Utah Jazz Get Early Visit From the Injury Bug

The Utah Jazz’s promising outlook for 2016-17 hit a minor roadblock as Gordon Hayward suffered an injury that could have him sidelined for up to six weeks.

So much hype. So much excitement. So much promise. After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, largely due to an onslaught of injuries, everything seemed to be going so smoothly for the Utah Jazz heading into 2016-17.

Perhaps a little too smoothly…

After months of anticipation for a healthy core heading into the season, the Utah Jazz have suddenly hit a roadblock. It was reported Friday that Gordon Hayward suffered a broken and dislocated finger in his left hand and will likely be sidelined for six weeks.

With all the positive vibes coming out of Jazzland, longtime fans all too used to heartbreak almost had to suspect something like this was coming. Why basketball gods, why?!

Gordon Hayward looked absolutely impeccable in Utah’s first two preseason games and every indication showed that he was ready to elevate his game to another level in what was primed to be a breakthrough year for the team. Now Jazz fans may have to wait until about the final week in November to see Hayward return to the court.

This will certainly present a big challenge for the Jazz who will be missing their top scoring option and leader on the floor. The difficulty is worsened by one look at Utah’s schedule to start out the year. Assuming Hayward truly is out for the entire six-week period, he would miss the first 13 regular season games which includes bouts against the likes of the Blazers, Clippers, Spurs (twice), Mavericks and Grizzlies.

It would have been tough to imagine the Jazz finishing much above .500 over the course of those first 13 games anyway with so many players adapting to the new team and facing such quality opponents. Now without their top dog, even a mere 7-6 start seems like it could be quite difficult.

Yet, while this is a grim way to start out the season, there are definitely some positive aspects to remember, or at least some reassurances.

First of all, the Jazz improved their depth during the offseason for this very reason. Had Utah not suffered so many injuries last season, particularly to Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert, there’s no arguing that they would have made the playoffs.

But after seeing just how fatal those injuries were, Jazz brass made sure they added the right pieces to prevent another such collapse this season. While, yes, it is frustrating to see Hayward out, at least the Jazz have a number of capable backups such as newcomer Joe Johnson, a recovered Alec Burks who should be ready to go by the start of the regular season, and the ever steady Joe Ingles who filled in several times last season as well.

With Johnson, Burks and Ingles working to fill the void in Hayward’s absence, it’s likely that Dante Exum will see some time at the two (which he has played considerably in the preseason) and Shelvin Mack, could be used at the back-up point.

In other words, by no means is it ideal to have Hayward out, but luckily the Jazz have a lot more options and talent to turn to this time around.

The other bit of good news is that at least this injury occurred during the preseason and not in the middle of March while the Jazz were trying to make a playoff push. Sure, every win counts toward that eventual playoff seed, but the fact that the first two and a half weeks of Hayward’s recovery will take place before the season even starts provides a little bit of a silver lining to all this.

Also, while there’s definitely some extremely difficult games to start out the year (I’m bummed the Jazz won’t get to measure themselves at full strength against the Spurs during the two early season match-ups), there’s also some “gimmes” in there that this deep Jazz squad should win regardless of Hayward’s absence, such as games against the Lakers and 76ers.

And the early contests against Eastern Conference foes such as the Knicks, Hornets, Magic, Heat and Bulls are all very winnable without Hayward as well. Many of those teams underwent some interesting changes this offseason and none appears to be too threatening of an opponent this year.

With a little bit of luck and some quickly formed chemistry, the Jazz could potentially still find themselves at least at 7-6 to start the year and ready to take a big step forward from there once they welcome Hayward back to the court.

By no means am I willing to stick out my neck and claim that will definitely be the case, but I will say that it really is feasible if the rest of the team can come together.

Which brings me to a final potential positive of Hayward’s absence which will be to improve the confidence and production of his teammates. Everyone on the team recognizes that Hayward is the lead guy, but now the rest of his teammates, particularly starters Derrick Favors and George Hill, will have to step up their games.

Hill played some of the best basketball of his career for the Indiana Pacers in the absence of Paul George. With Hayward out, Hill will once again be looked to as a creator and scorer at the wing position. Favors, meanwhile, has closely challenged Hayward as the team’s number one option and in Gordon’s absence, he may very well have to be just that.

If the likes of Favors and Hill can rise to the occasion and find success while Hayward is out, it will only make them more effective once he returns. Sure, there will be some adjusting once the player who led the team in scoring last season with 19.7 points per game is suddenly thrown back into the mix, but assuming Hill and Favors find their groove in Hayward’s absence, his return should complement their progress and just make the team that much more dangerous.

More from The J-Notes

• With the FIBA World Cup over for Simone Fontecchio, it’s clear he deserves minutes for the Utah Jazz
• Best, Worst and Most likely scenarios for the Utah Jazz this season
• Hoops Hype downplays the significance of the Utah Jazz’s valuable assets
• 3 Utah Jazz players who have the most to gain or lose this season
• Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay is a free agent still and it shouldn’t surprise anyone

So while this injury to Hayward certainly isn’t good news, it’s not as bad as it might seem and is definitely not as bad as it would have been last year. Missing up to 13 games is frustrating, but as long as it’s not a precursor for more injuries to come, it shouldn’t utterly doom Utah’s season by any means.

So take heart, Jazz fans, the situation isn’t as awful as it appears. All that’s left to do now is hope for a speedy recovery for Gordon and that the rest of this revamped Jazz squad can significantly step up their game until he returns.