Gordon Hayward was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder this Thursday in a deal with the Charlotte Hornets. Since then, OKC fans have been eager to see the former All-Star suit up in the Thunder’s threads for the upcoming games this season. However, in the recent practice conducted by the Thunder in their training facility, the 33-year-old was nowhere to be seen.
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As per the latest injury report submitted by the Thunder, Hayward has been ruled ‘out’ for OKC’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings. He will not be playing at Paycom Center tonight due to a left calf strain. This is bad news for Thunder fans, especially after their blowout loss against the Dallas Mavericks.
As for the current situation, we can only expect the 14-year veteran to feature for OKC after the All-Star break. However, as reported by Nick Crain on X, head coach Mark Daigneault hinted at Hayward’s availability, saying, “He’s on the doorstep. He could probably play today. We’re just going through our protocols.”
Mark Daigneault on Gordon Hayward: “He’s on the doorstep. He could probably play today. We’re just going through our protocols.”
— Nick Crain (@CrainNBA) February 10, 2024
The OKC general manager and head coach knew before making the trade of Hayward’s unavailability before the All-Star break. Mark Daigneault wants to put Hayward through the team’s return-to-play protocol, helping him integrate better with the team. The best bet for the former Hornets forward’s earliest debut could be on February 22 against the Los Angeles Clippers at home. However, the battle between the 4th and the 5th seed in the West would certainly have been a lot more interesting if Hayward were available.
How will Gordon Hayward impact the OKC this season?
Gordon Hayward is now the oldest player on the Thunder squad and has the most experience among other players in the post-season. Hayward has played in the most playoff games (29), which head coach Daigneault highlighted as a positive sign for leading the Thunder forward.
Hayward’s arrival at OKC has also generated great excitement among his teammates. Speaking of the new veteran OKC star, Jalen Williams told Sports Illustrated, “[Gordon Hayward] can kinda do what a lot of us do, stretch the floor, guard multiple positions…he does a lot of things well offensively, defensively, we are looking forward to having him.”
The OKC is currently one of the top seeds in the Western Conference, standing 4th on the table with a 35-17 record in the league. As the Thunder are marching forward for an assured post-season campaign next, perhaps the experience of a veteran could provide great team depth and mentorship to the relatively young squad of the franchise.
