SUMMARY
- Gordon Hayward was acquired by OKC mid-season from the Hornets.
- Hayward revealed he wasn't too happy about his time in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the youngest teams in the league at the moment. However, the teamwork and dedication that they’ve shown make it feel like they’ve experienced the league at its pinnacle. While it doesn’t seem like OKC’s players had any problems, Gordon Hayward dropped a few shocking comments on his brief stint with the semifinalists.
Gordon Hayward admits he was frustrated with his role in OKC
“Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out. Certainly frustrating…I feel as a player, I have a lot to offer. Just wasn’t really given much of an opportunity to do that. I thought I would be given that… pic.twitter.com/DWOAYGXMSe
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 19, 2024
While speaking with reporters during the season’s closing press conference, Hayward claimed that his time in Oklahoma was quite disappointing. He said, “Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out. It’s not what I thought it would be. Certainly frustrating. I feel like, as a player, I have a lot to offer. Just wasn’t really given much of an opportunity to do that. I thought I was going to get that opportunity.” The 34-year-old has had bigger roles with his previous teams and is also a former NBA All-Star.
Gordon Hayward’s return to OKC is unlikely to happen
Gordon Hayward was traded at the deadline which took place in February. The Charlotte Hornets traded him for Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic, Tre Mann, two second-round picks via Houston and Philadelphia, and cash considerations. Hayward added that he didn’t necessarily think his role would be minimized. He was considerably upset over the minutes that he received with OKC.
The veteran is currently on an expiring deal. In 2020, he signed a four-year contract worth $120 million to play for the Hornets. Based on his recent comments, it doesn’t seem like Hayward is too interested in returning to OKC. The Thunder may also let go of him to upgrade their bench.
The 34-year-old veteran recorded his worst stint ever
The shift to Oklahoma was looked at as an opportunity to flourish and potentially win a championship. Unfortunately, Gordon Hayward ended up experiencing his worst season ever. While he came off the bench for OKC, he never played with any team’s starting unit since 2019. Even during his 25-game stint with the Hornets, he was a consistent starter averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists along with 1.1 steals. He averaged 31.9 minutes per game as well.
However, the Thunder did not feature him in their starting lineup. Out of 29 appearances with the team, he started alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren thrice. He also averaged a career low in points putting only 5.3 per game, his worst since his rookie season.