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Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell heals scars of last year’s Independence Day

By Jared Woodcox

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 02: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz hosts a 3 v 3 Tournament at vivint.SmartHome Arena on July 2, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JULY 02: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz hosts a 3 v 3 Tournament at vivint.SmartHome Arena on July 2, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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On the one-year anniversary of Gordon Hayward’s departure from the Utah Jazz, rising star Donovan Mitchell reminded us just how great he is.

July 4, 2017 is a date that will live in infamy among Utah Jazz fans. Rather than a day spent celebrating the independence of the United States of America, enjoying food and fun with family and friends, it was a day marked by former Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward declaring his independence from the Utah Jazz.

One year ago, the lead man of a team that had finally made it back into the playoffs after a long drought spurned his team and departed for greener pastures. For the time being, Utah’s future appeared quite grim.

However, obviously so much has changed since then. Between the rise of Donovan Mitchell and Utah’s return to the postseason, it’s not a stretch at all to say that Hayward really wasn’t missed that much this season. Mitchell has done everything both on and off the court to help a heart-aching city move on from the loss of their star.

There’s no question about it, throughout the 2017-18 campaign, Donovan fully erased the pain of losing Hayward and allowed the organization and its fans to feel hopeful again.

And on the one-year anniversary of that very day in which Hayward flew the coop, Mitchell once again reminded us of just how great he is, further healing any traces of scars that could exist from that fateful day a year ago.

In the morning of the 4th, Mitchell posted the following on Twitter–

One of the biggest criticisms that Hayward received even in his time as a Jazzman was that he seldom seemed to engage with the fans, make himself a part of the community or even show appreciation for those that supported him. Meanwhile, Mitchell was out there looking for Salt Lake City barbecues that he could attend on the Fourth of July.

And he wasn’t just blowing smoke in that tweet. Of the hundreds of people that responded to his inquiry, it seems that at least a few of them were actually graced by his presence on Independence Day. The tweet below from Bleacher Report shows some evidence of Mitchell hooping it up in the pool at a 4th of July party he decided to join–

While a former Jazz star turned tail and ran as soon as he got the chance, this Jazz star has done all the right things, most importantly showing respect, appreciation and love for the organization that drafted him and the city that has embraced him.

Next: Utah Jazz re-signing free agents is reason for celebration, not criticism

A year ago on Independence Day, Gordon Hayward declared his independence from the Utah Jazz. This time around, with the assurance that Donovan Mitchell will be Utah’s star for the foreseeable future, Utah Jazz fans can officially declare independence from any hint of remorse or heartbreak that still existed due to the results of last year’s Fourth of July.

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