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The Hornets sign Gordon Hayward the biggest free agency contract to date – four years, $ 120 million.
This exceeds the $ 85 million over four years the Raptors will pay Fred VanVleet. This will likely exceed Anthony Davis’ maximum contract with the Lakers, as it will likely take fewer years. Only Brandon Ingram’s eventual max (-ish?) Contract will likely arrive before Hayward’s deal.
On some levels, it seems silly that Charlotte will pay Hayward so much – a 30-year-old who hasn’t been an All-Star for three years and is struggling with health.
But other teams were apparently in the stadium.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe:
It’s not like the Pacers and Celtics are offering $ 80 million. They did not offer 120. But my best information is something like 105, 108, 102, 110.
Hayward had a few things going for him:
- He had a player option of $ 34,187,085 for next season. Teams had to pass on big long-term offers just to get it into the market.
- It was a relatively weak free agent class. If they didn’t sign Hayward, the teams had disappointing alternatives.
- Hayward is a wing. There is a dearth of quality wings throughout the league.
So, Hayward created a bidding war that led to this big deal.
The Hornets even plan to suffer a big cap over the next three years, stretching Nicolas Batum just to free up space for Hayward (though it’s still possible Charlotte and Boston will agree to a sign and trade). Likewise, the Pacers – lacking ceiling space – should have sent assets to the Celtics as part of a signing and trade. Boston would have been close to the luxury tax line if it kept Hayward, adding real dollars to the cost of keeping it.
So there is an interpretation that Hayward’s perceived value was even higher than the $ 102 million to $ 120 million offered to it.
Of course, whether he’ll actually produce that way over the next four years is another question.
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