The New York Knicks made a final push to sign Gordon Hayward by offering the small forward a four-year deal instead of a two-year contract.
However, Hayward wound up signing with the Charlotte Hornets since Michael Jordan gave him a four-year deal worth $120 million, per Marc Stein of the New York Times.
The Knicks, for the record, were in the Hayward chase throughout. After the Knicks weighed their own trade for Westbrook, they pursued Hayward much harder, with Coach Tom Thibodeau serving as lead admirer. The Knicks eventually decided to increase their offer to four years from two to compete with sign-and-trade interest from Indiana and Charlotte, but the Hornets went to a financial level for Hayward that no rival was willing to match.
Knicks fans are probably happy Leon Rose and Tom Thibodeau didn't sign Gordon Hayward, who has been prone to injuries since the 2017-18 season. New York is better off saving its cap space for superstars in the future.
The 2012-13 season was the last time a Knicks team had a winning record and made the playoffs. The franchise has been a walking disaster since then, but fans in the Big Apple are hopeful that Rose and Thibodeau can save the club from owner James Dolan.
While the Knicks aren't expected to make the playoffs in 2020-21, the team should be more competitive with Thibodeau in the fold. The former Coach of the Year is a defensive wizard who hates losing.
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