Tre Mann Gets the Start for the Charlotte Hornets, Pops In Debut

The OKC Thunder gave Tre Mann a fresh start in Charlotte after shipping him to the Hornets for Gordon Hayward.

The Oklahoma City Thunder made a trade on Thursday's NBA trade deadline that shipped former first-round pick Tre Mann, Davis Bertans, and Vasilije Micic to the Charlotte Hornets for Gordon Hayward. 

This trade will not truly begin to pay dividends for the Thunder until after the All-Star Break, as Hayward will be sidelined until the team reconvenes after the mid-winter classic. However, Charlotte got a glimpse of their new pieces on Saturday night. 

Mann earned the start for the Hornets, marking the first time he has been in a starting lineup since April 19th, 2023, against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Florida product only logged 13 games for the Thunder this season, averaging 9.2 minutes per contest, mostly in garbage time. 

"Sam Presti kept me well informed, I kind of knew I was going to be gone on deadline day, I was able to pack the night before," Mann told the assembled Hornets media at his introductory press conference. 

Though, it is tough to soften the emotional blow of trade deadline day. "It sucks," said Thunder forward Jalen Williams of deadline day on Friday's practice. 

Jalen Williams on trade deadline emotions pic.twitter.com/zdEV4mTae6

— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) February 9, 2024

Following Saturday's loss to the Mavericks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was asked by Inside the Thunder about the emotions of deadline day, saying "It is a lot, it is pretty disruptive, like both ways someone going out, someone going in in the middle of a season, especially if you have families involved, Tre [Mann] just had a kid. But it is a lot." the Thunder superstar said. 

I asked Shai Gilgeous-Alexander about the emotions of Trade Deadline day, and got his reaction to Tre Mann starting tonight for the Hornets pic.twitter.com/w0gum1w3Zb

— Rylan Stiles (@Rylan_Stiles) February 10, 2024

"Oh my gosh, yeah it should be pretty good, what time does it start?" Gilgeous-Alexander responded in glee when being informed his former teammate got the starting nod for Charlotte, "Okay yeah, I am going to watch it, going to record the whole thing."

In his debut for the Hornets, the Florida native put up nine points, nine assists, four rebounds and two steals, 

Mann has 30 games left this season to burst onto the scene as many in Oklahoma City, and across the NBA, believe he can do. 

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Gordon Hayward Will Not Play for OKC Thunder Until After All-Star Break

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