What happened to Gordon Hayward? Latest injury update for Hornets forward as he exits game vs Clippers (Dec. 26)

Gordon Hayward is having a solid season for the Charlotte Hornets and has stayed relatively healthy in the first two months. However, the 33-year-old forward exited Tuesday's game against the LA Clippers. So, what happened to Gordon Hayward?

With around four minutes remaining in the third quarter, Hayward was subbed out after fouling Amir Coffey. He was having a good game with eight points, two rebounds, five assists and a steal in 25 minutes of action.

According to the Hornets' PR account on X, Hayward was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a strained left calf. He recently missed a couple of games last week because of an illness, so the calf injury is something new.

Gordon Hayward is the latest Charlotte Hornets player to suffer an injury. The Hornets have been plagued by the injury bug this season, with LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams and Brandon Miller out due to various injuries.

Ball has not played since Nov. 26 after suffering a sprained right ankle and has been ruled out for an extended period. He has been dealing with ankle injuries for the last couple of seasons, which could derail his accent to superstardom.

Williams has been out since Dec. 8 with a back injury, with the Hornets listing him as doubtful over the last week. He was having a great second season when the injury happened.

As for Miller, he sprained his right ankle on Dec. 23 against the Denver Nuggets. There's no update about his condition, but he was listed as questionable.

---

---

Gordon Hayward being monitored by playoff-caliber teams

Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets

Gordon Hayward is averaging 14.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game this season for the Charlotte Hornets. Hayward is a solid veteran who has an expiring contract this season.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, several playoff-caliber teams are monitoring Hayward's situation in Charlotte. Hayward is a likely trade candidate, but his $31.5 million salary with a 15 percent kicker could turn off some interested teams.

However, Scotto noted that Hayward could be a buyout candidate in February, especially if the Hornets want to save some money.

He's a Swiss army knife on offense who can do almost anything. He can score, shoot, handle and make plays, which is important for contending teams.

---