The Jazz Are Reportedly ‘Highly Unlikely’ To Consider Trading Gordon Hayward

The Jazz have actually obtained a pretty nice roster for themselves heading into the 2016-17 season. They have a solid core of young emerging guards like Alec Burks, Rodney Hood, and Shelvin Mack, they still have one of the West’s best frontcourts with Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, and now they’ve added some veterans with playoff experience to the mix like Joe Johnson, George Hill, and Boris Diaw.

The straw that stirs the drink for the Jazz though is Gordon Hayward, who averaged nearly 20 points per game last season for a team that just missed out on the eight seed in the Western Conference.  Considering the fact that the Jazz have a solid chance of being in that next crop of teams behind Golden State, San Antonio, and the Clippers, one would think the idea of trading the team’s best player now would be crazy on the surface.

However, there is just one problem. Hayward has a player option next season, and he is expected to opt-out, which would make him one of the most attractive free agents on the market. If the Jazz really don’t think they can resign him, they may be better off dumping him this year to get something in return, even if it means sacrificing their playoff chances.

Hayward’s old coach from Butler, Brad Stevens, now coaches in Boston, which would seem to make the Celtics (who have been notoriously aggressive this offseason) a potential trade destination. Boston reportedly already tried to bring Hayward to Boston, and they may very well try again. However, according to Basketball Insiders, Utah is inclined to hold on to their franchise player this season even with the risk of him leaving in free agency.

There is a sense the Celtics would love to pry away Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward, who has a player option next year, which few in the NBA believe he’ll exercise meaning he’ll likely be an unrestricted free agent. There were rumors around the draft that Hayward would welcome a trade, but Jazz sources downplayed any reported unhappiness. Still, there is a real risk that Hayward could walk next July.

Jazz sources said it’s highly unlikely the team even considers a trade for Hayward, but that won’t stop the Celtics from checking the temperature there as teams head into the new NBA season in late September.

Pairing Hayward with Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford would instantly make the Celtics a threat to at least push Cleveland in the East, so it’s obviously a deal Danny Ainge would love to get done. However, it appears as of now that the Jazz are staying put. If Utah struggles out of the gate to meet expectations though, this could be a rumor worth remembering.

(Via Basketball Insiders)

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