The Golden State Warriors’ offseason has been quite eventful, notably losing Klay Thompson in a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks. In an effort to fill the void, they’ve signed Buddy Hield and others, with potential for more additions.
After finishing 10th in the Western Conference last season, the Warriors are looking to improve. Zach Buckley from Bleacher Report suggested three minimum contracts the team should pursue as potential late “free agency steals,” including former All-Star Gordon Hayward.
Buckley noted that, while youth and athleticism are valuable, they are hard to find on a budget. However, a veteran like Gordon Hayward might still be available. Despite his injury history and being past his prime, Hayward brings experience, awareness, and the dribble-pass-shoot skill set needed for success in the Warriors’ system. Over the past five seasons, Hayward has averaged 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, with solid shooting percentages.
Hayward’s NBA career has been impressive, though marred by injuries. Since the 2019–2020 season, he hasn’t played more than 52 games in a year. However, when healthy, he has been productive, including a season where he averaged 14.7 points and shot 47.5% from the field.
In his prime, Hayward was scoring over 19 points per game and even averaged 19.6 points in the 2020–21 season. His talent was recognized with a four-year, $120 million contract in 2020, though injuries affected its outcome. The Warriors would hope he could return to that level of play.
Hayward would likely come off the bench for the Warriors, providing valuable playmaking for the second unit. His name came up as a trade target in December 2023, with Sam Vecenie of The Athletic highlighting the Warriors as a good fit for his skills. Vecenie noted that while Hayward’s shooting had declined and his defense was lacking, he remained a useful secondary playmaker.
With a bench that could include Hield, De’Anthony Melton, and other shooters, Hayward could add valuable minutes. On a veteran minimum contract, the risk for the Warriors would be low, and the potential reward could be significant.
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