The veteran forward Gordon Hayward was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder from the Charlotte Hornets in their first trade deadline move. In exchange, Oklahoma City is sending Charlotte Vasilije Micic, Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, and two future second-round picks. As with all transactions in the NBA, there are pros and cons for each team.

Let’s dive right into the pros for the Thunder.

Pros of trading for Gordon Hayward
It is so exciting to see the Thunder make a move for a veteran talent. After a couple years of tanking and trading for draft capital, it feels like OKC is turning the corner towards championship contention. This young squad has outperformed their preseason expectations and is gearing up for a real playoff run.

The Thunder have been racking up wins in the regular season but haven’t had much opportunity in the playoffs yet. Outside of Gordon Hayward, the entire OKC roster combined has played only 30 playoff games.

Gordon Hayward, by himself, has been in 29 playoff games. While it’s difficult to quantify the value of experience, I think that adding someone who has been to a conference final can only be good for this team.

The Thunder’s forward rotation has been pretty spotty this season. Daigneault has relied on guards to play up from their natural position, which has been fairly effective. They might run into problems, though, if they match up in the playoffs against a team with more size. I’m thinking about the Lakers or the Pelicans as potentially troublesome opponents.

Bringing in Gordon Hayward doesn’t solve this issue, but it is a step in the right direction. His fit within the Thunder system is very nice. He can drive the ball, make quick decisions, and hit corner threes. If the ball ended up in his hand with five seconds on the shot clock, I feel confident in Hayward’s ability to get a good shot.

Vasilije Micic was carving out a nice role as a facilitator off the bench. His inclusion in the deal has me thinking that Giddey might take those bench minutes. This means Giddey could play a role more natural for him as a primary ballhandler. Hayward could slot into the 3&D role with the starters that Giddey was being clunkily thrust into.

From a front office perspective, this deal is low-risk and high-reward. Hayward’s contract expires at the end of this season. There’s no long-term cap entanglement with this trade. In fact, the Thunder’s cap flexibility has increased by moving Micic, who has a 3-year contract with a team option from last season.

The players that OKC traded away were not likely to contribute much in the postseason. Hayward, on the other hand, could end up being a key component of a deep run.

Remember Oklahoma City signing Derek Fisher after his buyout back in 2012? A veteran bench piece who played an important, albeit small, role for a young contender. I think that Hayward, if he stays healthy, has a chance to be a much better version of what Fisher was for the Thunder’s first title run.

Cons of trading for Gordon Hayward
Which brings us to our cons. Of course, health is the most important. Optimistic fans have been using the phrase “if he stays healthy” about Gordon Hayward for at least five years. And more often than not, Hayward has been unable to deliver when it comes to staying on the floor.