14-year NBA veteran Gordon Hayward is retiring from the NBA, according to Shams Charania.
Hayward played 51 games last season as a Charlotte Hornet and member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, averaging 9.8 points in just a shade over 24 minutes per game. He played for the Hornets from 2020-2023, arriving in Charlotte via sign-and-trade on Nov. 29, 2020, signing a four-year, $120 million contract.
The ninth overall selection in the 2010 draft out of Butler University by the Utah Jazz, Hayward was the 2010 Horizon League Player of the Year. He established himself as an up and comer in the NBA, averaging 16.2 points per game in his fourth season. The next year, he improved to 19.3 points per game on 45 percent shooting. After averaging 19.7 points per game in 80 games in 2015-2016, he was named to his lone All-Star appearance in 2016-2017, averaging 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists on 47 percent shooting. He had established himself as one of the top wings in the game, a solid mid-range shooter with athleticism.
Hayward signed for four years and $128 million with the Boston Celtics on July 14, 2017. One month later, the Celtics acquired Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Danny Ainge forming a duo that was to take the Celtics to greater levels.
However, just five minutes into his first game as a Celtic, Hayward fractured his tibia and dislocated his ankle on a dunk attempt. The two surgeries for Hayward kept him out of action until Oct. 16, 2018.
The injury in effect was the start of the decline of Hayward’s career, despite averaging 17.5 points per game in 2019-2020 and 19.6 points per game in his first year with the Hornets.
Hayward did average 14.5 points per game in 25 appearances with the Hornets this past season of 2023-2024, but once dealt to Oklahoma City played just 17 minutes per game.
While he was never the same player post-injury, he was able to make himself serviceable late in his career.
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