5 Players that could replace Gordon Hayward on the Hornets
By Adam Taylor
#2 The Hornets replace Gordon Hayward with Brandon Ingram
Similarly to Zach LaVine, Brandon Ingram would be a longshot for the Hornets. A potential swap involving Gordon Hayward and Ingram works financially, but finding a way to incentivize the New Orleans Pelicans would be tough.
Zion Williamson is expected to return in the coming season, which would allow Ingram to slot back into his role as a tertiary star on their team. However, Ingram has proven capable of being the second guy within an offense and may not want to take a back seat to C.J. McCollum and Zion Williamson.
If Ingram cuts an unhappy figure with what could be a lessened role, and the Pelicans have an interest in shedding some salary in the summer, then Hayward could make sense for them. Of course, Willie Green could also be enticed by Hayward’s ability to scale his production in line with his team’s needs.
Hayward would also help solve the Pelicans’ current ball-handling problems and could operate as the team’s point forward, distributing for his teammates without taking shots away from them. Whereas Ingram would instantly be one of Charlotte’s primary options, allowing him to continue his offensive development alongside one of the best young point guards in the NBA.