Gordon Hayward reflects on his Thunder stint, predicts another big season for team

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s offseason saw plenty of activity, from free agency and a blockbuster trade to former players heading overseas and even Gordon Hayward’s retirement. The one-time NBA All-Star was acquired at the trade deadline of the 2023 season, in what initially looked like a sweet front-office maneuver.

After a productive stint with the Charlotte Hornets, fans were excited to see Hayward's experience and leadership influence Bricktown. However, the forward’s play style proved to not mesh with the Thunder and he failed to see much time off the bench in the Thunder’s postseason run. With no contract offers being pushed to the table this summer, the 34-year-old decided to hang up the sneakers and pursue his passions outside of basketball.

On his Thunder stint

While Hayward’s time with Oklahoma City was largely forgettable, it wasn’t a completely new experience in some ways. Ever since leaving the Utah Jazz years earlier, when he was still at the top of his game, Gordon has faced a lot of injuries, including a gruesome ankle injury in 2017, that changed the entire outlook of his career. The forward couldn’t recapture his elite status and instead fell into the shadows as a member of the Boston Celtics.

When he returned to action in 2018, Hayward, with the odds already stacked against him, was thrust into a tough situation with the Celtics, who were battling a major chemistry experiment with superstar point guard Kyrie Irving. The former Jazz star could only watch as the team culture crumbled.

Fast forward years later, Gordon joined OKC, a team that is widely regarded for its second-to-none team camaraderie and kinship off the court. While Hayward never found his role with the Thunder, he could certainly appreciate the environment he was in.

“The biggest difference is that they have a clear-cut No. 1 guy in Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander], whereas, in Boston, I don’t think that was established initially,” Hayward said on the difference between playing for OKC and Boston. “In Oklahoma City, Shai plays one position, Jalen Williams plays another, Chet plays another. It’s way easier to develop like that where you are not competing with each other. Certainly [there] are similarities between the two, the talent level.”

The Celtics, like the Thunder, were constantly in the media with the former star forward on the roster — but for entirely different reasons. The Green and White had well-documented team issues, starting with leadership and, like Hayward described, a foggy pecking order among the players.

The retired wing applauded the Thunder’s stars and credited them for establishing individual roles, allowing everyone to earn a piece of the pie and bring something unique to the table.

Hayward likes OKC’s chances

Even though Gordon offered rather deprecating remarks when reflecting on his time with the Thunder in his end-of-season interview last spring, there don't seem to be any hard feelings. Oklahoma City had a standout offseason, in which it acquired Alex Caruso via trade with the Chicago Bulls and Isaiah Hartenstein via free agency. Coupled with the continued development of virtually every player on the roster, many of whom have a star-caliber ceiling, OKC’s depth pushes them over the top — and their star trio can keep them there for many years.

“OKC should make another good run this year,” Hayward said. “ I think they picked up some good pieces. Part of it is just staying healthy; you gotta be healthy. [The Thunder] were there right there [last season]. There was multiple shots that could have gone down, and OKC would’ve played Minnesota in the Western Conference Finals.”

Related: Aaron Wiggins gave people a glimpse into the culture behind OKC’s success