Report: Hornets looking to trade Gordon Hayward to clear cap space

The Charlotte Hornets are looking to move forward Gordon Hayward in a trade and they're willing to part with a first-round pick to facilitate a deal, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

Hayward, 32, signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the Hornets in November 2020. He has two years and $61.6 million left on the contract. According to Windhorst, Charlotte hopes to move that money off the books so it'll have the salary cap space to re-sign rising star Miles Bridges.

Injuries have cost Hayward significant time during his tenure with the Hornets. He missed the final 24 games of the 2020-21 regular season due to a foot sprain and 32 of the last 36 games in the 2021-22 season with another foot injury. In both years, the Hornets were eliminated in the play-in tournament while Hayward was out of action.

Hayward began his career with the Utah Jazz, where he spent seven seasons and earned All-Star honors in 2017. He joined the Boston Celtics the following offseason on a four-year, $128 million contract but broke his leg in his first game with the team. Since then, injuries have limited his availability and Hayward has struggled to recreate his early career success.

The Hornets own the No. 13 and 15 selections in the 2022 NBA Draft.