If there is an issue that has hindered the growth of the Charlotte Hornets in the last two seasons, it is the discontinuity of Gordon Hayward. The small forward has been unable to stay healthy since arriving in North Carolina, and the team is another without him. This has been even more bloody in the last two play-in disputes, in which the Hornets were thrashed without the presence of one or their leaders. A usual suspect in the casualty, Hayward has already missed all three games the team has played this preseason. Though, as reported Chris Haynes is expected to make his debut today following a left knee contusion.
Last season it was a problem with his ankle ligaments that kept him away from the courts. Although he already suffered back pain in December and January. In total, the player played 49 games, missing 22 consecutively and falling on the day of his return against Philadelphia, leaving him out for the rest of the season. The previous year, his first with the Hornets, he played only 44, which leaves him in 93 games played out of a possible 154. This physical deterioration also affects his numbers and impact on the game, suffering from a visible decrease in his production and a lesser decay in his effectiveness. Last year Hayward averaged 15.9 points and 3.6 assists in 31 minutes per night.
(Portrait photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images)
