The 2017/2018 Jazz Season MOTTO

[gUrthBrooks]

#STEPPINGSTONE

[Utah]

Utah is the new Minnesota. 

[gUrthBrooks]

So Gordon Hayward was conflicted and wrestling with the decision, yet he managed to pen a 2,100 word column on it. Legendary deadline writer.

https://twitter.com/DanWetzel/status/882391384409473024″>July 5, 2017

Way to screw the Jazz. I’m going to pen a beautifully written and heartfelt goodbye in 2 hours while I’m “Deciding”, meanwhile giving the shaft to the Jazz to have any chances at Free Agency.

[PlainsUte]

I just read that thing, OK after the first couple paragraphs I skimmed it.  After promising to say why hes “coming to Boston” (kind of backward way to say “going to Boston”, but maybe says he’s already mentally there), he rambles on about how great his time was in SLC, ummmkay.   Then there is a short paragraph that says that Boston has a winning tradition (tell it to my friends who are Red Sox fans), OK, I guess they have the Pats, and drumroll, the real reason is Brad Stevens.   So there you have it, nostalgia for the great days of Butler and potential for the Celtics, which really says his days with the Jazz were not all that great, and really sees no potential for improvement by the Jazz team and/or organization, ‘cuz, I don’t really see potential for the Celtics, other than the geography of being in the Eastern Conference.  Sorry, Jazz fans.

[Rick]

Let him go, he is dead to me.  A shooter that would rather play with a ball hog PG that averages less than 5 assists per game over Ricky Rubio, one of the best passers in the game who averages roughly 10 assists per game, is beyond repair.  His numbers will drop down significantly with the Celtics.  However with all the talent vacating the East for the West this off season he will probably make the all star team and the playoffs but I don’t see them in the finals while LeBron is still in Cleveland.

[utefansince79]

Utah isn’t “pesky” enough to be Minnesota (Shoutout to Hot Rod there)

 

[Utah]

Love the reference. Those were the days. 

[Stone]

I think Hayward made a reasonable decision. Boston has a better path (in the Eastern Conference), the Celtics have a great history (consider that Hayward is from Indiana, same place as Larry Bird, so you gotta think that growing up in Indiana there was some deep-seeded nostalgia for the Celtics), and Hayward will get to play for his former college coach that he really liked.

My beef is that he didn’t tell the Jazz sooner. It is possible that he really didn’t know how he would decide until after he met with all of the teams, but I doubt that. He definitely knew before Tuesday (despite his agent stating otherwise – you don’t write that essay the same day you are struggling with the decision). Had he told the Jazz sooner, the team could have made contingency plans in the draft, free agency, sign and trade, etc. I mean, from what I heard, the team was practically catering to his every wish by getting his approval on the Rubio deal and re-signing Ingles. Both of those decisions might have been re-considered if it was known that Hayward was gone. So for all of the “thanking” Hayward expressed toward the Jazz, he sure left them in a lurch by not letting them know sooner.

[gUrthBrooks]

Hi did. But it’s the Jazz’ fault for inaction too. Danny Ainge calls G. Hayward after the Jazz meet with him ans says, WOW, the Jazz made some major moves by signing Ingles and switching George Hill for Ricky Rubio?” Come play for a GM who knows how to steal first round draft picks from East coast teams. 

[ladyinred]

In related news, tanner ainge’s chances now of getting elected in Utah? Lol.

[Rick]

He lost my vote for sure.  Unless Ainge does a sign and trade with the Jazz and gives us Jae Crowder.  Then I might consider voting for the little turd.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, he lost my vote when his name was Ainge.

[Tony (admin)]

Who? Obviously the offspring of Danny?

[ladyinred]

Yes. Good luck to him. Although I would rather see an Ainge than *barf* his *vomit* predecessor.

[PlainsUte]

Hayward was two years old when Larry Bird retired.   By that time the Celtics were in decline; their last championship had been in 1986, four years before Hayward was born.   They did win in 2008, but that’s it. 

So that leaves his former college coach and pessimism about the Jazz improving going forward.

[Utahute72]

Interesting discussion on ESPN. The modern paradigm is that you need a superstar to attract other superstars to compete for a championship. The likelihood of that ever happening in Utah is pretty low. I don’t see Boston doing that even with both Hayward and Thomas, so really this move doesn’t much help either franchise. We have to hope that the Mitchell kid develops into the type of player that can pull in other players and that Gobert stays healthy long enough for this to happen.