Utah Jazz happy Gordon Hayward is now enjoying ‘clarity and comfort’ with Hornets

Four summers ago, Gordon Hayward left a team of small bull markets for the bright lights of Boston. This last offseason, he left Boston for another team of small bull markets.

And on Friday night, he led his new small markets team against his original team in a loop moment.

Not that the Utah Jazz saw it that way, having long since left his shocking start, reorganizing around Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell to now become one of the best teams in the league. And with Hayward on the Hornets these days, there’s enough emotional distance to now just assess what he brings to Charlotte as an opponent, as opposed to what he’s left behind, or what could have been.

Hayward entered Friday’s game averaging 22.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and shooting 50.1% from the floor and 43.2% from beyond the arc. .

“Well it’s no secret how I feel about Gordon and the type of player he is – I think he’s one of the best players in the league, and he shows it. in this situation here, “said his former trainer and still – Jazz trainer Quin Snyder.

After signing with the Celtics, intending to be the guy who would take their rebuilding to the next level, things never quite worked out that way. A grotesque leg injury in his first game sidelined him for a long time. In the meantime, the young core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown has started to assert control of the team. Hayward became relegated to a lesser role.

Until he achieved free will this last offseason, and the Hornets threw their checkbooks at him, hoping he could do with them what he never could with the Celtics and guide a young team. aspiring to a higher level.

Charlotte coach James Borrego still can’t believe what he ended up in.

“Most importantly, he was a gem as a playmaker. He’s got the size – in this league we needed someone who was the size who could play. And his game is the best thing he does, and I think you’ve seen him in Utah, ”Borrego said. “I think he’s improved, probably, even more than his days in Utah as a playmaker. But he likes to share the ball, move the ball, he loves to pass the ball.

“We tried to change his shooting profile a bit. So more than 3, more [at the] rim, more free throws. And he did, he was exceptional there when it comes to shooting the ball, ”he added. “And he just bought us a fourth quarter closer. I think he did it for Jazz too, some in Boston; and for us, obviously, he’s got that poise, that ability to get his own shot, pull it from 3s out of pick-and-roll, shoot midrange, or hit it when needed. It was more of a match problem than I expected.

Hayward got off to a quick start on Friday, scoring 11 points in the first quarter. His shot abandoned him in the second quarter because he went without a goal.

In the third, however, he was back on track, scoring 14 points and single-handedly trying to keep the Hornets within earshot.

He couldn’t pull it off, in the end, finishing with 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in the loss.

Still, Snyder was happy to see him in a situation where he was thriving again.

“I think the clarity he has, that JB has provided for him, the way they use him on the pitch, you can see his level of comfort,” he said. “And when he’s comfortable – like any player, that’s when you’re able to play, score and do a lot of other things on the pitch.” [improves].

“I think the way he plays, and the system and the way they use it, he clearly doesn’t look like he’s been here for a while,” Snyder added. “He seems to be very comfortable and happy, that he fell into a frame of mind and an opportunity like he did, because he worked hard to get to where he was. is. And like I said, I think he’s one of the best players in the league.