When the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets, it was generally regarded as a good move. Though the Thunder were mature beyond their years, they were lacking a veteran presence in the locker room. Furthermore, because of Hayward’s well-rounded skillset, he could fit in myriad lineups. Ultimately, while the Hayward trade wasn’t expected to deliver a championship to Oklahoma City, it was supposed to move the needle.
Instead, Hayward played in just 26 games (3 starts), averaging 5.3 points in 17.2 minutes per game. For reference, Hayward had only played fewer than 24 minutes or averaged 11 points per game once; his rookie season. With that said, Hayward played far below expectations. Ultimately, he just didn’t do enough to earn more trust from the organization. By the time the playoffs started, he was out of the rotation.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve during his exit interview, Hayward says his time with the Thunder was “obviously, disappointing with kind of how it all worked out” (per The Oklahoman’s Justin Martinez).
“It’s not what I thought it would be, and it’s certainly frustrating. I feel like as a player I have a lot to offer, and I just wasn’t given much of an opportunity to do that.
I think the minutes were certainly down and sporadic to a point where they were nonexistent. Just when I was out there, it was limited touches, I would say.”
On Tuesday, Thunder general manager Sam Presti also addressed those comments.
Sam Presti Reveals True Thoughts About Hayward Trade
“I missed on that,” Presti says of the Hayward trade. “Like, that’s on me.”
“I missed on that. That’s on me, but I’m learning.”
– Sam Presti discussing how while the Gordon Hayward trade was multidimensional (freed up roster spots & Cap), he feels that he misread it & talked about how it’s a learning experience.
Found the self-awareness cool. pic.twitter.com/rJe7f6ASAT
— Thunder Film Room (@ThunderFilmRoom) May 28, 2024
“But I’m learning,” he continues. “You know, I’m trying to learn this team. I’m trying to learn the pace of the team a little bit, and just trying to be a great observer of the team as it’s going through these paces knowing that it’s really going to change on its own; in and of itself.”
“…Every time someone changes or develops, or we stumble onto something, it changes the rest of the team and how they can perform. I think it’s pretty nuanced… but I don’t think I read that one perfect. And I’m learning that.”
To Presti’s point, the ball would have had to come out of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey’s hands a little more to fully accommodate Hayward’s skillset. Yet, Gilgeous-Alexander is a better scorer and Giddey is a better passer than Hayward. Furthermore, though he’s a career 37 percent 3-point shooter, most of his outside attempts are of the catch-and-shoot variety. As a result, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault —the 2024 Coach of the Year —figured that the best way for Hayward to excel in a team framework was by playing him largely off-ball.
The Last Word On Gordon Hayward
An unrestricted free agent this offseason, the skilled forward may have better luck with his next team. As of now, there haven’t been any rumors regarding his playing future, though a return to home state Indiana isn’t out of the question. In any case, he almost certainly won’t be back with the Thunder.
