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Tim Bontemps, ESPN
The Oklahoma City Thunder fortified their roster for a playoff push by acquiring Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for guard Tre Mann and forward Davis Bertans, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Hayward is averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season for the Hornets, though he hasn’t played since Dec. 26 because of a calf issue. Injuries have been a constant issue for Hayward for years, as he’s played 52 games or fewer in each of the past five seasons, including 25 games so far this season.
The 6-foot-7 Hayward does, however, provide the kind of versatile size on the wing that the Thunder have prioritized, and gives a young Oklahoma City team pushing toward its first playoff appearance together — and doing so as a top seed in the Western Conference — an additional shooter and passer on the perimeter.
Hayward, who turns 34 next month, is making $31.5 million this season, the last year of his deal, and is set to hit free agency this summer.
Mann, the 18th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has only played in 13 games this season after playing in over 60 each of the past two seasons. The 23-year-old should get a chance at some more minutes on a Charlotte team entering a full rebuild under new owners Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin.
The Hornets already have traded away Terry Rozier and now Hayward in recent weeks, and could still make more moves before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Bertans, 31, played in 15 games this season for Oklahoma City after being acquired as part of a deal that saw the Thunder jump from 12th to 10th in the 2023 draft to select guard Cason Wallace.
The move also created a trade exception as part of the deal to potentially facilitate more moves both Thursday and this offseason.