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The Charlotte Hornets announced veteran Gordon Hayward was ruled out for the remainder of Monday’s game against the Toronto Raptors with a left ankle sprain.
A minor foot issue sidelined the 2016-17 All-Star for a pair of losses to the Atlanta Hawks and Raptors in January. He then entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, prolonging his absence from the court.
Hayward continues to be an effective scorer into his 12th NBA season. He’s averaging 16.4 points and shooting 46.1 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from beyond the arc through 47 appearances.
More importantly, the 31-year-old has avoided the kind of serious injuries that have dogged him over the last few years. After signing with the Boston Celtics in 2017-18, he missed a total of 139 games, although the bulk of that came as a result of the fractured ankle he suffered in his debut.
The Hornets made a big statement when they signed Hayward to a four-year, $120 million contract. Thanks in part to his arrival and the selection of LaMelo Ball, they qualified for the play-in tournament after going 33-39.
That set the team’s expectations for 2021-22 higher; simply making the play-in tournament again won’t qualify as a success.
To that end, Hayward is an important piece in helping Charlotte snap a five-year playoff drought.
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