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Was Hayward worth it?

Kyoto

Kyoto

Well-Known Member
I know this is the 15,000th thread for Hayward this month, but since the signing I would like to put my thought into it. Was he really worth it? Well to put everything into perspective, he was the face of the franchise ever since Millsap and Jefferson left Utah, that's really when it was the Gordon Hayward show. So, it's really been only what, 4 years with Hayward being "the guy", so let's just look at those 4 years.

- Cut from USA squad
- "left for personal reasons" from USA squad (probably saw the writing on the wall)
- Western conference player of the week once (possibly twice, my memory fades in my old age of 34)
- Averaged about 19 pts a game for a squad BUILT around him
- Made the all-star team 1 time
- 0 All-nba anything

I don't know man, I never really thought he had that "killer instinct" that some players have. I look at Gobert, and I see someone that wants to dunk on you, or wants to block your shot and let you know he did it. I look at Hayward and I see someone that just gets excited, or happy, but never angry. Hell, even when Delonte West gave him a wet willie, most timid people would look at the guy and at least look at him like "the hell did you just do!?" Hayward just kept walking and didn't even make eye contact.

Gordon is a good player, sure. Would I want him on the Jazz, yes. Would I want to give him 5 years and close to a max contract? That's a tough one. If i'm Utah and I feel like I have to keep all of my assets and I have kind of shot myself in the foot by building my team around a good, but not great player, then, yeah, Utah needed to sign him. That being said, I think him going to Boston was the right move for Utah, Hayward, and ultimately, in my opinion. The Jazz would have had 4/5 years of paying max money to a player that was NOT worth max money just because that was the only way to keep him. For a small market team to survive, you have to be smart with your money, and Hayward was not a good buy.

Boston paying max money for a guy that wasn't even the best player on his team... good luck.
 
We obviously wanted him back and he was a huge part of what the Jazz were doing, but I'm really excited to see what happens to whoever Quinn builds the offense around now. Haywood was GARBAGE before he got here.

I also feel like way too many of you guys are acting like we just lost Kevin Durant. We're talking about a guy who is going into his 8th season and has been in the Top 20 players ONCE in his career (this year), won 3 total playoff games, and just made himself look like a complete *** in the process of switching teams. He's what, the 7th best player in the Northwest Division? It's not really a stretch to think that one of our young guys like Hood or Mitchell can become what that spineless ******* was.
 
Yall remember down the stretch of games where hayward just went brick after brick? and then Joe Johnson bailed the team out by just putting down 5 huge shots in a row.
 
When the Jazz traded Deron Williams in 2011/12, that started this most recent rebuild cycle. Hayward was in his 2nd year and that's when he was identified as a building block. At the time, Hayward was drafted, he was seen mostly as a complementary player with intangibles--a glue guy like Jeff Hornacek, someone that Jerry Sloan really liked. The NBA game evolved away from Jerry Sloan's flex system, and Hayward had a chance to be a real cog in the offense, handling the ball and making plays for himself and others.

The lesson from this Hayward experience is that you can never take a player for granted. You have to acquire multiple talented players that are to some degree interchangeable. So when one of them leaves, the system can go on. As an example, the Golden State Warriors transitioned seamlessly from Baron Davis, to Monta Ellis, to Steph Curry as their lead guard. I think the Jazz need to develop this kind of rotational depth and versatility at key positions.
 
David Stern said:
We obviously wanted him back and he was a huge part of what the Jazz were doing, but I'm really excited to see what happens to whoever Quinn builds the offense around now. Haywood was GARBAGE before he got here.

I also feel like way too many of you guys are acting like we just lost Kevin Durant. We're talking about a guy who is going into his 8th season and has been in the Top 20 players ONCE in his career (this year), won 3 total playoff games, and just made himself look like a complete *** in the process of switching teams. He's what, the 7th best player in the Northwest Division? It's not really a stretch to think that one of our young guys like Hood or Mitchell can become what that spineless ******* was.
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I agree with what you say, but I think he was overpriced for what he brought as a "star" player.
 
Catchall said:
When the Jazz traded Deron Williams in 2011/12, that started this most recent rebuild cycle. Hayward was in his 2nd year and that's when he was identified as a building block. At the time, Hayward was drafted, he was seen mostly as a complementary player with intangibles--a glue guy like Jeff Hornacek, someone that Jerry Sloan really liked. The NBA game evolved away from Jerry Sloan's flex system, and Hayward had a chance to be a real cog in the offense, handling the ball and making plays for himself and others.

The lesson from this Hayward experience is that you can never take a player for granted. You have to acquire multiple talented players that are to some degree interchangeable. So when one of them leaves, the system can go on. As an example, the Golden State Warriors transitioned seamlessly from Baron Davis, to Monta Ellis, to Steph Curry as their lead guard. I think the Jazz need to develop this kind of rotational depth and versatility at key positions.
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Well, I see your point about the whole transitioning thing, my point was when Millsap and Jefferson left it was a defining point where you could say "this is Haywards team". If you even go further back than that though, it just helps prove my point about how timid he is haha.
 
Yes he was worth it. Because Rudy is a superstar. Hayward is an all star who is in the same age range (Gobert 25, Hayward 27). He fit our timeline, our roster/play style and our cap situation. Now without him we lack a key piece in being a contender. With no real way to replace him. And we were already missing one big piece. So now we are missing two key pieces. With no cap room and no high draft picks. The future went from bright to bleak. We have to hope that one or two of these young guys develop into studs quickly.
 
for when he was drafted, sure he was. and since someone else gave him the max without question, sure he was. he was the ultimate complete player, had virtually no flaws, except when it comes to interpersonal communications. The thing is, he is also replaceable. i fully believe that the jazz created him, and they will create another like him again.
 
SCS said:
Yes he was worth it. Because Rudy is a superstar. Hayward is an all star who is in the same age range (Gobert 25, Hayward 27). He fit our timeline, our roster/play style and our cap situation. Now without him we lack a key piece in being a contender. With no real way to replace him. And we were already missing one big piece. So now we are missing two key pieces. With no cap room and no high draft picks. The future went from bright to bleak. We have to hope that one or two of these young guys develop into studs quickly.
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No one is beating Golden State for the next 2 years, we might as well build for then :/
 
I was at the draft party in 2010 when Kevin O'Connor brought out some poor fan to announce the pick.

This was the New York Knick pick that was going to save the Jazz.

Cole Aldrich was on the board. That's who I thought the Jazz should pick. lol.

When the fan announced it everyone booed. I booed. Of course the Jazz were going to pick this white kid just beacuse he almost hit a half court shot against Duke. HOW PREDICTABLE.

And Kevin O'Connor grabbed the microphone at the podium and said something like, "In two years, you won't be booing."

I booed even harder and laughed and said to the strangers around me: "This kid better wear a diaper for the first time he plays against Artest."

And then Deron whipped a ball at his head. And then he got wet willied. And two years came and went and I thought yeah I probably shouldn't have booed this kid. And then he started to get better, but very slowly. And I promised that I would never boo another draft pick.

And here I am 7 seven years later and I realize that he is going to get booed worse than if Deron Williams and Derek Fisher and Enes Kanter had a baby, named it Roger Braille and put it in a Laker jersey and raced it in one of those baby races they do at halftime with Dick Bavetta officiating.

Kevin O'Connor, it's been 7 years and the boos are going to last the rest of his career, with the Celtics until Ainge trades him in 2020 to the Nets for draft picks and then with the Nets, and then finally with the Lakers.
 
Magic Spray said:
I was at the draft party in 2010 when Kevin O'Connor brought out some poor fan to announce the pick.

This was the New York Knick pick that was going to save the Jazz.

Cole Aldrich was on the board. That's who I thought the Jazz should pick. lol.

When the fan announced it everyone booed. I booed. Of course the Jazz were going to pick this white kid just beacuse he almost hit a half court shot against Duke. HOW PREDICTABLE.

And Kevin O'Connor grabbed the microphone at the podium and said something like, "In two years, you won't be booing."

I booed even harder and laughed and said to the strangers around me: "This kid better wear a diaper for the first time he plays against Artest."

And then Deron whipped a ball at his head. And then he got wet willied. And two years came and went and I thought yeah I probably shouldn't have booed this kid. And then he started to get better, but very slowly. And I promised that I would never boo another draft pick.

And here I am 7 seven years later and I realize that he is going to get booed worse than if Deron Williams and Derek Fisher and Enes Kanter had a baby, named it Roger Braille and put it in a Laker jersey and raced it in one of those baby races they do at halftime with Dick Bavetta officiating.

Kevin O'Connor, it's been 7 years and the boos are going to last the rest of his career, with the Celtics until Ainge trades him in 2020 to the Nets for draft picks and then with the Nets, and then finally with the Lakers.
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haha gold
 
On the bright side, we knew we couldn't pay everyone. It sucks that we lost arguably our most tradable asset for nothing, but we don't have to worry about losing Hood/Favors/Exum next offseason if we really want them back.
 
Hayward would've been worth it if the F/O had the sense to cash out.. Since they gambled and failed the answer is obviously NO. Hayward was fools gold, no matter how many times and ways people tried to convince ya otherwise..


As much as people want to blame Hayward, I say the finger should be pointed at the front office. They failed the team more than Hayward did, IMO.
 
PG_AB said:
Hayward would've been worth it if the F/O had the sense to cash out.. Since they gambled and failed the answer is obviously NO.


As much as people want to blame Hayward, I say the finger should be pointed at the front office. They failed the team more than Hayward did, IMO.
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That's true, If the front office wasn't trying to short change him then we wouldn't be in this mess. You could also look at it like, the front office knew he wasn't worth that much, and wasn't going to pay him that much. Personally I don't want to spend $20 on a hamburger and fries.
 
The positives:

-He's not a superstar.
-Questionable leader.
-Questionable toughness.
-Never seemed to be an alpha dog.

I will miss his ability to score, and stay healthy. He is an all-star, and talented, but's not the end of the world.

Like I said years ago this is Rudy's team. Now it's clear. Build around Gobert.
 
PG_AB said:
Hayward would've been worth it if the F/O had the sense to cash out.. Since they gambled and failed the answer is obviously NO. Hayward was fools gold, no matter how many times and ways people tried to convince ya otherwise..


As much as people want to blame Hayward, I say the finger should be pointed at the front office. They failed the team more than Hayward did, IMO.
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So every time we luck into a max salary type player, we should just trade them before their second contract is up? I don't agree with that. If the jazz don't keep their stars, they will never get to where they want to be. Just like a lot of us, I think the jazz thought they could keep him. Unlike with D Will, where the writing was on the wall. Williams needed to be traded, because we knew he'd leave. I don't want to be in never ending building mode, do you? So while the jazz lost out, I still think it was worth it to try to keep him.
 
The Jazz are building a Spurs like team. They thought he'd be like Duncan, Parker or Kawhi and embrace that. Hayward is not the right guy for that role. Thank heavens Rudy Gobert is. Jazz need to shift their attitude towards team building slightly away from Spurs ball to 2004 Pistons. Hard work. Hustle. Attitude. Defense. And each of them needs to play with a chip on their shoulder individually, but live for their team. Rudy. Rubio. Jingles. Mitchell. Great start. Let's see how Favors, Hood and Exum respond.
 
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