3 Trades Thunder wish they made instead of acquiring Gordon Hayward

When the OKC Thunder opted to strike on a trade for veteran forward Gordon Hayward at this year's deadline, it was viewed as a "no-brainer" transaction -- one that many believed would bring this young and title-hungry team much-needed playoff experience and added versatility to their frontcourt rotation.

Fast forward three months later, however, and we find that the aforementioned experiment has done nothing but underwhelm and, in turn, has now led to more questions than answers when it comes to the "what could have beens" of the exchange.

From taking on an undefined role within coach Mark Daigneault's rotation to seeing underwhelming production when found on the hardwood, the former All-Star, who was putting up solid numbers while with the Hornets earlier in the year (14.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.6 assists), saw his productivity virtually vanish during his 26-game trial run in Loud City (5.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists).

Trade targets Thunder should have pursued over Gordon Hayward

The acquisition has proven to be so disappointing that even team President Sam Presti has gone on record to take full blame for the trade, stating "I missed on that" during his recent exit interview.

As we all are aware, hindsight is 20/20. That said, with every poor decision made of turnout had, it's hard not to look back and wonder what might have been different had a few things been altered.

In this particular case, the Thunder are likely gazing back on their trade deadline decisions and kicking themselves for not pursuing a few players, in particular, over Hayward.

Dorian Finney-Smith

The offensive creativity and overall finesse that a full-go Gordon Hayward possesses was almost certainly the main talking point when it came to his playstyle fitting in and complimenting this Thunder squad ahead of this year's trade deadline.

However, what we learned from the club's recent postseason run is that a lack of three-point shooting efficiency and frontcourt physicality played a large role in their semifinal knock-out against the Dallas Mavericks.

A player like Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith could have helped on both fronts.

Throughout his eight-year NBA career, the veteran has made a name for himself as being a tough-nosed brand of baller who can stick with a wide range of players defensively and can step up big on the offensive side of the ball.

This past season, Finney-Smith went on to post solid per-game averages of 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while shooting roughly 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Of course, the big topic of discussion regarding the 30-year-old at around the deadline was that the hapless Nets were rumored to be in the market for a couple of first-round picks in exchange for his services. When compared to what the Thunder coughed up for Hayward, it's clear that they went the safer, more cost-efficient route.

That said, the two-way intangibles and nitty-gritty style of play DFS sports could have proven to be extremely valuable during Oklahoma City's playoff run, while his deal (holds a player option in 2025-26) would have also guaranteed them more than just a half-season rental which is likely what the former All-Star will likely become.

In retrospect, shelling out two non-premium firsts for the Brooklyn veteran likely would have been a far more ideal choice to have made.

Kelly Olynyk

Another major flaw in Oklahoma City's rotation this past campaign was their lack of size down in the frontcourt.

Though Chet Holmgren sports a 7-foot-1 frame, he weighs in at 204 pounds soaking wet, and his lack of strength severely showed when going up against Dallas' assortment of big men in Dereck Lively Jr. and Daniel Gafford.

Despite their clear need for more bulk down low, coach Daigneault's scheme proved to work at its best when running a floor-spacer down at the five, and, though popular targets such as Andre Drummond would have brought in extra size, such additions would have clogged the lanes and, in turn, hindered the Thunder's offensive game plan.

Of course, acquiring a guy like Utah Jazz veteran Kelly Olynyk may have been a way to bring on another big body while not sacrificing the team's perimeter-oriented style of offensive play.

Coming into February's deadline, Olynyk was a name hotly mentioned on the rumor mill and the Thunder were believed to be a logical destination for his services considering his 6-foot-11, 240-pound frame and career 36.9 percent long-range shooting.

His production of 9.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.3 steals on 55.5 percent shooting from the floor and 38.7 percent shooting from distance could have been of great use within OKC's rotation down the stretch, and his versatility as a big likely would have come in handy during their playoff run.

Is he an all-out game changer who, on his own, would have lifted the Thunder from title hopeful to all-out favorite? No and probably not, respectively.

Still, it's very likely that Olynyk would have been a regular contributor and a valuable commodity within Daigneault's rotation.

Following his second-half stint, the same cannot be said about Hayward.

Deni Avdija

Ironically, when coming into the association back in 2020 there were some who viewed Deni Avdija as a Gordon Hayward-esque prospect considering his scoring repertoire and passing abilities.

Though it's hard to say whether he'll reach heights greater than what the 34-year-old has reached in his career, there's a strong argument to be made the 23-year-old would have clearly been the more ideal contributor within this team's rotation.

Wrapping up his fourth season in the association, Avidja went on to post career highs virtually all across the board in 2023-24, as he finished off with stellar averages of 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists while shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 37.4 percent from deep.

On top of his game, considering he measures in at an enviable 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, the former lottery pick could have proven to be an ideal starting power forward option for the ball club, which would then have slid Jalen Williams up to his more natural three position to, in theory, better round-out the Thunder's lineup.

Alas, despite the rumors of him being available, Avidja finished out his campaign with the Wizards ranked sixth in the voting for Most Improved Player while OKC paid out the second half of Hayward's $33.3 million salary just to have him lose his spot within the team's rotation altogether towards the end.