Utah Jazz: Lindsey confident in retaining Gordon Hayward

Gordon Hayward has declined his option with the Utah Jazz to test the free agency market, but general manager Dennis Lindsey is confident in retaining his man.

We all knew it was going to happen, but the wave of nervous tension still overcame every member of the Utah Jazz family when Gordon Hayward officially declined his $16.7 million player option.

ESPN is reporting Hayward will take meetings with the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics before he lets the Jazz state their case. Due diligence is basic business, and Hayward is a smart man, but as we’ve seen in recent years, free agency can throw up a few surprises.

Losing their All-Star small forward would cripple the Jazz in a time they’re approaching the elite of the Western Conference.

They’ve put together a team that flew up the standings in 2016-17, and are primed to repeat and improve in 2017-18 should Hayward return with running mates, George Hill and Joe Ingles.

Hayward is the focus though, and it’s unlikely any other moves will be made until they secure the franchise player they selected with the ninth pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

President Steve Starks is desperate to re-sign Hayward, telling the Desert News:

"“Obviously, Gordon is very important to the franchise. He’s somebody that we have built around, that we’ve watched grow and develop. I don’t think it’s a secret how we feel about him as a player and our desire to have him back for a long time and hopefully the rest of his career.”"

In today’s NBA where superstar players are colluding and teaming up at any opportunity, retaining a guy that others want to play with is key for an under-the-radar franchise like the Jazz.

When asked by the Desert News about the chances of retaining Hayward this time around, Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey was confident but cautious:

"“We feel good because of the city and the organization, the level of the team, Quin [Snyder], the development staff, Rudy [Gobert]. We’re quite confident. We’ll see what that means. We’ll find out if that’s overconfident or appropriately placed.”"

Lindsey has every reason to be confident in retaining his star. With nothing but positive things to say about the franchise, winning trumps all for Hayward and neither Boston nor Miami offers any guarantee of even borderline championship success.

Chris Paul‘s arrival in Houston makes the path to the Finals a little more difficult for the Jazz, but Hayward knows it’s still the Golden State Warriors that set the benchmark in the NBA’s West.

Hayward is no mug; he understands exactly what it will take to beat the Warriors after being swept 4-0 in this season’s playoff series. Whoever he think’s gives him the best chance at victory over the juggernaut, gets his signature.

After missing out on the Designated Player Exception, the Celtics and Heat evened up their odds of signing Hayward, but the Jazz remain the favorites.

Like Lindsey, it’s important for fans to be confident, but cautious. Recent free agency periods have taught everyone that nothing is a sure thing, no matter what is said during a press conference.

Next: 5 potential landing spots for Gordon Hayward in free agency

When there are dollar signs on a check, or rings and banners on display in a boardroom, there’s no telling what decision Hayward might come to.