Can Utah Jazz Star Gordon Hayward Reach A New Level?

Mar 18, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) tries to get past Washington Wizards forward Paul Pierce (34) during the third quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Washington Wizards won the game 88-84. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

We recently ran a quick insta-poll on the Purple & Blues Twitter posing the following question–can Gordon Hayward reach a higher level of production for the Utah Jazz? As of this writing, Jazz fans have responded with a resounding yes, believing the best is yet to come for G-Time. It’s a belief that is shared by Hayward himself.

In a recent blog entitled “The Value of Offseason Work” for GordonHayward20.com, the Jazz forward wrote about his development as a player, as well as the evolution of his Jazz team–

"“The way things came together last season had me even more motivated about continuing to progress this offseason into next year. I was able to do a lot of good things last year, and it kind of opened up my eyes again to how much further I can go. The success of the team over the last half of the season pushed me, too. It made me to want to be even better next year so we can make the leap.”"

The belief that he can take his game to another level has prompted the five-year pro to work as hard as he can to realize his potential. To that end, the Jazz star has been pushing himself to the limit at St. Vincent Sports Performance in his home state of Indiana this summer. He even held his own veteran minicamp, which allowed him to work with Jazz teammates Rodney Hood and Jack Cooley.

Josh McRoberts of the Miami Heat and former NBA players Rodney Carney and Daequan Cook also participated in the camp. Hayward described the experience as an important step in his recovery from a May heel surgery, as it marked his first five-on-five action since the procedure–

Of course, the willingness to get better doesn’t always translate to success on the hardwood; the path to stardom is a hard row to hoe. Hayward has been able to elevate his game in the past, but it’s been a difficult journey for the former Butler standout.

Hayward spoke about these challenges in an interview with Hoops Factory TV during the recent USA Basketball minicamp–

Difficulty aside, Hayward has been equal to the task of molding himself into the versatile player that he is. Two years ago, he became the team’s leading scorer following the departures of Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. Last season, he came into Jazz training camp bigger and stronger than ever before following an intense effort to improve his body throughout the summer.

After struggling to score efficiently in his first campaign as Utah’s go-to guy, Hayward was better able to carry the burden that had been thrust upon him. Now, he ranks among the best at his position in the NBA.

This offseason has been no different as Hayward works to reach new heights yet again. In his blog, he spoke about adding a post-up game to his arsenal for next season–

"“I’ve gone to work a lot on my post game. I’m trying to develop some things that will allow me to take advantage of my size in certain situations. If point guards switch on me, or smaller guards switch on me, I want to be able to take advantage, kind of punish guys, and give myself or one of my teammates a great scoring opportunity. A big part of it is being more patient and waiting just a little longer in the post and on pick and rolls.”"

As Hayward gets older, it’s this willingness to self-analyze and expand his basketball skill set that will continue to push his game in a positive direction. Now, as a 25-year-old about to enter his prime, it’s what will allow him to become an All-Star in the league.

So, will Hayward be able to hit that next gear as an NBA player or have we now seen all he has to offer the franchise? Both Hayward and Jazz fans seem to believe that something bigger lies in store. If nothing else, he’s proven that he’s dedicated to the cause.

There’s never a guarantee that things will play out exactly as we would like, but as the old saying goes, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

May Hayward’s will be done.

Next: Update on Garrett Temple-Utah Jazz Trade Rumors

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