Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
The Charlotte Hornets and Boston Celtics are reportedly working on a assign-and-alternate deal centered on Gordon Hayward following the Hornets’ reported signing of the soar.
Primarily based on ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the deal would land Boston a alternate exception, however the Hornets are attempting to involve a third crew to exhaust Nicolas Batum and his $27 million wage so they’ll aid a long way from waiving him.
Wojnarowski added that no topic how the alternate discussions play out, Hayward is signing a four-twelve months, $120 million contract to play for the Hornets as became as soon as at the start reported.
Hayward declined the $34.2 million option in his contract for 2020-21 with the Celtics to turn correct into a free agent, and the Hornets like a flash swooped in to assign him.
If the Hornets and Celtics reach to terms on a assign-and-alternate, this may maybe occasionally model a reversal of what took place closing offseason when Boston obtained guard Kemba Walker from Charlotte in a assign-and-alternate for guard Terry Rozier.
Hayward signed with Boston in 2017 after spending the first seven years of his occupation with the Utah Jazz. He suffered a severe leg harm in his first game as a Celtic that price him your whole 2017-18 advertising campaign.
Whereas Hayward returned to seem in 72 video games the next season, he clearly wasn’t the same player he became as soon as sooner than the harm, as he averaged correct 11.5 aspects, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 25.9 minutes per game.
Last season, Hayward became as soon as one other twelve months eradicated from the harm and bought worthy nearer to the All-Considerable particular person level of play he displayed in Utah, averaging 17.5 aspects, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 33.5 minutes per contest.
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In Charlotte, the 30-twelve months-aged Hayward will reunite with Rozier and straight away turned into the finish player on a crew that boasts some promising young skills, including 2020 No. 3 overall win LaMelo Ball.
Since Hayward makes the presence of Batum redundant, it comes as tiny shock that the Hornets favor to switch Batum and his expiring contract.
Batum, 31, struggled by way of the worst season of his occupation in 2019-20, averaging correct 3.6 aspects, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 23.0 minutes per game over 22 contests.
Batum became as soon as amongst the most versatile players in the NBA at some level of his seven seasons with the Portland Trip Blazers, and he became as soon as extremely productive early in his tenure with the Hornets as successfully, including 2016-17 when he averaged a occupation-excessive 15.1 aspects and 5.9 assists to affiliate with 6.2 rebounds and 1.1 steals.
Batum averages 11.6 aspects, 5.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists in his occupation.
Batum’s agent, Jeremy Medjana, instructed Basket Session (h/t Hoops Hype) the Brooklyn Nets, Golden Thunder Warriors, Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors accept as true with all shown ardour in Batum.
