NBA Trade Rumors: 3 teams who should take a gamble on Gordon Hayward

Sitting at 8-28, the Charlotte Hornets are going nowhere fast. As a result, they’re expected to be sellers leading up to the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. The Hornets have several veteran players who could be of service to contending teams, such as former All-Star forward Gordon Hayward. 

Per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Hayward is “absolutely for the taking” and he is more likely than ever to be moved given his contractual status with the Hornets. Hayward is in the last year of a four-year, $120 million contract and is set to be an unrestricted free agent. Not only would he provide a boost to a team in need of a veteran wing, but he also offers financial flexibility if a team decides not to re-sign him.

Fischer also made sure to point out that “a lot of teams are also looking at Hayward as a buyout possibility.” However, should a team look to avoid letting Hayward hit the open market, they could take a gamble on him by trading a draft pick(s) and players even though he could become a free agent. It is important to note that Hayward has a 15 percent trade kicker in his contract, making the risk of trading for him even greater.

Hayward has dealt with his fair share of injuries throughout his career, having played no more than 52 games over the past five seasons. But, he is still an impactful player when he’s on the floor, averaging 14.5 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 36.1 percent from beyond the arc.

With this in mind, these three teams would be wise to take a flier on Hayward via trade instead of trying to win a bidding war for him in the event he was bought out.

3. Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have been waiting for an opportunity to turn assets into tangible players after they acquired a considerable amount of draft picks from the trade that sent James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers. The 76ers are looking for more talent to pair with their dynamic duo of reigning MVP Joel Embiid and rising point guard Tyrese Maxey. Gordon Hayward presents the Sixers with a chance to cash in on some of the draft capital they received from the Clippers.

Between the salaries of Marcus Morris Sr. and Robert Covington, Philly has enough to get it done from a financial standpoint. Not to mention, both of their contracts are set to expire at the end of the season which allows the Hornets to still create cap space despite moving off Hayward. Most importantly, the Hornets would also get two second-round picks from the 76ers.

Conversely, the 76ers would get a veteran forward who helps space the floor and provide an additional scoring threat for the 76ers alongside Embiid and Maxey. Hayward is a proven NBA scorer who is also capable of creating for himself and would fit nicely into the starting five in place of Nicolas Batum.