Unless you live in China and don’t have access to Google or the desire to follow the NBA, you’ve likely seen at least one post about Gordon Hayward leaving Utah in free agency to take his talents to South Beach or reunite with his old college coach in Boston. I, however, am not convinced that either of those are good ideas for Gordon. It’s not often that the Utah Jazz turn out to be the best location for big-time free agents, but here are a few reasons why Utah is the perfect destination for G-Time:
1. We drafted him
2. Loyalty counts
Growing up in Indiana, Gordon was an Indiana Pacers fan and he cheered for Reggie Miller. Miller, whom I’m not crazy about, always had something in him that I admired: loyalty. He could have left and gone to a bigger market and made more money on endorsement deals. He could have joined up with his archenemies in New York or Chicago and formed a super-team. But Reggie gave that up to be loyal to the team that drafted him and the state that adopted him. Gordon is in a situation where proving his loyalty to us in the coming days would cement him as an all-time Utah Jazz great. Number 20 would hang from the rafters of the Delta Solutions Smart Home Arena forever, and his legacy would be cemented in the hearts of Jazz fans around the country.
3. We care about him more
Not only does Utah have a more passionate fan base than Boston or Miami, but we actually care about him. In Boston, the Celtics are the second, sometimes third fiddle to the Red Sox and Bruins. I’m not sure if the city of Miami actually realizes that the night club that they attend also happens to double as a basketball arena, either. They don’t care as much as we do. In Utah, the Jazz are The Big Ticket (all due respect, Aaron) and they always will be. Not only are the Jazz the hottest show in town, but Gordon is the ringmaster. He’s the one we are going to see every night. If he goes to Boston, he’ll be appreciated, sure, but that will never be his team or his town. Miami might be one of the worst sports cities in America because they don’t care. They show up late to NBA Finals games and leave early. They gotta hit up the club, right? Gordon Hayward means something to us. He’s connected with the fan base in a way that nobody has since St. John (Stockton) himself. He’s a family man from a small NBA market who is quiet off the floor and efficient on it. There isn’t another team in the NBA that will care about or love Gordon Hayward more than the Utah Jazz.
4. We can offer more money
With the current NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, it allows for the team that the player was previously on to offer more money in free agency than other teams. This is a big advantage for smaller-market teams who are trying to keep their players. If he were to sign a "max contract" with the Jazz, he would have more security, as he’d be able to sign a six-year deal worth $236 million, whereas, with another team, he could only sign a four-year deal worth $132 million. This contract is likely the one with which he will make the most money in in his whole career, because at the end of the contract he will be 32 or 33 years old and will be towards the end of his prime, and thus worth less money. If it’s finances that Gordon is worried about, he has no reason to go elsewhere.
5. He doesn’t really have a better chance at winning in Miami or Boston
Boston added Al Horford in the offseason and people thought that that move might push them over the edge and into the NBA Finals. They even got the first seed in the Eastern Conference. Then they ran into the LeBron James buzzsaw and got smacked by the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals. Here’s the thing: LeBron isn’t leaving Cleveland and LeBron is going to be in the finals wherever he is at. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it has been for the last seven years. Boston would have to beat Cleveland in the playoffs in order for them to get a ring. Not happening. If he goes to Miami, it would be even more difficult for him to make it far in the playoffs, as he would have to compete with both Boston and Cleveland and he would have less help on the Heat. The Jazz likely won’t be winning a ring anytime soon, either, but they have a brighter long-term future, with a younger roster than either Miami or Boston. Gordon probably won’t win a ring in any of the three likely destinations, but, as previously mentioned, he would make more money and be more appreciated in Utah.6. Utah management caters to Gordon
They have ever since he got drafted here. They have plastered his face on billboards and on the front of the arena. He’s been in commercials and been the face of the organization pretty much since he arrived. Let's not forget that they declared June 24th "#HayDay." This offseason has further proved that the Jazz are trying to make moves to win right now, and we want him at the helm - not as a plan B. The Jazz moved up in the draft to get a lottery pick and traded for Ricky Rubio. The Jazz’s window is right now, and management is doing what they can to make the team as competitive as possible and to make Gordon Hayward as good as possible.
