The Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets are putting the finishing touches on a trade that would send forward Gordon Hayward to Oklahoma City, ESPN reported Thursday.
Per the report, the Hornets will receive guard Tre Mann and forward Davis Bertans once the deal is complete.
Hayward is battling a left calf injury and has not played since Dec. 26. At the time, the team said he’d be out at least two weeks, but the Hornets haven’t provided an updated timeline.
Once Hayward, 33, is healthy enough to play, he could provide veteran leadership for a young team that enters action Thursday in a three-way tie for first place in the Western Conference.
Staying healthy has proved difficult for Hayward since he signed a four-year $120 million contract with the Boston Celtics as part of a sign-and trade agreement. He is earning $31.5 million and becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
He never played more than 50 games in a season with the Hornets.
Hayward is averaging 14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 25 games (all starts) this season. The ninth overall pick by the Utah Jazz in the 2010 NBA Draft, Hayward has career averages of 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 809 games (646 starts).
Mann, 23, was the No. 18 overall pick of the Thunder in the 2021 draft but has been used sparingly this season. He is averaging 3.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists, all below his career averages of 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 140 games (31 starts).
Bertans, 31, was in his first season in Oklahoma City after stints with the San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks. The 6-foot-10 forward appeared in 15 games this season, averaging 2.9 points and 0.7 rebounds. He has career averages of 7.6 points and 2.5 rebounds in 447 games (450 starts).
–Field Level Media