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Thunder Prospect Evaluation: Jaylen Hoard

In this prospect evaluation series, InsideTheThunder.com breaks down Jaylen Hoard and every member of the Thunder as future prospects.
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After going undrafted and spending his rookie season with the Portland Trail Blazers, the Jaylen Hoard was signed to a two-way contract by the Thunder late in 2021-22 season.

Just 22 years old, he has quite a bit of upside but is a pretty raw player at this point. Standing at 6-foot-8, he’s got the size to be a productive wing at the NBA level.

As he enters his third NBA season, he’ll could quite a bit of opportunity in Oklahoma City if he makes the roster. One of the better French prospects in the league, Hoard fits well in the Thunder system.

As each player in this series is evaluated, it’s important to consider the prospect they are now, but more importantly how they could look in five years when the Thunder are a competitive playoff team once again.

Last Season’s Numbers

Before he earned his two-way deal with the Thunder in April of last season, Hoard had to prove his worth in the G League. A member of the OKC Blue in the G League bubble, he started in all 15 games while averaging 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 22.0 minutes per game.

From there, he was called up to the Thunder and would compete in 19 games. As an NBA player, he averaged 6.1 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the floor.

While he looked solid in almost every aspect of his game given the raw talent he is, the 3-point shooting was worrisome. Although it was a small sample size, Hoard missed all 11 threes he attempted with the Thunder.

Hoard spent part of his offseason in Las Vegas with the Thunder in NBA Summer League. Through five games, he averaged 6.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. He struggled from deep once again, going 2-for-9 on the week.

Fit On Current Roster

Hoard doesn’t have a guaranteed contract with the Thunder for the upcoming season, but is highly valued by the front office and will likely compete for a roster spot in training camp. He plays a position of need on the wing and has more upside than several of the players under contract currently.

If he were to make it on the 15-man roster for the 2021-22 season, Hoard could get solid minutes for the Thunder. If not, he’d be a strong candidate to spend time developing in the G League with the Blue within the Thunder system.

With Josh Hall and Aaron Wiggins already on two-way contracts playing similar positions, there is some competition in OKC. However, all three of these guys play slightly different styles of basketball.

Long-Term Fit

It’s hard to say what Hoard’s long-term fit in Oklahoma City is, especially given how much roster turnover there is in the modern NBA. While it’s clear he’s intriguing to the front office now, there’s going to be a ton of talent added to the Thunder locker room over the next few years.

Hoard is a player who should have a pretty clear ceiling over the next two seasons. If he continues to improve, he’ll make NBA rosters, whether in OKC or elsewhere. If not, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him completely out of the league by age 25.

Prospect Grade

C

There’s a reason that Hoard has only appeared in 32 NBA games through his first two NBA seasons. He hasn’t fully put together a consistent game that translates to helping a team win.

However, still extremely young, he has the size and athleticism to be worth the development time.

Training camp will be key for Hoard, as he’ll need to rise above the competition and prove his worth. If he’s able to do that and take a step forward, he could become a long-term piece on the roster.


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