Gordon Hayward
Who better to start with than the leader of the Utah Jazz, Gordon Hayward? Despite some criticisms, Hayward has only gotten better each and every year as a member of the blue, green and gold.
Though last year’s jump in production may not have been quite as drastic as many had hoped, the 6-foot-8 forward has proven that he is among the top small forwards in the league.
Last season, Hayward’s impressive stat line of 19.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists wasn’t far behind many of the players who received All-Star nods. Though his shooting was down both from the field and from behind the arc, Hayward continued to be Utah’s leading scorer and key contributor, showing a variety of skills that helped him stuff the stat sheet and be a much-needed leader on the squad.
Truthfully, if the Jazz are able to match the illustrious expectations that many sports pundits are putting on them of finishing as one of the top teams in the West, as long as Hayward plays about as well as he did last season (and hopefully even better) he should be in the conversation for an All-Star nod.
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Despite having worthy stats the past couple seasons, the team’s overall lack of success has largely contributed to Hayward being stuck as an afterthought. Nevertheless, if he is able to bump his scoring average up to 20 or more points per game and help lead the team to at least the middle of the playoff pack by the All-Star break, he has a legitimate shot at being an All-Star.
However, there’s also the concern that given Hayward’s minuscule increase in production from 2014-15 to 2015-16, perhaps the former ninth overall pick has already plateaued.
It doesn’t seem likely that Hayward’s best days are already behind him, but unless he proves otherwise by having a more efficient and higher impact season this time around, the Jazz will be hard pressed to reach their heightened goals.
Having said that, with George Hill running the point, Hayward should have a lot more help on offense and more space to operate. If he can shoot more efficiently and focus on making the right basketball plays, he should have no problem performing at a higher level and earning his first All-Star appearance.
Best Case Scenario: All-Star appearance, 20-plus points per game, establishes himself as team leader
Worst Case Scenario: Plateaued last season and sees a substantial decrease in production and effectiveness this year
Next: Derrick Favors