When news reached the timeline that Charlotte Hornets had launched and signed Gordon Hayward into a $ 120 million free agency contract for four years, the immediate reaction across the NBA was shock. Then came the jokes and then the criticism.
Of course, the Hornets may have overpaid for it, but during the first few weeks of the season, Hayward is showing exactly why they were willing to do it. After losing 44 points, his career record, last week, Hayward had 34 points, three rebounds and three assists on Monday night to lead the Hornets to their fourth successive win, a 109-88 win over the New York Knicks. With the victory, the Hornets changed to 6-5 in the season, which is the first time that it exceeds .500 since 2019.
This was the fifth game this season in which Hayward scored 25 points or more, something he has only done 13 times in his entire spell at the Celtics. When Hayward left Boston in the off-season, it was largely because he wanted a bigger offensive role, which he simply couldn’t achieve with the emergence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
But while it may not have been a possibility with the Celtics, Hayward is proving in his first 11 games with the Hornets, which is certainly something he can handle. After his big night on Monday, Hayward is getting 22.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and four assists per game, in 50.3 / 40.4 / 93.2 intervals.
If it wasn’t before, it is now clear that Hayward’s problems in Boston were mainly related to injuries and roles, rather than some major decline in skill. With the chance to be a primary option again, Hayward is reminding everyone that he is a talented three-level scorer who is efficient across the court. Dividing things by distance on the league statistics website really gives you a clear picture of how it can score from anywhere. (These numbers do not include Monday’s game.)
|
Less than 8 feet |
39 |
63 |
61.9% |
|
8-16 feet |
21 |
44 |
47.7% |
|
16-24 feet |
9 |
19 |
47.4% |
|
24+ feet |
23 |
57 |
40.4% |
Hayward is more than a marker, however. He’s going to break the glass here and there, and he’s a really solid facilitator. He won’t be launching prominent reel passes all the time as his new teammate LaMelo Ball, but he keeps the ball moving and engages everyone. It is no surprise that the Hornets jumped from 19th place last season in assists per game, to first place this season with Hayward’s arrival.
And above all, there is the veteran presence that Hayward brings to a young Hornets team. One of the biggest challenges in rebuilding is that when all the key players are learning on the job, it’s easy for guys to get lost and things get out of hand. Hayward ensures that this does not happen.
“He gives us calm and balance,” said Hornets coach James Borrego at the start of the season. “He accommodates us when we need good, solid ownership. Efficient ownership, he is able to create that.”
It is still too early to know if the Hornets will be able to end their playoff drought, which dates back to 2016, but now they are tied for fifth place this bizarre season, and it looks like at least they will be in the mix. If Hayward can really get them back into the postseason, that $ 120 million will really be money well spent.