After spending three seasons with the Boston Celtics, 30-year-old forward Gordon Hayward is signing a four-year contract worth $120 million with the Charlotte Hornets, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday.
Free agent Gordon Hayward is signing a 4-year, $120M deal with Charlotte, per source.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
Agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports confirms deal now to ESPN — Hayward leaving the Celtics for the Hornets on a $120M free agent deal. https://t.co/OYnMbp53Xj
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
Hayward opted out of the final year of his contract with Boston, worth about $34 million.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that Hornets owner Michael Jordan called Hayward on the phone Friday night.
Michael Jordan called Gordon Hayward late last night in an effort to close the deal for Charlotte, Hayward tells ESPN today. Hayward obviously remembers how MJ and Hornets signed him to an offer sheet in restricted free agency in 2014.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) November 21, 2020
In order to clear cap room to sign Hayward, the Hornets waived forward Nicolas Batum, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Batum had one year left on the five-year, $120 million contract he signed in 2016. The Hornets will use the stretch provision on Batum’s contract, meaning the $27 million he is owed by the Hornets will be paid out over three years, according to Bonnell.
Hayward showed flashes of greatness in Boston but never returned to the All-Star form he displayed with the Utah Jazz earlier in his career. Hayward suffered a gruesome, season-ending ankle injury five minutes into his Celtics career in 2017 and dealt with other injuries throughout his time in Boston.
Hayward will get a fresh start and a chance to be the No. 1 option in Charlotte, which could give him a level of confidence he never seemed to consistently have in Boston.
Hayward had his best season as a Celtic in 2019-20, averaging 17.5 points, a career-high 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range.
