Charlotte Hornets fans undoubtedly felt unsettled when it was revealed new signee Gordon Hayward suffered a broken finger earlier in this preseason.
After all, Hayward has dealt with a myriad of injuries in recent years and had yet to even make his Hornets debut. Might he already be sidelined for the first part of the year? Apparently not.
UPDATE: @hornets forward Gordon Hayward says he will be available to play for the team's opener at CLE on 12/23
— Charlotte Hornets PR (@HornetsPR) December 22, 2020
Although this is good news in terms of immediacy, it might also be a bit of a concern if Hayward is exposing the finger to further injury.
The Hornets can ill afford the former All-Star wing to miss a ton of time.
Charlotte signed Hayward to a four-year, $120 million deal this offseason amid a slew of criticism. Though Hayward offers plenty of value as a wing who can shoot and make plays both for himself and others, the injury concerns loom large.
Hayward missed the 2017-18 season after suffering a broken ankle in the first game of the year. He was mostly healthy the following year, but suffered a broken hand last December and an ankle sprain during the NBA playoffs, amid other setbacks.
The Hornets are still a young team from a holistic perspective. Charlotte will hope LaMelo Ball shows ample promise in his rookie campaign while banking on continued growth from the likes of P.J. Washington, Devonte' Graham and Miles Bridges, among others.
But the Hornets' success–or lack thereof–will ultimately be determined by Hayward's performance. That means his health is of vital importance.
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