Why Gordon Hayward Trade Was The Perfect Deal For The OKC Thunder

What the Oklahoma City Thunder would actually do at the 2024 NBA trade deadline remains unknown as of Thursday. Despite having the second-youngest roster in the NBA, this club finished in the top three overall. To put it plainly, Oklahoma City was a serious competitor even without having to make any moves at all. It had the resources and motivations to be a buyer.

On deadline day, though, the Thunder made one of the largest impressions of any club. Oklahoma City began working earlier in the morning rather than waiting until the very last moments before the 2:00 p.m. CT deadline. Thunder general manager Sam Presti made the transaction that sent veteran wing Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City with more than four hours to spare.

The Thunder transferred a deal containing Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Davis Bertans, and two second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange. Even though Micic, a 30-year-old rookie, was starting to show promise and earn spot minutes, the truth is that he was on a very tradeable contract and might not have made the OKC postseason roster. Bertans was also not a member of the Thunder’s nightly rotation and was a much-needed salary filler. Tre Mann, a 23-year-old former first-round choice with exceptional talent, was the deal’s key component. With less competition for backcourt minutes in Charlotte, he will have an opportunity to flourish.

Given that this was the package that Oklahoma City sent, it was essentially a trade-in of three players who haven’t been in the starting lineup and have played a combined 571 minutes this season for Hayward, a seasoned player who, if healthy, will rank among the Thunder’s top five players.

Once more, Hayward’s ability to avoid injuries is crucial for Oklahoma City. The 6-foot-7 forward has averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game this season in just 25 games played. He has also shot 36.1% from beyond the arc. Hayward is still one of the NBA’s most influential players when healthy. Not only does he have a great opportunity to secure a starting position on this club, but become more intimate. In particular, this applies to the postseason.

In the four seasons prior to the 2023-24 campaign, Hayward averaged just 49 games played. Thats truly the one concern with a player like him, but it’s well worth the risk for Oklahoma City.

In fact, there’s very little downside at all in this deal. In a worst case scenario, Hayward plays very little with the Thunder due to injury or simply not fitting well. Even then, he’s making north of $30 million this season on an expiring contract that would give Oklahoma City significant cap space this summer in free agency. Conversely, he could be the piece that really elevates the ceiling of this team as an established veteran player and earns a new contract with the Thunder, who now have his Bird Rights and a clear pathway to bringing him back for up to two more seasons.

A three-level scorer, Hayward can create for himself when operating with reserves, but also plays well off-ball as a secondary scoring threat when playing with some of Oklahoma City’s other creators. He will also instantly become one of the Thunder’s best passers, notching better than a 21% assist rate this season as a forward.

The only other move Oklahoma City made at the deadline was one involving draft capital. Given the Thunder already

had three selections in the 2024 NBA Draft entering deadline day, Presti got creative in finding a way to defer that

front-loaded trio of assets to further down the road. To help facilitate a deal

between the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards centered around

Daniel Gafford, the Thunder sent the worst of its three remaining 2024 picks

for the rights to swap selections with the Mavs in 2028. Given that pick Oklahoma

City sent out at the deadline is projected to be in the late twenties, this not only

kicks the can down the road in terms of having to use draft capital, but also

provides an opportunity for that later pick to be much better.

Even if it wasn’t the league’s most thrilling trade deadline overall, the

Thunder quietly pulled together one of their best days. In addition to adding a much-needed veteran at a very cheap

cost, OKC may have increased the Thunder’s draft capital.