Gordon Hayward to sign four-year, $120M deal with Hornets

Gordon Hayward is heading to Charlotte. Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Gordon Hayward to sign four-year, $120 million deal with Hornets

By Erin Walsh | Last updated Nov 21, 2020 1:57 PM ET

The Boston Celtics can officially kiss Gordon Hayward goodbye.

Hayward has signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. The news comes after Hayward declined his $34.2 million player option with the Celtics for the 2020-21 season.

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

According to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports, there might be more moving parts to this deal than many believe. Smith points out that Charlotte has to either work a sign-and-trade with Boston, trade away $7.5 million elsewhere or waive Nicolas Batum to clear some cap space.

I have Charlotte as able to get to max cap space of only about $20.7M.

This has to be a sign and trade for Hayward to get $30M AAV.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 21, 2020

A lot could depend on if $120M is a generous round-up or not. https://t.co/zyWun2a4mx
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 21, 2020

Regardless, it appears Hayward is on his way to Charlotte after a rather underwhelming career with the Celtics that was marred by injury. However, the 30-year-old still managed to average 17.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game last season while shooting 50 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc.

After selecting LaMelo Ball third overall in the 2020 NBA Draft, it appears the Hornets are all-in on trying to build a title contender around the youngest Ball brother. If Hayward can return to the player he once was with the Utah Jazz, Charlotte could look different this coming season.

Erin Walsh

Erin Walsh is a Boston sports fan through and through. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Bridgewater State University and currently is in pursuit of her Master's Degree in Journalism from Northeastern University. Follow her on Twitter @ewalsh90

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