Barring something dramatic with Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward is by far the biggest and most important name in the approaching NBA free agency.
Hayward has blossomed into one of the league’s top forwards and has potential suitors lining up around the block. He isn’t just a franchise-changing player—he altered the course of the Western Conference with the Utah Jazz while shocking alongside George Hill and Rudy Gobert.
But as the Salt Lake Tribune noted, Hayward seems stuck on what to do this summer:
News dropped in the @tribjazz podcast: Gordon Hayward is torn on if he should stay in Utah or leave in free agency https://t.co/W0mAoS1Diy
— Salt Lake Tribune Sports (@sltribsports) June 22, 2017
The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but for a player like Hayward, it’s hard to ignore the options.
Look at the Boston Celtics. The team just went to the Eastern Conference Finals and has an MVP-caliber player in Isaiah Thomas. Don’t forget Hayward would be reuinnted with Brad Stevens. And as a bonus, LeBron’s reign can only last so long (right?).
Or look at the Miami Heat, another serious contender for his services. Miami the locale is Miami and speaks for itself. But Pat Riley is famous for making quick, title-contending turnarounds and has a nice base to work with thanks to Hassan Whiteside underneath the basket.
Hayward could always stick with the Jazz. Hill might slip away, but Gobert might already be the best center in the league in the minds of many, creating a one-two combo sure to lure quality free agents to town.
But as of right now, it’s not hard to see why Hayward might struggle with the decision. Expect this one to drag on for a while.
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