The Boston Celtics have signed-and-traded veteran forward Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets along with two second-round picks in exchange for a future second-rounder according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The move is the resolution of the drama sparked by the Butler product opting to decamp from the Celtics to the Hornets this offseason. It will net the Celtics a massive traded-player exception worth the value of the first year of Hayward’s four-year, $120 million dollar deal.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports the exception generated by the Hayward deal will be for $27.9 million, the biggest traded-player exception created in the history of the NBA.
Boston has signed and traded Gordon Hayward and two future second-round picks to Charlotte for a conditional future second-round pick. Celtics also receive a trade exception.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 29, 2020
For Boston, the news is about as positive of a resolution as could be hoped for given the circumstances, given the Hornets were able to sign Hayward outright once they’d waived forward Nic Batum.
The move will create critical cap space for the Celtics to absorb salary from one or more players up to the dollar amount of Hayward’s first year salary with Charlotte.
