Gordon Hayward seemingly risked a whole lot of money earlier this week as he opted out of the final year of his contract with the Boston Celtics, which was worth $34 million. At the time, it seemed as though there was no chance Hayward would make anywhere close to that kind of money, especially considering his injury history. In the end, however, pundits and fans were dead wrong as Hayward just received a massive payday from the Charlotte Hornets.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Hayward's new Hornets deal is worth $120 million over the next four years. This deal makes him one of the best players on this Hornets roster that added LaMelo Ball during the NBA draft.
With this latest roster addition, the Hornets have a real shot at being a team that can contend for a playoff spot. It seemed as though Hayward was destined to sign with the Indiana Pacers, although the allure of playing for Michael Jordan was clearly too much of a positive. Not to mention, that $30 million per year salary most certainly helps.
While it remains to be seen how Hayward will fair in Charlotte, it's clear that MJ is ready to invest in this team, moving forward.