Fool Me Twice: The Gordon Hayward Thread

[yosemiteben]

Gordo out here making some fashion choices:

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[JMAC3]

Dudes hair? Where is the gel my man

[yosemiteben]

Dudes hair? Where is the gel my man

Yeah he's got a pretty odd look going there.

Kudos for giving it a shot though

[Chapelchilla]

I had no idea Haywards hair was so frizzy, looking like the ole Greatest American Hero. No wonder he keeps it trimmed tight and slicked down.

[luciano-davidwesley]

Gordo out here making some fashion choices:

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He'll probably be out injured for two months with sunburn after this outdoor adventure.

[Liver_Pooty]

Gordo out here making some fashion choices:

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He'll probably be out injured for two months with sunburn after this outdoor adventure.

Him and cmc both

[JMAC3]

I am kind of at the point, where I think I would rather just pencil Hayward in for 24- 26 mpg off the bench regardless of the starters. Give him the KLove treatment, he isn't a piece of the team of the future but he can still provide value in a role.

I would rather that and do our best to keep him healthy for 70+ games then get 40 games of 30+ mpg as a starter.

[Diop]

I am kind of at the point, where I think I would rather just pencil Hayward in for 24- 26 mpg off the bench regardless of the starters. Give him the KLove treatment, he isn't a piece of the team of the future but he can still provide value in a role.

I would rather that and do our best to keep him healthy for 70+ games then get 40 games of 30+ mpg as a starter.

if that guaranteed 70 games, absolutely, I doubt it will though.

[HornetJail]

I am kind of at the point, where I think I would rather just pencil Hayward in for 24- 26 mpg off the bench regardless of the starters. Give him the KLove treatment, he isn't a piece of the team of the future but he can still provide value in a role.

I would rather that and do our best to keep him healthy for 70+ games then get 40 games of 30+ mpg as a starter.

this was totally gonna be his role next season if Miles wasn't a jackass. LaMelo/Rozier/Miles/PJ worked too well down the stretch to break that up.

[JMAC3]

I am kind of at the point, where I think I would rather just pencil Hayward in for 24- 26 mpg off the bench regardless of the starters. Give him the KLove treatment, he isn't a piece of the team of the future but he can still provide value in a role.

I would rather that and do our best to keep him healthy for 70+ games then get 40 games of 30+ mpg as a starter.

this was totally gonna be his role next season if Miles wasn't a jackass. LaMelo/Rozier/Miles/PJ worked too well down the stretch to break that up.

I like it mainly because it should keep Gordon healthy, gets most of Cody mins at the 3 instead of the 2. Means more minutes available for Bouknight and McGowens at the 2.

I would say at this point it is unlikely McDaniels, Plumlee and Oubre are back following this year. If that is case, I would rather just lean into player development to the guys that will be around. Prioritize Thor over McDaniels.

[amcoolio]

Looks like he's now copying LaMelo

[MasterIchiro]

With the ball in LaMelo's hands, he should be looking for Hayward as his the first option, right?

If so, Hayward could gain significant value. Feed him and fatten him, please.

I hope Rozier is not the first option unless Hayward goes down.

Hayward is historically the more efficient scorer. So if he can stay healthy, his value could see a massive shift within the right gameplan.

I expect Clifford to run more of a halfcourt scheme. Hayward is our best halfcourt player.

Hornets had their worst month when Gordon was down. It sunk the season. Even Miles couldn't replace him.

[HornetJail]

We likely missed our best opportunity to trade Hayward for significant value last season. He had played 45 of his first 46 games without a problem, playing the exact role he would on a contender- a 3rd/4th option who steadily averaged an efficient 16-18 points, and had the ability to takeover if needed.

We are going to have to settle for minimal value, but I don't buy that he's negative. There's too much good basketball ability, the entire world knows what he's capable of when healthy, the ones who forget are fans whose memories erase like an Etch a Sketch after 2 months. He has to prove he can be healthy.

Hayward should not be showcased by force feeding him big minutes and big shots. Rest him on back-to-backs, cap him at 30 mpg, do whatever we have to do to keep him healthy, people will want that 17/4/4 on 60TS% or whatever his stats wind up being. The play will speak for itself especially for a team like the Lakers who can absolutely use him as a #3. Just do everything we can to minimize injury risk.

Obviously there's nothing we can do about a dude falling on his leg like what happened last season, but keeping him fresh at all times will only help the cause/

[MasterIchiro]

Clifford should absolutely make Hayward the #1 option especially in the halfcourt where Gordon is our most efficient weapon there.

The team can fatten his stats without overloading him with minutes.

If the team should not feed him looks, then who should take shots in front of him? Which less efficient player should get those shots?

[yosemiteben]

I don't think it matters a whole lot how he's used this season, no one is trading plus value for him by the deadline because they think he'll stay healthy.

[Chapelchilla]

I don't think it matters a whole lot how he's used this season, no one is trading plus value for him by the deadline because they think he'll stay healthy.

Not sure that makes sense. If he is playing well and is healthy at the deadline a contender may be happy to trade for Hayward for the stretch run and playoffs, after which he is an expiring contract piece for 23-24.

[fatlever]

If Hayward is healthy and playing well mid year AND we aren't in top 8 or so, I think it would be gm malpractice not to look to move him, as that would be peak of his value. If we can't be a top 8 team w healthy Hayward, there is no point.

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[yosemiteben]

I don't think it matters a whole lot how he's used this season, no one is trading plus value for him by the deadline because they think he'll stay healthy.

Not sure that makes sense. If he is playing well and is healthy at the deadline a contender may be happy to trade for Hayward for the stretch run and playoffs, after which he is an expiring contract piece for 23-24.

The last two seasons Hayward has finished the season on extended injuries.

Last season he played 48 games pre-ASB and just 1 game post-ASB.

Not sure teams are going to see him healthy at the deadline and assume he's going to stay that way.

[Rich4114]

For good or bad, we are almost certainly rolling with Hayward this season. He’s even more important after the Miles drama. I do not think the team is interested in moving him and his value is at an all time low given his last few seasons of injuries. I also think that if he’s healthy and playing like he always has, assuming our other core pieces are healthy that we will be playing winning basketball with or without Miles.

But like Fats said, if we are out of the playoff picture and he (and other core players) are all mostly healthy then he should absolutely be moved. And at that point it would not be a salary dump, it would be to help a team get over the edge into championship contention mode.

[JDR720]

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