Hayward’s Hurt, But the Utah Jazz Will Survive

Gordon Hayward is expected to miss the opening weeks of the 2016-17 season, but the Utah Jazz are built to cope with the loss.

So it happened. The thing that almost single-handedly derailed the Utah Jazz train last season and continues to haunt fans today. A key player has fallen prey to injury. Last year, Dante Exum lost an entire season and Alec Burks missed most of his. As the year wore on, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert also joined the ranks of the walking wounded.

Now, just two games into the preseason, the Jazz have lost their best player to an injury. Gordon Hayward suffered a broken and dislocated finger this week and could miss somewhere in the neighborhood of six weeks while he recovers.

That timeline not only has him missing the start of the season, but could keep him out for much of the first month of games.

Woe is us, right?

For a fanbase that stood idly by as injuries laid waste to the team’s playoff hopes during the 2015-16 campaign, the news of Hayward’s setback is unsettling to say the least.

But as Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reminds us, “Don’t Panic!”

Last year, injuries were the death knell. And if Hayward had broken his finger then, we would have been treated to a steady dose of Chris Johnson clanging corner threes and Joe Ingles leading the Jazz in minutes. I love those guys, but I think it’s safe to say that no one wants that.

Things couldn’t be more different now. The Jazz are deeper and more versatile than they’ve been in a decade and their wing group is one of the strongest in the league.

With Hayward out, there’s a seven-time All-Star on the bench in Joe Johnson ready to lead the charge. He’s done it for most of his career and once he’s wise to the Jazz band’s schemes, there’s no reason he can’t get back to making his own sweet music.

Just last season, Johnson was able to help carry the load for the Miami Heat in Chris Bosh’s absence. His postseason performance even helped them win a playoff series.

Or we could see Exum enter the starting five as a shooting guard while Rodney Hood slides to the three spot. Exum has the length to hold his own there defensively and his three-point shot is looking much improved in preseason play.

Hood, meanwhile, is no stranger to being the No. 1 offensive option and even absorbed some of Hayward’s crunch time touches last year. The idea that he could assume the team’s alpha dog mantle for a time while Hayward recovers isn’t difficult to get behind.

Of course, the task of making up for Hayward’s production doesn’t fall to the wing players alone. It’s a team-wide endeavor. Once again, that added firepower comes into play.

Newcomer George Hill has a little bit of experience with keeping a team afloat while an elite wing recovers from injury. When Indiana Pacers star Paul George was on the shelf during the 2014-15 season, Hill took his game to another level for Indy. Although he struggled with injuries of his own, Hill averaged 16.1 points and 5.1 assists that year.

Both were career highs and just the kind of production that would help keep the Jazz on track.

The team could (and likely will) also lean more on Favors. As much as Hayward is one of the league’s unsung stars, Favors is also arguably a top five player at his position. Before injuries took their toll last season, you could argue that he — not Hayward — was Utah’s steadiest hand.

This summer, Favors joined Hayward in taking his offseason workouts to a new level and took steps to become a more versatile offensive player.

Now, with G-Time on the shelf, D-Faves will look to steer the ship. And if anyone has the game to keep that ship above water, it’s Favors.

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Given his importance to the Jazz, as well as the way injuries blew up the team’s trajectory last year, Hayward’s broken hand has broken fans’ spirits a bit.

Again — Don’t Panic!

It was always going to be tough sledding to start the year. Five of the team’s first six games are against squads that made the playoffs last year. This is followed in short order by a five-game Eastern road swing. With or without Hayward, the Jazz are going to lose some games there.

But with the team’s improved depth, it won’t get as bad as it did at times last season.

Moreover, Hayward should be back in action before things really have a chance to get grim. According to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News, some within the Jazz organization are even optimistic that Hayward will be able to beat the six-week timetable.

So keep calm and carry on. Hayward’s hurt, but the Jazz will survive.