When asked on Twitter about other teams he would like to play for, Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard put the Utah Jazz at the top of his list.
With just over two weeks remaining until the NBA free agent frenzy kicks into high gear, it’s been hard times for Utah Jazz fans. As Gordon Hayward prepares to hit the open market, seemingly every story coming through the rumor mill has Utah’s lone All-Star skipping town for Boston or Miami on July 1.
On Wednesday, Jazzland got something of a reprieve from the Hayward chatter. Instead of Hayward-to-Wherever hubbub, the talk on Twitter was centered on another team’s star coming to Utah. And unlike the Hayward rumors, this one comes straight from the player himself.
When asked on the social media platform which team(s) he’d be interested in joining if he could sign on with another squad right now, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard put the Jazz at the top of his list —
If blazers said they didn't want me... Utah Jazz or Lakers https://t.co/jep3V9qRsS
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) June 14, 2017
There you have it, Jazz fans. Lillard to Utah confirmed. Amirite?!
Let’s just ignore the fact that he also mentioned the L.A. Lakers.
Of course, this is a completely hypothetical situation with the qualifier that staying with the Blazers isn’t an option. In reality, Lillard is locked in with PDX for the long haul. Lillard still has four years and more than $115 million left on his deal with Portland.
Nevertheless, if you’re Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey, aren’t you picking up the phone the very minute you see Lillard giving your team a shout like this?
Whether it’s a legit possibility or not, one thing is for sure — the Jazz would obviously love to have him. Be it next to Hayward or as his replacement.
Even if we’re talking about a pie-in-the-sky scenario, it makes sense that Lillard would talk about Utah as a landing spot. As a collegiate, he spent four years in Ogden, UT balling out for the Weber State Wildcats. To this day, he continues to rep both the state and the Weber St. program in a major way.
Moreover, the Jazz continue to be franchise that invests in winning, as evidenced by the ongoing renovation to the team’s practice and training facilities.
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
In any event, enjoy the momentary respite from Gordon Watch 2017 while it lasts.