Gordon Hayward staying in NBA Draft

[Future Walk-On]

$7.39 Million to date... And he's likely to make money playing basketball for a while. Lets say you make a great salary out of college, 60k and assuming a 5% raise a year (generous) it would take 40 years of working to make that at a final salary over $400K, and lets not even get into the time value of money... Anyone still think he made the wrong decision???

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...obryapa01.html

Who would think any of these kids have made the wrong decision financially?

[Dallas Brave]

$7.39 Million to date... And he's likely to make money playing basketball for a while. Lets say you make a great salary out of college, 60k and assuming a 5% raise a year (generous) it would take 40 years of working to make that at a final salary over $400K, and lets not even get into the time value of money... Anyone still think he made the wrong decision???

http://www.basketball-reference.com/...obryapa01.html

But POB's options were not to select between going to the NBA or taking an entry level sales trainne position at State Farm. His options were to go to the NBA at the end of his soph year, jr year, or sr year.

The fact that he has only made $7.39 million after 4 years supports my point. His contract with Golden State was $9.67 million for 4 years. His performance was so weak that GS opted out of the contract after two years and POB has been earning the 2 year veteran's minimum while sitting on the bench at Toronto for the last two years. His earning to date should be $9.7 million rather than $7.4 milion. So, he failed to realize almost $2.4 million in a contract that he had signed. At this point, he does not have a 2010-11 contract. If he does get one, it will be for the minimum.

Why did he fail at GS? Because he came out too early. He was certainly too weak physicially, and perhaps too immature, for the NBA game. Then, he had to deal with humiliation of being sent down the the Developmental League. What did that do for his psyche?

If he waits two years, he arrives at the NBA much stronger, mentally and physically, doesn't get released after his 2nd year in the NBA, earns all of the money in his 4 yr rookie contract, and then signs a multi-year contract for much more money. Rather than an NBA run that will perahps earn $8-9 million over his career, he had the potential, if he had waited, to earn $20+ million in my opinion.

[Braves4Life]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one DallasBrave. I just don't get your logic. Maybe it's because we have differing expectations of POB's abilities and potential. I just don't think he would have shown enough improvement had he stayed at BU to justify the contract that he DID get. I believe he would have been a late first round pick at best.

He now has both the strength and experience yet he still sits the bench and will be lucky to get the NBA minimum next year. I think the kid made the absolute right decision to go while he was hot. Staying would have been noble and all..... but there are too many examples of noble kids who destroyed their draft status by staying in school.... and this cost them millions.

And, just to stay on topic, I thank Hayward HAS the talent to be a good and lasting NBA player in the mold of an Anthony Parker.....maybe even a Reggie Miller.

[Da Coach]

Good luck to Gordon, either way it will be interesting to follow his career.

Hayward is unlike most of the players in the draft, a 6'9" finesse player with great shooting range. I was trying to think of other players like him in the NBA, and the closest I can think is Mike Dunleavy.
Dunleavy has had a very good career in the NBA, and one exceptional season in 2007-08 when he averaged 19.1 ppg and 5.2 rpg. Unfortunately, a knee injury caused him to miss most of the 2008-2009 season, and he hasn't been the same since then.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dunlemi02.html

[JMM28]

But POB's options were not to select between going to the NBA or taking an entry level sales trainne position at State Farm. His options were to go to the NBA at the end of his soph year, jr year, or sr year.
n.

POB very well could have been a successful pro (he probably still can be). His problem was he was drafted by Golden State, and then they went and hired a coach who doesn't use a center. If they had any sense, they would have dealt him right after the draft. That really set him back. Blame Don Nelson.

[tornado]

Even if POB fails to sign on with an NBA next year -- he'd be far from the first kid who went lottery then failed to play much in the NBA...
However, the opportunity he's had and the fun and, of course, the remuneration have likely made it all worthwhile, and I'll bet he'll tell you emphatically he is happy he made the right choice.
And who can doubt it??

BTW -- his skills will still give him a chance to work for some team somewhere for several years to come and maybe enjoy a different scenery....

[Braves4Life]

POB very well could have been a successful pro ...... Blame Don Nelson.

And Doc Rivers, and Sam Mitchell, and Jay Triano.......

Give me a break!

[houstontxbrave]

If O'Bryant would have stayed another year he would have been exposed. He hit lightening in a bottle in the Valley tourney and in the NCAA's. He did what he should have done and has become very rich for that decision. He still will collect paychecks somewhere playing basketball and if he wants probably for a long time. You cant teach height.

Hayward is doing the right thing. He can only lower his stock by sticking around for one more year. Lets face it, a skilled white player is very rare in the NBA and someone will take him early. No idea what type of player he will end up being, that all comes down to drive and work ethic... something it appears POB is sorely lacking.

[KillerB]

moreon hayward from associated press

Gordon Hayward is all in for the NBA draft.
Butler's 6-foot-9 sophomore forward confirmed to The Associated Press on Thursday that we will remain in the draft, giving up his final two years of college eligibility. He will discuss it during a news conference Friday.
"For me there really wasn't any doubt," Hayward said in a telephone interview. "I went into it and when I declared, this was what I decided I wanted to do. I hadn't hired an agent because I hadn't picked one yet and hadn't done the interview process. If I had a breakdown or something, I would have come out."
Most analysts projected Hayward to go somewhere between No. 10 and 20 when he declared last month, and Hayward says the projections haven't changed since then.
But Hayward isn't content to settle for 10 to 20. He has been working out at St.Vincent Sports Performance with other college prospects such as Northern Iowa's Adam Koch and Purdue's Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer.
Program director Ralph Reiff, who has helped other NBA players such as Greg Oden and Mike Conley prepare for the draft, insists Hayward is ready to make a difference in the NBA.
"If I were managing an NBA franchise I would start with Gordon Hayward," said Reiff, who worked at Butler under then-coach Barry Collier. "He is capable of making a team-building impact similar to Kevin Durant. Gordon has a school boy look, a humble 'I will help you first' demeanor yet a competitive gear that will rip the heart out of an opponent. I see it every day in workouts. The NBA franchise that nurtures this young man will get a monster player."
Hayward certainly hopes to fulfill that promise with his unique combination of skills.
Despite his height, he handles the ball like a point guard and is adept at getting to the basket. And though he led the Bulldogs in scoring, at 15.5 points per game last season, he also was their top rebounder (8.2) and one of Butler's best passers.
What many thought he needed to work on, though, was his outside shot. As a freshman, Hayward connected on 47.9 percent from the field and 44.8 percent from 3-point range. Last season, his 3-point percentage dropped to 29.4 percent, perhaps the result of a back injury.
"You can improve on everything," Hayward said. "You're going to be playing against the best players in the world. One thing for me is I need to get my shooting touch back. I think that's going to come back pretty quickly."
Hayward was the Horizon League's freshman of the year in 2009 and won the conference's player of the year award this season after leading the Bulldogs to the only perfect conference record in Division I. In the NCAA tournament, scouts really took notice.
He preserved a second-round victory over Murray State by deflecting the ball into the backcourt, then led the Bulldogs past top-seeded Syracuse, second-seeded Kansas State and defending runner-up Michigan State in the next three games. That put Butler in its first ever national championship, and Hayward twice had a chance to beat Duke. But he missed a short baseline jumper with about 5 seconds left and then missed a buzzer-beating halfcourt heave.
Hayward, who is from nearby Brownsburg, Ind., insisted he never thought about the NBA until the season ended.
Now, he can't think about anything else.
"It's two years that I'll definitely never forget, the best years of my life," Hayward said. "It's tough leaving them (teammates). But for me, it's an opportunity to fulfill a dream. It's really an opportunity to do what I want to do, and I haven't looked back."

[TheHeemyMonster]

adam morrison.....

[BradleyBrave]

Van Morrison...

[Future Walk-On]

adam morrison.....

.

[SFP]

Gordon Hayward will be a pretty good pro, book it! He has the what it takes and does not shy away from contact. He'll play a hybrid 3 on O and will need to bulk up to become a good NBA defender. How many people said Stephan Curry would not amount to much? This guy loves going to the rack and taking big shots and has a great handle for a 6'9" guy. Closer to Larry Bird then a dud by far!