The Oklahoma City Thunder officially confirmed on Friday the acquisition of former All-Star forward Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets.
As part of the trade, Thunder is sending guards Tre Mann and Vasilije Micic alongside forward Davis Bertans to Charlotte. The Hornets are also receiving second-rounders in 2024 and 2025.
The Thunder, currently sitting second in the Western Conference with 0.5 games behind leading the Minnesota Timberwolves, get a player in Hayward who can do a bit of everything on the court. The 33-year-old is a reliable scorer while also being able to take on ball-playing duties when OKC’s stars rest.
The Hornets, on the other hand, are in full rebuild mode and used the opportunity to get some compensation for a veteran player that doesn’t fit their timeline. They have the rest of the season to assess Mann and Micic, while Bertans can be a significant trade chip for them down the line.
Hayward has been hampered by injuries in the 2023-24 season, appearing in only 25 games. He is averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists for the campaign.
“I’ve never been part of a trade deadline deal – the last few days have been quite an adventure,” Hayward wrote on social media after the trade was announced. “Charlotte has been an amazing home for our family & we are so grateful to the fans & Hornets for the past 4 years. While change is never easy, I’m excited to get to OKC and work!”
