Gordon Hayward's Thunder debut gets powerful take from Mark Daigneault

A quiet return for Hayward, but it's more than the Thunder head coach can ask for due to his circumstances.

After a long period of absence, Gordon Hayward is now back on the court. Instead of suiting up in Charlotte's teal blue jerseys, the former All-Star donned a different shade of blue. Hayward was acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder during the trade deadline despite his injury. Now, Hayward will be helping the young Thunder go deep in the playoffs.

Gordon Hayward had a pretty quiet debut for the Thunder, playing just 14 minutes in their 129-107 win. He recorded just four rebounds and missed both of his field-goal attempts. Still, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault still was grateful for Hayward being able to make it back to the court in the first place, per Michael Martin.

“Anytime a guy hasn't played in seven weeks and he's transitioning to a new team, new city… he's probably FaceTime-ing with his kids now. It's a hard adjustment. I'm just happy for him, you know, I'm happy that he's part of the team, he's one of the guys. He seems to be happy here, the team is happy he's here. I'm happy when a guy goes through an injury and gets himself back on the court. Those are dark days, for any player in any circumstances.”

Hayward has been battling injuries for a good chunk of his career. His time with the Hornets was marred by multiple injuries that never quite kept him out for the entire season, but made him lose time for most of the year. The Thunder are hoping that they do not have the same fate as the Hornets.

The Thunder traded for Hayward for one reason: to make a deep run in the playoffs. Their surprising run to the top of the Western Conference is fascinating, but now it's time to cash in. In order to get to the next level, they need that veteran leadership and experience. Hayward can provide that for the Thunder. While he's not quite at the peak of his powers due to his injuries, he's still a steady hand who can provide valuable minutes off the bench.

If Hayward bounces back into something similar to his form on the Thunder, they'll be incredibly dangerous. OKC is hoping that's what they get from the former All-Star this season.