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Mussatto: Why OKC Thunder trading for Gordon Hayward makes sense at NBA trade deadline
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- Mussatto: Why OKC Thunder trading for Gordon Hayward makes sense at NBA trade deadline
By acquiring Gordon Hayward from the Hornets for Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic and a couple of second-round picks, the Thunder added a player who might help in a playoff series for two players who most certainly would not have, and a third in Micic who's probably not a playoff guy, either.
That's a win for the Thunder, which bolstered its depth as a top-four team in the West.
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At worst, adding Hayward is an insurance policy that might only be appreciated in case of emergency, when Mark Daigneault looks to his bench searching for someone proven, like Hayward, who can play. At best, Hayward could be a fixture in the Thunder's postseason rotation. A possible closer, even.
Mann, he of the lethal step-back jumper , had fallen out of the Thunder's rotation. The former first-rounder got passed by in OKC, but he's worthy of a second look in a talent-starved place like Charlotte. Bertans , meanwhile, plays hot potato with the basketball, chucking it to the rim as soon as the leather hits his hands. He can shoot, but not when he's wearing street clothes on the end of the bench.
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As for Micic, the former EuroLeague MVP? The buildup to his arrival was overhyped (as some tried to warn) , but he had shown flashes, mostly as a brilliant passer, in his 30 games with the Thunder. He shot just 24% from 3-point range, though, and I can't help but think he'd get mercilessly picked on defensively in the playoffs.
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Which brings us to Hayward , an oft-injured 33-year-old. An All-Star in Utah once upon a time. But even the diminished version of Hayward is solid when healthy.
In 25 games for the Hornets this season, Hayward averaged 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He shot 47% from the field, including 36% from 3-point range. Hayward is a career 37% 3-point shooter.
Hayward has played in more than 50 games just once since the 2019-20 season, but those games have come with a heavy workload of 30-plus minutes per night. He won't be playing 30 minutes for the Thunder every night. He might not play at all some nights.
But Daigneault, ever the egalitarian with his rotations, likes to have options.
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And Hayward's game embodies options. He's multi-positional and multi-skilled. A shooter, a passer, a capable rebounder. Hayward isn't the defensive player he was in his prime, but he's big and knows where to be.
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Hayward has been out with a calf injury and hasn't played since late December, and while I know nothing about the specifics of his injury, it's likely neither he nor the Hornets were in a rush for Hayward to get back on the floor. The Hornets are going nowhere. His move to Oklahoma City might make Hayward feel young(ish) again.
Depending on the matchup, depending on the injury report, depending on nothing more than vibes, Hayward might be the guy to play 18 minutes when you need him. If Josh Giddey isn't making shots and Cason Wallace isn't ready for the bright lights of the playoffs, Hayward could be a capable floor spacer alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams .
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Hayward, along with Kenrich Williams and Aaron Wiggins , gives the Thunder more depth on the wing.
And you know what's good to have in the playoffs? Wings. Big wings, especially.
You know what Hayward is? A big wing. 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds.
At 33 — and turning 34 in March — Hayward is now the oldest Thunder player on the roster. He's a 14-year veteran who was the ninth pick in the 2010 draft following his Cinderella college career at Butler.
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Gordon Hayward doesn’t have a ton of playoff experience, 29 games with the Jazz and the Celtics, but that’s 29 more games of playoff experience than most of his new Thunder teammates have.
Hayward doesn't have a ton of playoff experience, 29 games with the Jazz and the Celtics , but that's 29 more games of playoff experience than most of his teammates have.
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Hayward might not end up helping the Thunder in the playoffs. We don't know if he will or not. But Bertans and Mann? We know those weren't playoff guys. Micic? Probably not a playoff guy.
And that's why this is a win for the Thunder, which added a short-term insurance policy in Hayward while doing nothing to sacrifice its long-term options.
Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Why OKC Thunder trading for Charlotte's Gordon Hayward makes sense
