The Miami Heat are listed as the betting favorites to be Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward’s next team.
BetCarolina.com gives the Heat +450 odds to be Hayward’s next team, or an 18.2 percent chance. Followed by the Heat are the Golden State Warriors with +500 odds, Los Angeles Lakers with +700 odds and Dallas Mavericks with +700 odds.
These odds come in light of an Eastern Conference executive recently speaking on the idea of Hayward joining the Heat.
Hayward is in his 14th season in the NBA and fourth as a member of the Hornets organization. In 23 appearances so far during the 2023-24 regular season, he is averaging 15.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from behind the 3-point line.
The veteran has had trouble staying healthy since joining the Hornets, as he hasn’t logged more than 50 games in a season with the team. Hayward is on track to break that trend this season, however, considering he has suited up in 23 of the Hornets’ 26 games thus far.
While Hayward has been productive and mostly available for the Hornets since the season started, he arguably doesn’t fit their timeline given his age (33). The Hornets are seemingly far away from competing for a playoff spot, as the team owns a poor 7-19 record and has lost its last six games.
The last time the Hornets picked up a win was when they beat the Toronto Raptors at home on Dec. 8, which was nearly two weeks ago. In 35 minutes of playing time, Hayward ended up with a team-high 24 points to go along with four rebounds and four assists in the team’s three-point victory.
Hayward would potentially be a worthwhile acquisition for the Heat because he can do a little bit of everything on the offensive side of the court and is also a solid defender. He’s a name that Heat fans should keep an eye out for during the next few months as the Feb. 8 trade deadline approaches.