Recent comments by Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti have sparked a reaction from Robyn Hayward, the wife of veteran forward Gordon Hayward.
The situation unfolded after Presti acknowledged that the mid-season trade involving Gordon Hayward did not pan out as expected, which has now led to public criticism.
Gordon Hayward joined the Thunder mid-season following a trade with the Charlotte Hornets.
The move was intended to add scoring and a veteran presence to the Thunder’s young roster.
However, Hayward struggled to find his place in OKC, ultimately being left out of the team’s rotation during the postseason.
The Thunder were eliminated by the Dallas Mavericks in the semifinals, leading to widespread disappointment about the trade.
During his exit interview on Tuesday, Presti openly admitted his misjudgment regarding the trade. He stated,
“I missed on that. That’s on me. But I’m learning. Trying to learn this team … Just trying to be a great observer of this team as it’s going through its paces … I don’t think I read that one perfect.”
Presti’s candid acknowledgment was an attempt to take responsibility for the trade’s failure.
Gordon Hayward echoed Presti’s sentiments, expressing his own disappointment with how the situation unfolded.
“Disappointing with how it all kind of worked out,” Hayward said. “Certainly frustrating. I feel as a player, I have a lot to offer. Just wasn’t really given much of an opportunity to do that. I thought I would be given that opportunity.”
However, it was Robyn Hayward’s comments that drew significant attention.
Responding to a Bleacher Report post quoting Presti’s exit interview, Robyn criticized Presti’s handling of the situation, questioning why the Thunder traded for Gordon if they did not intend to integrate him properly.
RELATED: Thunder Star Josh Giddey Spotted With Young Girl, Gets Immediately Heckled by Fan
She wrote,
“Why trade for someone and not play them? … missed it by not integrating him.”
Robyn further elaborated on Instagram, revealing that Gordon had voiced his concerns about the trade to Presti before it happened.
“Since I have time today… before the trade Gordon told Sam he didn’t think this trade made sense so how can you miss when the player told you,” she added.
Her comments suggested that the Thunder management ignored Gordon’s reservations, leading to the disappointing outcome.
As Gordon Hayward approaches unrestricted free-agent status, he is looking to bring his scoring abilities to a new team.
At the height of his career, he averaged 21.9 points per game with the Utah Jazz.
