Last month, Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan said his team was in a position to make a “big difference” in upgrading their roster for the upcoming season. And now, he appears to be trying to deliver. Sources informed Yahoo! Sports, restricted free agent Gordon Hayward has signed a maximum four-year, $63 million offer sheet from the Hornets.
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer first reported the signing:
Gordon Hayward has agreed to an offer sheet with the Charlotte Hornets, the Observer has learned.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 9, 2014
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Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski added the contract details, which include a player option for the fourth year, and a 15 percent trade kicker the Hornets added to dissuade Utah from matching.
While the price may seem steep, the Hornets – despite the loss of Josh McRoberts — are a team on the rise. With the lack of talent in the Eastern Conference, they can certainly make some noise come playoff time if the necessary pieces are added. With Hayward possibly on the wing along, Kemba Walker running the offense and Al Jefferson manning the middle, Charlotte may be a team to reckon with for the next multiple seasons.
It should be noted, however, that the Jazz are in fact expected to match the offer sheet, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News and Wojnarowski’s report.
Gordon Hayward agreeing to a max deal w/ Hornets is a "non-issue for the Jazz," per a person with knowledge of situation. Utah will match.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) July 9, 2014
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I've seen some people speculate about the Jazz doing a sign-and-trade with Gordon Hayward and the Charlotte Hornets. This won't happen.
— Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) July 9, 2014
Hayward, 24, averaged career-highs across the board in his fourth season in the NBA last year. He dropped 16.2 points while dishing out 5.2 assists and grabbing 5.1 rebounds in 36.4 minutes per game last year. Although he did show an ability to create for himself, the 6-8 wingman must focus on improving his shot and limiting his turnovers. He knocked down just 41 percent of his attempts from the field and 30 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
While Hayward is certainly a good player, there is no guarantee that he will take the next step in his game and become great. Whether he remains in Utah, or heads to Charlotte, both organizations will be happy to have him. But he still needs to keep improving to make a max contract an efficient use of either team’s resources. Last season’s performance wasn’t a good return on investment if he’s making maximum money after his rookie contract, but both teams are hoping he continues to improve.
Should the Jazz match the offer sheet and keep Hayward?
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