Gordon Hayward pledges his post-retirement support for the Charlotte Hornets

Matt Alquiza | 2 Hours Ago

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Charlotte Hornets fans had a strained relationship with retired forward Gordon Hayward. The Hornets made a move to acquire the veteran swingman in November of 2020 in a deal with the Boston Celtics. The two franchises swapped second round picks, giving Charlotte the opportunity to sign Hayward to a four-year, $120 million deal.

At the time, Hayward was one of the most important free agent signings in the history of the Hornets franchise. He was a former All-Star in his prime that was brought to the Queen City to be the running mate for the freshly drafted rookie point guard LaMelo Ball. Unfortunately for all parties, Hayward failed to live up to the lofty expectations that came with the nine-figure deal he signed with Charlotte.

Injuries plagued Hayward during his time as a Hornet, and he was never able to reach the heights he grasped as a young star in Utah. For the most part, Hayward was a perfectly fine NBA role player, but Charlotte wasn't paying $120 million for someone to put up slightly above-average NBA production.

The marriage between the two parties ended when Charlotte swapped Hayward for Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans, and two second-round picks from the Oklahoma City Thunder at the 2024 trade deadline. He ended up retiring a few months after the Thunder's season ended.

Hayward still has love for the Hornets

In a recent interview with Front Office Sports, Gordon Hayward spoke out about his relationship with his former team. "Hopefully the can start to pick up that franchise and get it going in the right direction. I loved my time in Charlotte. We still live there now. That's the place that we call home. I'm rooting for that franchise."

When players and franchises eventually part ways, it can often turn ugly. This situation seems like the complete opposite. Hayward still has reverence for the franchise that signed him to a big deal in 2020, and one can only hope that the franchise, and the city, return that respect when he inevitably re-enters The Hive in his new retired life.

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