When it comes to Pat Riley and Miami Heat trade rumors, we know that sometimes the past foretells the future. We’ve seen it with Kyle Lowry, a player the Heat long had an eye on, who finally signed on in free agency two years ago. Same with Kevin Love, another player the Heat had some interest in. Could that tendency replay itself in another player the Heat nearly had—Gordon Hayward of the Hornets?

It’s pure speculation because we don’t know yet whether Charlotte will accept the reality of their 7-18 situation and decide to begin selling off veteran pieces, or if they’ll continue pretending that the playoffs are just around the corner. In recent years, it has been the latter.

But we know that, once upon a time, Riley was fixated on bringing Hayward to Miami, and nearly had him in free agency. Considering the makeup of the Heat roster now, revisiting that possibility could be worthwhile.

“Gordon Hayward is a different player now, obviously, but one thing about Pat Riley, he does fixate, he has guys who once he likes them, he kind of keeps trying to bring them in, even later in their careers,” one Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “You see it with Goran Dragic and now (Josh) Richardson, guys like that. And Hayward does a lot that would fit for them.”

gordon hayward’s assist rate is the highest it’s been since 2015. the secondary playmaking has popped big time this year, the vet handle and pace is hugely valuable pic.twitter.com/J2MZUYzUWr

— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) December 16, 2023

Miami Heat Trade Rumors: Worth Dealing Kyle Lowry?
Hayward is a versatile, 6-foot-7 forward who can handle the ball, attack the basket and shoot. He is averaging 15.2 points with 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists (second most of his career), shooting 46.6% from the field and 36.2% from the 3-point line. That is all interesting fodder for a Miami Heat trade rumor.

But he is also 33 and has struggled to stay healthy since he broke his ankle in his first game with the Boston Celtics back in 2017. Hayward has played in 290 games since 2017, out of 574, meaning he has missed nearly half his games in that span.

If healthy, he is a big secondary ballhandler for the Miami Heat. He is also in the final year of a four-year, $120 million contract that pays him $31.5 million this year. Getting him could be done neatly, in a swap for Kyle Lowry—who has played very well—and perhaps a well-protected draft asset.

“There is no question that the guy can help a team,” the executive said. “The skill level he has at his size is special and when you talk about teams that want to play positionless basketball, which is everyone, pretty much, these days, he is the guy you want for that.”

Pat Riley Nearly Had Gordon Hayward Signed
Of course, the moment Pat Riley nearly had Hayward was back in 2017, when Hayward was a free agent and tabbed by nearly everyone to leave Utah and land with the Celtics, where he could play for his former college coach at Butler, Brad Stevens.

But in the Heat’s presentation, Riley was persuasive.

“After the video, (Pat Riley) kind of talked a little bit,” Hayward later told Adrian Wojnarowski (via the Sun Sentinel) on his podcast. “And that was the moment where you kind of do get some chills. And everyone’s wearing their ring, too, everybody on the staff was. And so that’s the moment where you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s really cool,’ an I-want-to-put-on-the-jersey-right-now type feeling.”

Hayward did ultimately sign with the Celtics, hurt his ankle and ruin (OK, that is a bit strong) his career. But maybe the Heat will give him a mulligan and bring him to South Beach after all.