need to shed a significant amount of salary. That’s where the Hornets come into play.
By swapping Zach LaVine for Gordon Hayward, the Bulls would be clearing over $30 million in committed money this summer while also obtaining multiple draft assets that can be used in subsequent trades. Hayward would hit free agency this summer, and a massive chunk of money would come off Chicago’s books.
If the Bulls can find similar packages for DeRozan and Vucevic, they could be ready to take another swing at building a contender in the summer.
For Charlotte, LaVine would form an exciting backcourt alongside LaMelo Ball, and Hayward’s departure would allow rookie wing Brandon Miller to slot in as the starting small forward. It’s a long shot, as Chicago will certainly have better options available, but the opportunity to begin a tear-down by working toward opening cap space in the summer could be an enticing option.