When the Charlotte Hornets signed Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $120 million dollar deal, they were widely criticized for handing out such a lucrative contract to a guy who has struggled with various injuries in recent years and seemingly had his best years of basketball behind him. However, Hornets GM Mitch Kupchak was seemingly unaware of those critiques.
“I didn’t get the feeling that there was this uproar about overpaying somebody,” Kupchak said. “Maybe there was, but it didn’t really bother me.”
Kupchak also expressed that he was surprised by Hayward’s decision to opt out of his player option worth $34.2 million dollars with the Boston Celtics.
“I didn’t think that he would opt out and all of a sudden become available and not only that, but want to come to Charlotte,” Kupchak said.
Kupchak went on to talk about how players love the city of Charlotte once they get to experience living there.
Hayward has struggled with injuries this season but has looked good when out there, averaging 19.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 44 games.
More East Notes
- Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine spoke about how he spent his quarantine away from the team and how he wants to help the Bulls reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017 despite them being four games back of a spot in the play-in tournament. The article by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times was well worth the read.
-
The Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets have all looked into signing Joe Johnson, according to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports. Johnson last appeared in an NBA game for the Houston Rockets in 2018.
-
The New York Knicks have agreed to a deal with Luca Vildoza, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Argentine guard with Baskonia of the Spanish ACB League was the MVP of last year’s Spanish league championship.
-
ICYMI: Nate Bjorkgren’s future with the Indiana Pacers is uncertain. Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis are among those who aren’t on the same page as their head coach. More on that here.
