Utah Jazz: Is Gordon Hayward A No.1 Option?
Gordon Hayward was expected to take the next step with his game and it hasn’t happened. Is he a true No. 1 option or better suited as a No. 2?
One marquee star: That’s all it takes to turn your team from good into great. This year the Utah Jazz have had a myriad of good players, but they are still missing that one box office star that will command attention.
The bad news is that this year Utah once again has a losing record before the All-Star break. They haven’t been able to find complete continuity within their offense and it directly correlates to their lack of wins. Right now they are ranked as the 24th-best team in the league scoring only 97 points per game.
The good news is in spite of having a signature go-to player the Jazz are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff hunt. Ranked as the eighth-best team in the west, a few good games in a week could get them ranked in the No. 4 spot.
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When you think about elite caliber players in the NBA who are the first people that come into your mind? Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and LeBron James right? Now why do you consider them elite? Offensively, what do these three players have in common?
It’s that all three of those players are unguardable and they are aggressive.
In the case of the Utah Jazz, they’ve been dying for a No. 1 option on their team for some decades now. Before the departure of Karl Malone and John Stockton, they created a dynamic offense that got them to two NBA Finals. Utah’s pick-and-roll was unguardable and as a result, Malone also became an elite player in the league.
In fact, Malone rode the pick-and-roll to the second-highest scoring total in NBA history.
Unleash the Hounds
What does that mean for Gordon Hayward?
You can’t become a No. 1 option and not score. For his career, Hayward takes 10.6 shots per game. In his last two seasons alone he’s averaged 14.3 and 14 shots a night, respectively. Management needs to get Hayward to start letting it fly, or get someone on the team who can. He’s got the scoring ability and no one is holding him back.
Then again it plays into Snyder’s coaching. Utah needs to speed up and start taking more shots in games. You can’t score more if you’re not shooting more. That goes for Hayward as well.
Additionally, it hurts his team too because his lack of aggression causes Utah to get flustered late in games. Hayward is ranked with J.J. Hickson, J.J. Barea, and Joe Johnson when it comes to clutch-time stats. It also hurts when his name is associated with Jerryd Bayless, Archie Goodwin, Dwyane Wade and Jeff Teague for fourth-quarter points, only scoring 4.5 points in the last period.
Nevertheless, He’s Still Great
What’s good about having Hayward on any roster is that you’d be hard pressed to find other talented players at the level that Hayward plays at. As a player, his versatility is what makes him stand out among his peers. What makes him great is that Hayward doesn’t have to get pigeon-holed into a certain position because of his skill set.
Standing at a strong 6’8″ and 226 pounds, Hayward can either play shooting guard or small forward depending on the lineup. His jump shot is pure, which gives him the ability to switch over to the lead guard spot.
Furthermore, Hayward has the ability like most great players to make the teammates around him better. He understands how to get others involved offensively and he’s one of the best when it comes to creating for others. This year Hayward is averaging 3.1 assists a game for the slowest-paced offense in the league, and six of his teammates average double-figure points.
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Regardless of how Utah does this season next year, they’ll need to either make a trade or bring in someone through the draft that could eventually turn into a future star because they need more offensive-minded players in their lineup. In order to compete for a championship, you need a box office superstar that can get buckets on any given opponent.
It’s what separates the elite teams from the Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Hornets.