Making the Case: Charlotte Hornets’ Perspective

Moving on from Gordon Hayward is a possibility the Charlotte Hornets may need to face in the upcoming offseason. He’s been a key part of their wing rotation since joining the team, but his $30.0 million salary could be too much to have on the books for the next two seasons.

The Hornets would clear roughly $4.9 million in salary cap spending if they were to move Hayward in a trade in exchange for Maxi Kleber and Davis Bertans.

Kleber would present a floor-spacing option as a small-ball center with an underrated shot-blocking ability and general defensive versatility. The Hornets would benefit from keeping him, but his $9.2 million salary in 2022-23 is also non-guaranteed.

If the Hornets valued the $9.2 million in cap space over Kleber, they could waive him to open up that room. But again, they could fill a need at the center position with his skill-set as a stopgap option.

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Gaining a 2022 first-round pick would give the Hornets another option to add a team-controlled player on a cheap contract as they give new contracts to their franchise cornerstones.