The Oklahoma City Thunder have the most amount of draft capital any NBA team has ever owned. Not only do they have the highest amount of capital, but they also have some quality youngsters on their roster, including Jalen Willaims, Josh Giddey, and more.
However, they need to add more experienced players to their roster. Could the Thunder use their draft capital to acquire Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets?
The Gordon Hayward Trade Proposal
- The Charlotte Hornets will receive forward Davis Bertans, guard/forward Victor Oladipo, the 2024 second-round draft pick (Houston Rockets via Oklahoma City Thunder), the 2025 second-round draft pick (Philadelphia 76ers via Oklahoma City Thunder), the 2026 second-round draft pick (Oklahoma City Thunder).
- The Oklahoma City Thunder will receive forward Gordon Hayward.
The Charlotte Hornets have some great players on their roster, whether it be LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, or Miles Bridges. However, the Hornets need to work on their roster by putting it in order.
Meanwhile, the Hornets are busy setting up their order, and Gordon Hayward wants some change. Could he request a trade to the Thunder?
Why Do the Charlotte Hornets Want to Trade Gordon Hayward?
Gordon Hayward’s contract with the Hornets expires soon, and his career has peaked. The Hornets want to utilize him to get the best possible return.
The Hornets are getting a fair value in exchange for the Thunder. They will receive 3 second-round draft picks alongside Davis Bertans and Victor Oladipo.
Bertans is an elite floor spacer and could play at No. 4. While Oladipo could also contribute well on the Hornets’ roster.
Could the Thunder Acquire Hayward from the Hornets?
Hayward is not the star player that the Thunder want to acquire, but he is a quality player and can contribute well to the team. Hayward is an excellent floor space, and they could also use him as their playmaker.
This block and dunk by Gordon Hayward on Lebron James
I loved Hayward's two-way ability pic.twitter.com/ebCTymhBBS
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) September 5, 2023
The Thunder are not giving up a lot of their valuable assets to acquire him, but they still need to think about this deal a lot since they are already running low on draft capital and might not want to exhaust their capital.