2 Players the OKC Thunder must cut from playoff rotation

Gordon Hayward

The Gordon Hayward trade has not worked out. It was not a bad trade because the players the Thunder gave up to get him were not playing any meaningful minutes, though the experiment phase has passed and it is time for him to take a seat on the bench for the remainder of the playoffs.

Since Hayward made his Thunder debut after the All-Star break, he simply has not been good. Perhaps the injury he suffered back in December when he was still with the Charlotte Hornets permanently disrupted his season, or maybe he is just old.

Whatever the reason for Hayward's below-average production, it is time for coach Daigneault to either shorten his rotation or go in another direction, because the Hayward minutes are not working.

In the regular season, teams can get away with a subpar player on the court for short stints. The playoffs are a different game, and those players quickly get exposed.

Instead of continuing to roll with Hayward, it would be intriguing to see Daigneault try to insert Kenrich Williams into the contest to mix things up. Kenny Hustle has not been seeing regular playing time and, in turn, he could be rusty, but he could not be worse than Hayward who is consistently posting zeroes across his stat line.