Warriors Linked to Trade for $120 Million Former All-Star

Getty Perhaps Chris Paul could be fodder for a Warriors trade rumor involving Gordon Hayward.

Given the way things have gone for Steve Kerr‘s Warriors in the first quarter of the season, everything is on the table, even a desperate move. Because at 12-14 and sitting 11^th in the West, these are fairly desperate times in Golden State. A trade for oft-injured and overpaid Charlotte forward Gordon Hayward qualifies as desperation, but over at The Athletic, the Warriors are being mentioned with potential Hayward deals.

In discussing Hayward on its NBA Trade Big Board, the site has the Warriors tabbed as a “best fit” for Hayward.

And it makes some sense. Hayward is a versatile, 6-foot-7 forward who can handle the ball, attack the basket and shoot. He is averaging 15.2 points with 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists (second most of his career), shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.2% from the 3-point line. Those are all numbers that should interest the Warriors.

But he is also 33 and has struggled to stay healthy since he broke his ankle in his first game with the Boston Celtics back in 2017. Hayward has played in 290 games since 2017, out of 574, meaning he has missed nearly half his games in that span. If healthy, he’s an excellent fit for the Warriors. But it is a sizable “if.”

Gordon Hayward Got $120 Million From Charlotte

Oh, and the other number that puts a damper on this or any of the Warriors trade rumors you’ll see is the cost. Hayward was given a $120 million, four-year contract from the Hornets in 2020. He is currently in the final year of that deal, worth $31.5 million.

Hayward would make a pretty easy swap for the Warriors if the Hornets are willing to take back Chris Paul, a North Carolina native who might welcome the move. Golden State would have to add something to sweeten the pot, either some second-round draft capital or perhaps a prospect (Gui Santos?) that Charlotte can develop.

Here’s how The Athletic writer Sam Vecenie put it:

The Gordon Hayward era in Charlotte has not brought much success since the team signed him to a four-year, $120 million contract back in 2020. There are myriad reasons for that, ranging from Hayward’s own injury history to LaMelo Ball’s injuries and more. Now, with Hayward in the final year of his contract, the Hornets are outside the Play-In Tournament, with Ball out for an extended period of time with an ankle injury.

For his part, Hayward has been a useful secondary playmaker on offense this season while rarely turning the ball over. His shooting has bizarrely fallen off across the map, though, and he hasn’t been anything to write home about on defense, either.

One of the Sensible Warriors Trade Rumors?

Still, Hayward’s shooting has not been that bad, and clearly not worse than the 40.0% that Paul is shooting this year. Adding his size to the Warriors lineup make a lot more sense as a secondary ballhandler than having the 6-foot Paul in that role.

There is some question about whether the Hornets will seek to trade Hayward at all, though. Despite the fact that the season has already been a disaster with off-court issues and the Ball injury, Charlotte has never wanted to plunge into a full rebuild, in part because it does not want to waste Ball’s seasons with the team. But Hayward is not going to be enough to drag this bunch into playoff contention.

There is hope, too, around the league that perhaps the Hornets would buy out Hayward after the trade deadline. But there is not much incentive for Charlotte to do so.

And so he is a guy to consider as the Warriors trade rumors heat up. He’s not a perfect solution to what ails the Dubs. But he could help.