At the trade deadline, the Oklahoma City Thunder acquired veteran forward Gordon Hayward from the Charlotte Hornets in a move that can help the team build toward a playoff run. Of course, acquiring a player midseason isn't always the easiest when trying to get that player comfortable in the system.
For the Thunder, they're easing Hayward into his role and letting him explore the system while learning how and when to utilize his skillset.
On Wednesday, Hayward had his best game of his short Thunder tenure. He was the bench's leading scorer with ten points on perfect 3-of-3 shooting, adding two steals and two rebounds. More importantly, there was a level of comfortability and familiarity Hayward played within the matchup.
“[Hayward] looked a little more comfortable out there,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said after the game. “We’re still learning how to best optimize him in terms of how to use him and who to put him out there with. I thought tonight he looked like he was in a good groove and rhythm."
Prior to the matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers, Hayward had only eclipsed 18 minutes one other time, which saw him score five points in a big win over the Houston Rockets.
Evidently, allowing Hayward to get comfortable with 20 regular season games remaining could be huge for the team come playoff time. His ability to create shots for himself and others would ensure the offense can't go stale and becomes even more diverse and difficult to guard.
If Josh Giddey is being defended in a way that clogs driving lanes, subbing in Hayward's floor spacing and shot-creating could be a decision that determines a playoff win or loss for the Thunder.
For the 33-year-old to bring plenty of veteran experience to the Thunder is huge as he's much more likely to adapt to the system than a younger player who hasn't seen as many systems.
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