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Gordon Hayward has agreed to sign a four-year, $63 million offer sheet with the Charlotte Hornets, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. Once signed, the Utah Jazz will have three days to decide whether they will match it. The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell first reported the agreement:
Gordon Hayward will sign a major offer sheet with the Hornets.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 9, 2014
Gordon Hayward has agreed to an offer sheet with the Charlotte Hornets, the Observer has learned.
— Rick Bonnell (@rick_bonnell) July 9, 2014
It has been expected that the Jazz will match any offer, but it'll be interesting to see if they follow through with that on a contract this size.
The Hornets spent Monday and Tuesday pitching Hayward in Charlotte, and the team's rationale is simple: More talent is needed to make a major jump in the East, especially on the wing. Hayward, at 24 years old, is versatile and talented. He can create for himself and others, and the Hornets needed more playmaking even before Josh McRoberts left for the Miami Heat.
The problem: Hayward is a safe bet to be good, but there's no guarantee he'll be great. He shot just 41 percent from the field last season in Utah, and just 30 percent from 3-point range. Whether it's the Hornets or the Jazz who wind up paying him, they'll be making a big bet that those numbers improve significantly.
