Spin Move wrote:Unless the hawks want to pay him long term he is opting on, he has not other option really if money is his primary concern, which I am guessing it is.
It's not qualitatively different for ATL in this situation than it is how everyone generally perceives NOP's situation to be--if you're not a destination/legacy franchise, you have to take some risks at key points in the timeline. So even though there is some palpable disagreement that Brandon Ingram is actually worthy of a max contract, given what amounts to only a 1/2 season of ASG-caliber play, most believe NOP will max him. ATL is in a situation where the same attitude seems likely to be applied... yes, he's on the back-end of his career at this point, and yes, he's been sidelined for significant stretches of games over the last 3 years... but Hayward seems to remain the best bet to be a difference making ingredient in the roster recipe. Almost nothing that ATL's GM would offer will surprise me, though of course, that's NOT to say "there's no such thing as overboard," b/c there certainly is.