Are the Charlotte Hornets a sleeper to steal away Gordon Hayward?

ESPN’s Zach Lowe thinks the Charlotte Hornets may appeal to Gordon Hayward in free agency.

Could the Charlotte Hornets be a trade destination for Gordon Hayward? According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe on “The Jump,” it’s a distinct possibility.

The NBA guru of the Bristol, Connecticut sports news outlet shared that in addition to the oft-linked Indiana Pacers as a potential trade destination Hayward could be dealt to, that the Hornets ought to not be discounted as a free agency option for the Butler product should he decide to test the market.

He also expressed some doubt regarding the interest between the veteran forward and the Atlanta Hawks.

This runs counter to much of the intel we’ve heard from connected national and beat writers, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad take; Hayward did sign an offer sheet with the team in 2014 that the Jazz ultimately matched, and only he (and presumably his agent) know what matters to him for certain.

And while conventional wisdom suggests a Kemba Walker-less Hornets would hold far less appeal than competing for titles with his former college coach, it’s always possible Lowe knows something we don’t.

(H/t Forbes Sports’ Chris Grenham for the find.)

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