30Gordo apparently gonna play through the injury... I gotta give him some respect there... toughing out an injury to play for a ****** Horncats team to go 30-42 is commitment.
I mean, the Boston situation was rather fraught with a freak injury and a talent logjam that didn't wait for him.So after everything that happened, it now turns out that the perfect situation for Hayward is to be a big fish in a small pond where he can be first or second option and have a high usage rate. Which totally doesn't sound like the Jazz team in 2017.
Yeah, at the end of the day he's really good and been unlucky and ended up on a situation that weren't helping himI mean, the Boston situation was rather fraught with a freak injury and a talent logjam that didn't wait for him.
He's playing really good, efficient basketball, and that's just the fact. Only the Lebrons of the world can drag a bad team to prominence. Hayward would be a terrific 2nd/3rd option somewhere, it's just that in Boston, he didn't know if he was 2nd or 5th and I think his teammates didn't like him or his teacher's pet status. Who could blame them?
There is plenty of room for nuance with Hayward, who while being a terrific basketball player, is also a wildly insecure turd.
Even more If we consider that in Quin's playbook there weren't lobs thrown at congested paints where he'd get sandwiched between defenders (pure unlucky and something that should be considered as a really unfortunate consequence of players still getting to know each others and a new system, but that wouldn't be the case here), normally we did It with him running into the space behind defenders, eventually coming of some off ball screen (as we used some to Mitchell too, after he left).It's really frustrating thinking how good Utah could have been these last 4 years if Hayward stayed.
Not to mention I would not have put a voodoo curse on him if he had stayed...Even more If we consider that in Quin's playbook there weren't lobs thrown at congested paints where he'd get sandwiched between defenders (pure unlucky and something that should be considered as a really unfortunate consequence of players still getting to know each others and a new system, but that wouldn't be the case here), normally we did It with him running into the space behind defenders, eventually coming of some off ball screen (as we used some to Mitchell too, after he left).
I mean, freak injuries can happen whenever, for any stupid and unlucky reason, like TJ Warren flying over Exum's head, or both Rudy minor knee sprains that could've easily been worse, either when Waiters threw himself into his leg challenging for a loose ball, or when Faves lost balance disputing a rebound and fell into Rudy, but the way It happened with Hayward, i'd have a hard time seeing It happening here
He can't change the past and he knows he burned bridges here (he might not have as many regrets as he maybe should considering how much spite he received from Jazz nation in the wake of his dog-**** move). He is looking to find the next best thing to what he had here, and that's honestly kinda sad.I saw an interesting story when he opted out from the Celtics and he had four or five suitors all Eastern Conference teams. He said he wanted to go to a "family" atmosphere where he was wanted. WTF did he have here? Did we need to buy more bill boards?
Beautifully put.I often think about how players are so concerned about their legacies. I mean, I get it. Your career is maybe 10-15 years and retirement might be 50+ years. Something has to sustain you (emotionally and psychologically) after the curtain comes down. That's why players are so desperate for rings today and why someone like KD has burner accounts on social media so he can defend himself against random incels and neckbeards.
What I think often gets overlooked is a sense of "home." When your career is over, where can you return? Where will fans still adore you and pay to listen to your stories? Where can you count on being given an entry-level coaching job if you want to go down that route? Where might your number hang from the rafters? All this becomes more important the further you get from your last game as a pro.
Why has Deron tried to mend fences lately? Why is he appearing on podcasts(he's loving the current Jazz team btw) and talking about the Jazz? Why does he suddenly care? I mean, he played less than half of his career here. Well, more than half in terms of games because injuries struck hard after he left, but in terms of seasons played. He played in the Finals with Cleveland and he was an All-Star in New Jersey. Why isn't he going around those places trying to be a hanger-on? Because of course, no one cares in those places. The only places he could conceivably make "home" is in Utah. Had he stayed, his number would be retired. Did you know that the Jazz have more numbers retired than the Knicks? I have a feeling #15 will be up there in a few years as well, and I really hope to see #47 up there as well. I know some people will disagree. Did you also know that only one player to have played for the Knicks in the past 40 years is among those nine numbers the Knicks have retired? It's not like the Knicks haven't had star players since.
When it's all said and done, where is "home" going to be for Hayward? Where will pictures like this one happen for him?
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You think Boston media will seek him out to get his opinion on the struggles of the 2029/30 Celtics team? Will the Hornets even be in Charlotte by then? I know Hayward is not a HoFer or anything, but he was a one-time All-Star and at his peak was a good player. Where will he come back to, though?
Hell, Carmelo is probably going to the HoF and is currently 14th in all-time points scored in the NBA. He may just crack top 10 by the end of this season. He's very likely to end his career and not have his number retired anywhere. Think about that for a second. Top 10 of all time in scoring and no team retires your number. I really don't think the Nuggets do it because of the way he left and everything that happened. The Knicks? I mean, he won 7 playoff games for them, and if they haven't retired other numbers except Ewing's in 40 years, I don't think they retire his.
Who knows how things might have played out if Hayward stayed here. Maybe we have the same team with Hayward instead of Bojan. Maybe Don doesn't quite develop the same way. Maybe we trade him and picks for a one year rental of a disgruntled superstar and make a push for the title. Who knows. There are two things I do know, however. He's not on the court against the Cavs on Oct 17 2017 and never gets tangled with Jae Crowder. The other one is that 5-6 years from now his number is up at the arena and the media always precedes his name with "former Jazz star." And I think as he gets older, he may regret this not happening in the way Deron is regretting it right now.
Speaking of Stock his son Michael was Euro player of the week as he scored 34 points on 14-17 shooting in a game.I often think about how players are so concerned about their legacies. I mean, I get it. Your career is maybe 10-15 years and retirement might be 50+ years. Something has to sustain you (emotionally and psychologically) after the curtain comes down. That's why players are so desperate for rings today and why someone like KD has burner accounts on social media so he can defend himself against random incels and neckbeards.
What I think often gets overlooked is a sense of "home." When your career is over, where can you return? Where will fans still adore you and pay to listen to your stories? Where can you count on being given an entry-level coaching job if you want to go down that route? Where might your number hang from the rafters? All this becomes more important the further you get from your last game as a pro.
Why has Deron tried to mend fences lately? Why is he appearing on podcasts(he's loving the current Jazz team btw) and talking about the Jazz? Why does he suddenly care? I mean, he played less than half of his career here. Well, more than half in terms of games because injuries struck hard after he left, but in terms of seasons played. He played in the Finals with Cleveland and he was an All-Star in New Jersey. Why isn't he going around those places trying to be a hanger-on? Because of course, no one cares in those places. The only places he could conceivably make "home" is in Utah. Had he stayed, his number would be retired. Did you know that the Jazz have more numbers retired than the Knicks? I have a feeling #15 will be up there in a few years as well, and I really hope to see #47 up there as well. I know some people will disagree. Did you also know that only one player to have played for the Knicks in the past 40 years is among those nine numbers the Knicks have retired? It's not like the Knicks haven't had star players since.
When it's all said and done, where is "home" going to be for Hayward? Where will pictures like this one happen for him?
![]()
You think Boston media will seek him out to get his opinion on the struggles of the 2029/30 Celtics team? Will the Hornets even be in Charlotte by then? I know Hayward is not a HoFer or anything, but he was a one-time All-Star and at his peak was a good player. Where will he come back to, though?
Hell, Carmelo is probably going to the HoF and is currently 14th in all-time points scored in the NBA. He may just crack top 10 by the end of this season. He's very likely to end his career and not have his number retired anywhere. Think about that for a second. Top 10 of all time in scoring and no team retires your number. I really don't think the Nuggets do it because of the way he left and everything that happened. The Knicks? I mean, he won 7 playoff games for them, and if they haven't retired other numbers except Ewing's in 40 years, I don't think they retire his.
Who knows how things might have played out if Hayward stayed here. Maybe we have the same team with Hayward instead of Bojan. Maybe Don doesn't quite develop the same way. Maybe we trade him and picks for a one year rental of a disgruntled superstar and make a push for the title. Who knows. There are two things I do know, however. He's not on the court against the Cavs on Oct 17 2017 and never gets tangled with Jae Crowder. The other one is that 5-6 years from now his number is up at the arena and the media always precedes his name with "former Jazz star." And I think as he gets older, he may regret this not happening in the way Deron is regretting it right now.
Word.If you saw last night's game, tell me you don't think Deron is looking for "home."
Word.
And I know this is pure fantasy, but it would be incredible if he was finally both healthy and motivated and shocked the world by coming back and leading the garbage time unit on a championship team.