Hayward ranked summer league number 1

[The59Sound]

Tend to agree with Quantum. Kid's got game. I was upset at first too, but there's a reason we're blowing off steam here, and KOC's in the war room.

[erudite23]

I will personally measure Hayward against the progress of Ed Davis, Cole Aldrich and Luke Babbitt, the 3 players that I would have taken instead of him in that spot. If one of those guys turns out to be a stud and Hayward is just a role player, I will be extremely pissed. But it is what it is now, and I'm Gordy all the way. At the same time, there are things that trouble me about him. I'm happy with what I saw in the SL, though. He did everything he could for me, albeit in very limited minutes (still don't understand the way the Jazz do that stupid ****).

[The59Sound]

Luke Babbitt will be selling cars with Ed O'Bannon in three years, in my opinion. But we'll see.

[HammerDunk]

I will personally measure Hayward against the progress of Ed Davis, Cole Aldrich and Luke Babbitt, the 3 players that I would have taken instead of him in that spot. If one of those guys turns out to be a stud and Hayward is just a role player, I will be extremely pissed. But it is what it is now, and I'm Gordy all the way. At the same time, there are things that trouble me about him. I'm happy with what I saw in the SL, though. He did everything he could for me, albeit in very limited minutes (still don't understand the way the Jazz do that stupid ****).

I'm pretty sure you should also say that when you measure them, and they are worse than Gordon, you certainly won't be pissed. You get the benefit of playing armchair QB, KOC doesn't. So far so good.

[Neon Black]

As soon as Favors, Monroe and Cousins were gone I no longer wanted a single big left in the draft. I didn't expect Hayward but I wasn't pissed in the least.

[Nate505]

Tend to agree with Quantum. Kid's got game. I was upset at first too, but there's a reason we're blowing off steam here, and KOC's in the war room.

I don't know if i was upset with the pick, but I wasn't expecting it and thought that the Jazz should have picked 3-5 different players that were still on the board. Still, I always wanted to at least give the kid a chance before I bashed him.

[God Squad]

lol @ This article. Hayward was alright. But not the best by any means. I don't even think he was top 8 rookie. But he was good. Maybe a little to passive at times?

[The59Sound]

Maybe a little to passive at times?

I think it's restraint and discipline, more than being passive. Hayward impressed everyone by not trying to be the July Kobe, unlike a lot of other guys. I actually agree with the "article" (I use that word loosely, since its author is known only by an online handle) that he was summer league's top performer, even though he's not the best player of the bunch.

[HammerDunk]

Maybe a little to passive at times?

I think it's restraint and discipline, more than being passive. Hayward impressed everyone by not trying to be the July Kobe, unlike a lot of other guys. I actually agree with the "article" (I use that word loosely, since its author is known only by an online handle) that he was summer league's top performer, even though he's not the best player of the bunch.

Take what you want from his "passiveness", but I look at it that he knows he already has some level of trust with KOC and the Jazz, he knows what his role will be on the team, he was playing within that role, and did exactly what we will want him to do in the regular season. I don't see this as a negative at all, but as a very VERY positive thing. I imagine that he went into the SL games with the kind of mindset that he needed to work on and improve in the areas that he will be most valuable to this team, which won't be pure scoring. He didn't force that, which is awesome.

There is a reason why guys like Morris Almond can light up the SL, but never make it in the NBA. This is a sign of real maturity and understanding of what he needs to do. Again, he will be productive for us as a rookie, and that is miles ahead of what a guy like Cousins will give his team this season. If you expect a guy like Hayward to play like Wall, you will constantly be disappointed, and he would go nowhere in the NBA trying to do that.

[erudite23]

I will personally measure Hayward against the progress of Ed Davis, Cole Aldrich and Luke Babbitt, the 3 players that I would have taken instead of him in that spot. If one of those guys turns out to be a stud and Hayward is just a role player, I will be extremely pissed. But it is what it is now, and I'm Gordy all the way. At the same time, there are things that trouble me about him. I'm happy with what I saw in the SL, though. He did everything he could for me, albeit in very limited minutes (still don't understand the way the Jazz do that stupid ****).

I'm pretty sure you should also say that when you measure them, and they are worse than Gordon, you certainly won't be pissed. You get the benefit of playing armchair QB, KOC doesn't. So far so good.

That goes without saying. I care a lot more about the welfare of my team than about being able to say I was right. I was dead set against the Deron Williams pick, and thought it would be a debacle. I'm happy to say I was wrong, though if we had taken Chris Paul I'm pretty sure everyone would be saying "whew, I'm so glad we didn't take Deron Williams instead!" so its not like what I wanted was the wrong thing, either. I hate the Humphries pick and the Snyder pick and wanted Al Jefferson and Sergei Monya instead (one would have worked out great, another was just as bad as the guy we got). I loved the Saha Pavlovic pick. I was against Mo Almond and was hoping that Tiago Splitter would fall; when he did, I was irate that we passed on him in favor of Mo. I was pumped about the Kosta pick. I loved the Dee Brown pick and was disgusted with the Paul Millsap pick. I was pumped when Brewer fell to us and loved that pick. I've never been one to boast about being right or wrong either way, but I do expect my team to be competitive in the market place.

Facts are, the Jazz took a guy 4 or 5 spots above where his perceived value was. At the least, they could have moved down and picked up an asset or two for their trouble. If they are going to reach for a guy like that, they better damn well be right or they're going to hear about it from me. This isn't a deal where there was a bunch of guys on the board that were of relatively equal value and need and they took the guy they felt was the best. No. They took someone that was less sought after than two or three other guys that were available, and who they could have gotten later on in the draft. Its all about the decision, not in retrospect, BUT AT THE TIME. At the time, it was a reach and a bad choice. If you're gonna do that, you better know something that no one else knows and it better show out. That's all I've said, and all I'm gonna say.