The Charlotte Hornets received several assets in a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder that sent Gordon Hayward out of the deal. Charlotte won that trade by a wide margin, even though none of the acquired players became anything more than solid supporting players. Hayward fell into a very limited role with the Thunder and officially retired from the game this summer.

The Hornets received Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, Vasilije Micic and two second-round picks for a player who decided to end his career just months after the trade. The biggest asset in this trade is without question former first-round pick Tre Mann. In 28 games with the Hornets, he averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game, hitting 45% of his shots from the field and 36% of his three-pointers.

According to Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report, Mann is the Hornets’ biggest X-factor for the 2024-25 season.

“Late-season examples can be misleading, and it wasn’t just the Oklahoma City Thunder’s depth that limited Mann’s options with his previous team. But the combo guard looked like a real rotation option after landing in Charlotte.

“Of Mann’s 21 double-digit scoring appearances last season, 18 were with the Hornets. Mann is adept on the ball and is showing playmaking ability for the first time in his career. He could be the kind of emerging talent a rebuilding team like the Hornets desperately needs. With good size at 6’5” and a high level of safety on and off the ball, Mann is expected to fit well with Charlotte’s top young players, LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

“There were even a few hints that Mann, who is not known as a defender, could help on the other side as well. Although small in stature and inexperienced, the 2021 first-round pick showed an active, disruptive streak in Charlotte last year, ranking in the 91st percentile in steal rate at his position. If he repeats that performance or builds on it, Mann would give the Hornets an intriguing third guard with the potential to be more than that.”

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