Gordon Hayward has called it a career. While to most current NBA fans, the news is non-noteworthy, it would be amiss not to talk about it. During his career, Hayward didn’t ascend to the all-time great status. However, that doesn’t cover the impact he had on the league. Gordon was entering the upper echelons of the NBA for a brief period. That is until injury took away his trajectory and growth.
Due to the physical nature of the sport, NBA history is littered with what-ifs. Potential scenarios that could have had drastically huge impacts on the sport. Whether it is the Derrick Rose injury or the Kevin Durant move to Golden State, the instances are seemingly endless. But, the case of Gordon Hayward is a curious one. Looking at the resume, one might wonder at his ceiling.
However, for those unaware, there was a brief time, where it looked like Hayward was The next breakout star. And, if that wasn’t enough, he was The key piece on a team pegged to break up the greatest dynasty in the modern era. Without further ado, let’s take a look back at a name that might be forgotten in the annals of NBA history. But one, that bears mentioning in it all the same.
A Career Retrospective on Gordon Hayward
Early Career: Born in Indianapolis, Gordon Hayward met his future NBA coach Brad Stevens pretty early on. He chose Butler’s program with Stevens as an unranked prospect out of high school. He was dominant in the Horizon League, earning Newcomer of the Year and making multiple First-team All-Horizon selections, culminating in a League Player of the Year award. His phenomenal play that year saw Butler go all the way to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament finals. However, a half-court buzzer-beater from Gordon did not connect, giving Duke the chip.
Making his way to the NBA, Hayward had a slow start despite going 9th in the 2010 NBA Draft. For the Utah Jazz, he had a bench role for the most part in his first three seasons. His averages broke double digits in the latter two seasons, but without anything to write home about. In his final year coming off the bench, his average got to 14 ppg, but the complete player was yet to come around.
Breaking Out: It was in his fourth season that Hayward first started to break out. Becoming a permanent starter for Utah, Gordon was genuinely dynamic. A three-level scorer with playmaking chops, he saw great improvement as a defender as well. Suddenly, the player the Jazz were envisioning at number 9 was materializing. Each of the next three seasons, his numbers went up, all while he averaged over 75 games played.
The peak of those years came in the 2016-17 season. Breaking the 20 ppg barrier for the first time in his NBA career, Hayward would average 21.9 points per game, adding over 5 rebounds and 3 assists on excellent shooting splits. Nearly 40% from 3-point territory with 47% from the field, he was becoming unstoppable in the half-court. However, simultaneously, his defense had come a long way, making him an intriguing two-way prospect. His spectacular play led him to the All-Star game and a hefty paycheck. However, that paycheck came from the Boston Celtics and an old friend.
The Heartbreak: The stage was set. 17-time NBA Champions were ready to compete again. With Brad Stevens at the helm, they got Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers and Gordon Hayward on a 4-year, $128 million deal, the max at the time. Alongside was a cast of springy wings, like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who were yet to jump to superstar status. But then, tragedy struck.
6 minutes into their tenure, Gordon Hayward went up for an alley-oop. He came down wrong, broke his tibia and dislocated his ankle in one of the most gruesome moments on a basketball court. But, there was still hope. Despite missing Hayward and Irving due to injury, the young core of the Celtics led them to a Game-7 in the Conference Finals.
Next year, with 2 in-prime superstars returning, their competition was the dynastic Golden State Warriors. Unfortunately, that didn’t come to pass. When he came back from the injury, Gordon couldn’t find the same rhythm. While he was in Boston for the duration of his contract, the production wasn’t there. He did show steady improvement, but not nearly enough to command a max slot.
With Tatum and Brown continuing to ascend, Hayward became the expendable one. As a result, once his contract came to an end, he was in search of a different team.
The Final Years: When the deal with Boston came to an end, the Charlotte Hornets came calling for Gordon Hayward. Signing a 4-year, $120 million deal as part of a sign-and-trade, Gordon had a chance to re-find his groove under Michael Jordan. However, injuries continued to mount up for the one-time All-Star. His first year was his best since the All-Star season, averaging 19.6 ppg while shooting 41.5% from distance. However, at under 50 games, he was too big of a health risk to invest in.
Over the next few seasons, as his role continued to diminish, so did the numbers. Eventually, he was little more than an aging veteran continuing to develop chemistry and the youth on the roster. In his final year, he was sent to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a midseason trade. There, his playtime, role, and contributions came crashing down. In 26 games with the Thunder, he was averaging just 5 ppg.
Riding off into the sunset: As his career came to a close, Gordon Hayward took the time to pen down an emotional note on his farewell. What was once among the most promising names of the new generation unfortunately had his career cut short. While a 14-year veteran, Gordon could never ascend to those 2017 heights.
“To all my fans: thank you for supporting me through the ups and downs,” he wrote. “I’ll always cherish the letters of encouragement and the moments we’ve shared around the world. You inspired me to always dream big and improve everyday — and for the young players up next, I challenge you to do the same! As I move to spend more time with my family as a father and husband, I look forward to new adventures and challenges, taking with me the lessons I’ve learned on the court that will guide me across my next chapters, both in business and in life. I can’t wait for what’s next!”
In a sport as volatile and fast-moving as the NBA, one small play can make or break a career. Hayward is a solid, if often forgotten, example of that. Here’s to cheering on one-time All-Star and Butler legend, Gordon Hayward.
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