The Golden State Warriors offseason has been a roller coaster, as the team lost Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks. They’ve done their best to try to replace him, signing Buddy Hield and others, but more could be on the way.
With a need to get better after finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report listed three minimum contracts the Warriors should pursue as late “free agency steals.” Buckley’s list included former All-Star Gordon Hayward.
“While there are arguments to be made for Golden State getting younger and more athletic, those traits are seldom found in the bargain bin. What might still linger in the clearance section, though, is an overlooked veteran like Gordon Hayward,” Buckley wrote on July 18. “Yes, he has a frightening injury history behind him, and no, he’s nowhere near the player he was at his peak.
“Still, the veteran swingman offers a plug-and-play blend of awareness, instincts and the dribble-pass-shoot skill set required to have success in this system. He hasn’t topped 55 games since 2018-19, but he has generally played solid ball within this stretch. His averages over the past five seasons include 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists, not to mention a tidy 47.5/38.5/82.3 shooting slash.”
Hayward Has Put Together an Impressive NBA Career
Landing Hayward would be a risk from the Golden State Warriors side, as the now 34-year-old has dealt with multiple injuries in his career. Since the 2019-2020 season, Hayward hasn’t played in more than 52 games in a year.
However, when he’s been on the court, outside of his past stint with the Oklahoma City Thunder, he’s been an impressive player. Hayward is just two years removed from a season where he averaged 14.7 points and shot 47.5% from the field.
In the earlier stages of his career, he was scoring 19-plus points a game and even did so again in the 2020-21 season when he averaged 19.6 per game.
Hayward was good enough to sign a four-year, $120 million deal in 2020. The contract didn’t go as planned due to his injuries, but it shows the type of player he was at one point in his career. The Warriors would have to hope that he could return to that form.
How Hayward Would Help the Warriors
Hayward, at this point in his career, would likely be someone who comes off the bench for the Golden State Warriors. However, the Warriors could use his playmaking in the second unit, as they were even urged to trade for him in December of 2023 before the trade deadline due to that.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic listed landing spots for the top trade targets during the 2023-24 season, which included Hayward. He named the Warriors as one of two “best fits.”
“For his part, Hayward has been a useful secondary playmaker on offense this season while rarely turning the ball over. His shooting has bizarrely fallen off across the map, though, and he hasn’t been anything to write home about on defense, either,” Vecenie wrote.
With a bench unit that could feature Hield, De’Anthony Melton, and others who can shoot the basketball at an above-average level, Hayward could add valuable minutes in that scenario.
For a veteran minimum, the Warriors wouldn’t have to worry too much about it not working out. If it does, that’d be an added bonus.
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