After missing 22 games with a sprained ankle for the Charlotte Hornets, Gordon Hayward's status has been updated from out, to probable for their game in Philadelphia to take on the 76ers. He's been back to practice over the past couple of weeks and has ramped it up in practice over the past few days. He's definitely coming back in time because of the pinch that Charlotte is in. They are in a three-way tie with the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets for the eighth seed, so every game is huge.

Woj also dropped the update:

Hayward hasn't played since February 7th. The Hornets have three of their last five games on the road. Getting Hayward on the floor will be crucial to incorporating an experienced player into the lineup. The Hornets struggled at first to replace his production but managed to put up a 12-10 record, including winning 10 of their last 14 games. The team has found a stride and his versatility will benefit this team greatly. James Borrego knows Hayward's importance to his young team and is ready to get him back in the rotation soon.

“He's gone through some live play and he's such a cerebral player he knows how to play. He fits with any unit, any lineup. He's going to boost our playmaking and confidence on the floor.”

With his return, Borrego can play a different variation of small ball lineups with Montrezl Harrell or PJ Washington soaking up some more minutes at the five spot or a bigger lineup with him and Miles Bridges at the wing positions on the floor. Of course, guys like Cody Martin, Jalen McDaniels, or Kelly Oubre could found themselves relegated to the bench more throughout the game, but Hayward give this team a better shot to win.

Don't forget, when Hayward was healthy, the Hornets were in the top six spots in the conference. It might not show up on the stat sheet, but he is still an effective player. His presence might be enough for this team to escape the play-in tournament, though. In 2021, they were in a similar spot. The biggest difference now, is that they are actually healthy and have more veterans to help weather whatever storm may come their way. Their playoff hopes have certainly increased with their leader back.