Gordon Hayward: Good or Bad Deal for the Hornets?

The Charlotte Hornets made headlines yesterday when the team reached an agreement with free agent Gordon Hayward, who spent the last three years wearing green in Boston. The deal was a four-year, $120 million contract, which brought a lot of controversy in the Charlotte area. Was the deal too much? Was it a good move to bring in the 10-year veteran out of Butler to provide talent and leadership around a young core?

I don’t care what anyone else says, the deal was a great move. So what that it is more money than he is worth right now. So what that it is a gamble Hayward will stay healthy and earn those big dollars. The Charlotte Hornets are in a position unlike many other teams around the league. They are a small market team. They don’t get very much publicity. They haven’t had much success since…we won’t even go there. So this is a move that was absolutely necessary. If you’re Michael Jordan and the Hornets, you HAVE to take gambles. You aren’t in a position to be picky and stingy. If a free agent with the talent of Gordon Hayward wants to come to Charlotte, you welcome him with open arms while throwing a few extra dollars his way because not many big free agents are willing to come to Charlotte.

If the team doesn’t make this move, then you have to ask yourself what type of player are they waiting to spend that money on. Perhaps it would be another Nic Batum. We all know how that contract worked out. This is a very similar contract to Batum’s with one big exception…Hayward is a much better player. If he stays healthy (and that is a pretty big “if,” but I’ve already talked about taking gambles) he will earn that money while helping the team win more games. Nic Batum was never going to be that type of player. So, if the Hornets had decided to pass on giving this contract to Gordon Hayward, then they would be waiting and waiting on another big free agent who is never going to come to Charlotte. Until the franchise begins winning on a regular basis, this is just how things will be for the Hornets.

If you’re a Hornets fan, you have to be excited about the potential this deal brings to the team. The roster already has some young talent to grow and develop. If they develop nicely with the right mix of veterans around them, then more wins will certainly come our way. Gordon Hayward is one of those veterans. It’s definitely not the move that will push them over the top because they are still a long way away, but it is certainly a move in the right direction. Welcome to Charlotte, Gordon Hayward!

Garett