"Why the HELL would you publicly say this?" - OKC Thunder fans stunned by Sam Presti's unexpected remorse over Gordon Hayward trade

This season, the OKC Thunder traded for 2017 All-Star Gordon Hayward in an effort to bolster their reserve unit. Hayward, however, who has spent the past three seasons playing for the Charlotte Hornets, and was in the midst of his fourth, didn't produce for OKC. After dealing with a calf injury early this season, he returned to the floor, playing 25 games for Charlotte.

Then, shortly before the trade deadline, the OKC Thunder traded for Hayward in a somewhat surprising move. Although he had produced at a high level in years past, injuries had plagued him in recent years as he sought to return to form.

Nevertheless, as a seasoned veteran with impressive numbers from beyond the arc, there were reasons to think that Sam Presti's decision would pay off. Over 26 games Hayward suited up for post-trade but struggled to produce.

After a postseason loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round spelled the end of the team's season, Hayward expressed his disappointment as he explained that he was both disappointed and frustrated with how his time with the team went.

From the sounds of things, OKC Thunder GM Sam Presti agrees. Speaking to media members, including Bleacher Report, on Tuesday during his exit interview, Presti reflected on the move:

"I missed on that one. That’s on me.”

NBA fans were quick to react to the news, with many wondering why Presti chose to take ownership publicly.

"Why the HELL would you publicly say this?!" - @BracketNky (Twitter/X)

"I’ve never heard a GM admit a trade mistake lmao" - @CelticsAdam34 (Twitter/X)

Other fans weighed in, discussing Hayward's recent play:

"Hayward is so finished" - @Dgsire (Twitter/X)

"We all knew bro was finished..." - @HowUBenFeller (Twitter/X)

Others looked at things from Hayward's perspective:

"I feel bad for Hayward" - @ZenChoZen (Twitter/X)

"That’s when u know u washed" - @Agenda_Pusher (Twitter/X)

"LMFAOOOOO, like imagine being Gordon Hayward and seeing this" - @YaBoyyyJohn (Twitter/X)

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"As a player I have a lot to offer” - Gordon Hayward reflects on time with OKC Thunder after postseason exit

As previously mentioned, Gordon Hayward was frustrated with how the end of this season played out in OKC. After dealing with a calf injury early on in the year, Hayward played a combined 51 games for the Hornets and the Thunder.

The key difference between the first 25 games he played in Charlotte, and the final 26 he played in Oklahoma City but the amount of minutes he played. During his time in Charlotte, Hayward was averaging 31.9 minutes per game. On the flip side, he averaged just 17.2 mpg in Oklahoma City.

The stark contrast in usage was something that left the NBA vet frustrated. While speaking with media members for his exit interview after the team's elimination from the playoffs, Hayward gave an honest reflection of his time with the OKC Thunder. Speaking to media members, including The Oklahoman, he explained:

“Obviously disappointing with how it all worked out. This is not what I thought it would be. Certainly frustrating. But it is what it is. I feel like as a player I have a lot to offer. I just wasn't given much of an opportunity to do that, and I thought I was going to get that opportunity.”

As an unrestricted free agent, it's unclear what the future holds for the 2017 All-Star. While the OKC Thunder could look to bring him back, the team seems unlikely to do so. At the same time, given his struggles with the team, others may be hesitant to pull the trigger in offering him a deal.

With several months to figure things out, it will be interesting to see where Hayward lands next season.