Gordon Hayward probably isn't a household name for the casual NBA fan. Most know he plays for the Jazz but the casual fan has no idea just how good he is. He has a player option heading into the offseason and financially it will be smart for him to get a new max contract. There are three reasons this series against the Warriors can keep Gordon Hayward in Utah.
Utah's resilience
The Utah Jazz are down 3 to 0 to the Golden State Warriors. On paper that doesn't look good, but this team has been challenging Golden State. No one expected the Jazz to win the championship this season, and to take the Warriors closer than the Trail Blazers did, than the Clippers would, speaks volumes.
Their resilience in this series has been phenomenal, and each game they've gotten better at adjusting to the Warriors.
The Jazz might not be a championship team, but this team right now is better than 75% of the teams in the NBA, and they are just getting started. They have young, promising talent in Hayward, Rudy Gobert, and Derrick Favors. They've got veteran leadership and the process is in their favor. The Warriors are dominant right now but eventually there will be a new team on the block and the Jazz have some pieces to make it there.
Hayward's success
Gordon Hayward has laid the foundation in Utah. He's been the face of an organization that hasn't seen this in almost 10 years. Hayward's success there and making an All-star appearance solidifies his spot in the Utah Jazz organization and if he stays will solidify him eventually into Jazz history.
He's been an incredible player for them, a consistent one offensively and defensively, and it seems his priorities are to win but not at the cost of leaving his home and his team.
Team chemistry
If you watch the Jazz play, they play team-oriented basketball. You see ball movement and everyone touching the basketball. This team chemistry doesn't just happen overnight or with any team.
If Hayward leaves Utah, the team chemistry he'll try to create anywhere else likely won't work. There are a few teams that are in the same boat as Utah in terms of talent, but none of them can create the chemistry he has with the Jazz.
The Jazz are building something big in Utah right now. They've seen noticeable growth throughout the last three years, and they've got a bunch of young talent and a quality coach in Quin Snyder -- and Gordon Hayward is the face of it all.
