POLL: Gordon Hayward's high expectations

[Stifle Tower]

Any comments about Gordon's consistency need to be with an asterisk: the dude needs help creating and taking shots on the perimeter. That was true even when Burks was healthy; now it's especially true. Burke, Ingles, Exum, Hood (even when healthy), DLeaguer.... that's pretty fuggin rough.

Agree.
Hayward has added some great dimensions to his game. But because we don't have good help from the guards (most of the time), it makes it too easy to take him out of the game with a double team up top.

 

[aussietin]

I will be the 1st to say that I was expecting the consistency that should come with such a contract, but I haven't seen it.

He's had 5 games under 10pts the entire year. He's been having a horrible January so far, which has contributed 2 of those games. In all of December, he had 2 games under 15pts. Hayward has been pretty damn consistent this year, given the team's situation with injuries and people coming in and out of the lineup, leaving a much weaker team for his to work with. Sure, there are times in the game where it feels he goes kind of invisible, but everybody in the league has those moments. It's completely unfair to him to have expected more from him.

That being said, one area that I feel Gordon has to do better in to further justify his max contract is making free throws in the clutch. The guy is a great free throw shooter, but I feel he shoots way way way less than his season 81% in the 4th quarter of close games. Granted, I haven't watched every single game, but it feels that way in the games I have watched. Anybody else get this feeling?

 

[SojoDave]

I admit it, I've been a Hayward hater, but I'm impressed how well he is playing this year. He is going to the line at a much higher clip, he's shooting better, and he has to cover the best wing. I worry about him getting burned out, because he has to do a lot in order for us to be competitive. I almost wrote win...bwahahahahaha. Silly me.

He will be considered for the all-star game, but he won't make it because the West is so deep.

 

[Qman]

IMO it is stupid to call all contract a max contract. Hayward makes $14.7 mil this year. That is 29th salary in the league. Below Jeremy Lin, Josh Smith, Asik and above Chandler Parsons. For reference Carmelo's and Lebron's max contracts are $20 plus.

Hayward has been our best overall player. He has his flaws but the offense falls off a cliff when he sits. IMO he is being paid a fair market value. Look at this way we could be paying Eric Gordon the same wage.

 

[Nate505]

I hated the contract, but he's lived up to it IMO. He's not a superstar consistent type of player (scoring wise it's not rare to see him with around 6 or so points in first half), but he's really close.

 

[freakazoid]

I was against matching. I was wrong.

 

[fishonjazz]

For one I don't get why he's the game 'closer'. It worked the 1st 2 times we went that way but now that he's been scouted on this it's not as efficient now.

Um, he's the "closer" because he's the best at creating his own shot without developing tunnel vision. In other words, he's the best improvisor with the ball in his hands. That much is pretty obvious, dude, like it or not.

It would certainly be an interesting strategy to go to someone besides your best playmaker to initiate offense down the stretch.

These

 

[BTP]

I'd say he outperformed his contract already.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

No offense, but whoever said no is stupid. He has at least lived up to it. We could trade him for king's ransom right now.

You know who'd love to pay his MAX contract... every other team in the league. His skill set is unique... he can carry the offense at times, but others he can be the blender. He is getting a ton of defensive attention... if we had another good perimeter creator (could be Burks, could be Exum) we'd be in great shape. He's also a good defender and a good teammate. He's the kind of player that other players like to play with... doesn't dominate the ball and such.

I'd love to see who said no...

 

[Jamezz]

No offense, but whoever said no is stupid. He has at least lived up to it. We could trade him for king's ransom right now.

You know who'd love to pay his MAX contract... every other team in the league. His skill set is unique... he can carry the offense at times, but others he can be the blender. He is getting a ton of defensive attention... if we had another good perimeter creator (could be Burks, could be Exum) we'd be in great shape. He's also a good defender and a good teammate. He's the kind of player that other players like to play with... doesn't dominate the ball and such.

I'd love to see who said no...

I would vote NO again if I could. Maybe I should have rephrased the poll question. Do you consider Hayward to be our #1 offensive option in our road to a Championship? Which is the kind of players that should get MAXED out? And yes I say MAXED out because we gave him the maximum amount of money he could be given. And oh yeah teams were going crazy on him. I only recall Charlotte offering him the max, slick move by MJ.

#TradeHayward

 

[fishonjazz]

I was against matching the offer that charlotte gave to Hayward. Then after the first 25 games or so Hayward had me believing that he would be a number one option, all star, alpha dog, and one of the top players in the nba.

I feel like over the last 10 games or so he has been in a slump and some of those hopes I had have shrunk. (The slump may be due to injuries to his supporting cast)

Overall I still feel good about Haywards play and I don't hate his contract like I thought I was going to when we matched

 

[freakazoid]

No offense, but whoever said no is stupid. He has at least lived up to it. We could trade him for king's ransom right now.

You know who'd love to pay his MAX contract... every other team in the league. His skill set is unique... he can carry the offense at times, but others he can be the blender. He is getting a ton of defensive attention... if we had another good perimeter creator (could be Burks, could be Exum) we'd be in great shape. He's also a good defender and a good teammate. He's the kind of player that other players like to play with... doesn't dominate the ball and such.

I'd love to see who said no...

I would vote NO again if I could. Maybe I should have rephrased the poll question. Do you consider Hayward to be our #1 offensive option in our road to a Championship? Which is the kind of players that should get MAXED out? And yes I say MAXED out because we gave him the maximum amount of money he could be given. And oh yeah teams were going crazy on him. I only recall Charlotte offering him the max, slick move by MJ.

#TradeHayward

Rofl