3. Gordon Hayward Thrives As The No. 1 Scoring Option

Let’s be real, this is exactly the kind of opportunity that Hayward has been wanting. He opted out of his deal with the Boston Celtics because he did not like the role that he was playing. Behind Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kemba Walker, and even Marcus Smart at times, Hayward never was a focal point.

Despite playing a lesser role in Boston, he was able to average 17.5 points. In the year prior, he averaged 11.5 points per game, but he was still coming back from his ankle injury.

Hayward is primed and ready to be a No. 1 option again. Back with the Utah Jazz in 2016-17, the year before he joined the Celtics, Hayward averaged a career-high 21.9 points per game.

There is no denying the fact that Hayward can score the basketball. In his first year with the Hornets, he will thrive as their top scorer.

When everything is said and done, he is going to average over 20 points per game. He may not live up to the big money he received, but he will have a quality year on the offensive end of the court.