Can Hayward play PG

[HolyToledo]

He clearly can play SF and SG being the main ball handler as he is clearly the Jazz best passer. I think he could play PG vs some of the bigger PGs like Dwill, I would love to see what this lineup would do for part of a BBall game.

PG Hayward
SG AK-47
SF Millsap
PF Favors
C Jefferson

[Efernand]

No

[The59Sound]

In an emergency (think Kirilenko against the Warriors), he'd be a more than capable stop-gap measure. But there's no reason to put him there regularly when we've got Harris and Watson, and when he can better exploit opposing 2s and 3s with his playmaking skills.

[yonexpro1]

no he cant play pg, on D he couldnt keep up with the rose andwestbrook and dwonts of the league.

But offensively and I have said it multiple times he could be like hedo turkoglu with ORL, he sets the team up wih pick and rolls and controlled the team (at least during the finals run)

[Fido]

I hope we never have to play him at PG--but seeing your lineup reminded me that AK was even still on the team. How long has it been since he's been in action. That isn't the way to set yourself up for a new contract...

[retiredcoach]

Hayward can play the point like most SG's can.

In other words, he can get the ball down court effectively on alternating plays or on breaks. He's got PG skills but he's tall so fast quick PG defenders would give him trouble if he had the ball on the point too much of the time.

He won't play PG but he will bring the ball down a few times a game from the SG position.

[The59Sound]

Hayward can play the point like most SG's can.

In other words, he can get the ball down court effectively on alternating plays or on breaks. He's got PG skills but he's tall so fast quick PG defenders would give him trouble if he had the ball on the point too much of the time.

He won't play PG but he will bring the ball down a few times a game from the SG position.

Sure. He already does that fairly often and very effectively. CJ is quite good at that also; I feel very comfortable with either guy bringing it up the court (note to Jazz fans: you can point out a guy's strengths while still decrying his production and decision-making). The only guy who has me on the edge of my seat waiting for a turnover in that situation is Raja.

[Neon Black]

You don't need to have the PG label next to your name to run the offense. The Hedo reference was spot-on. He can make things happen and run the offense from the Forward or Shooting Guard position - plenty of championship teams have had that dynamic while not many have relied on superstar PG's.

[Ugly0598]

Hayward is more of a facilitator than an actual PG it seems to me.

[Litany]

Hayward is more comfortable on the perimeter as a wing, he said that last night.

Besides, scoring wings is how you win championships and I think Hayward is the 2 guard that we need. Hopefully we can get lucky and get Barnes or Williams in the draft to fill the 3 spot and then we are set at the wing spots.

[Ming Kong!]

I think he's an excellent point forward type on offense, but best suited to cover SG's or light frame SF's. I do think he can play PG quite well, last night made me think that he might have the best court vision on the team. Not to compare him to Magic Johnson skill level wise, but Magic was his same height and a little heavier, so yeah a big kid like Hayward can play PG. Also he has quickness and used to play PG in high school. Not sure about his handles at PG though.

[Paper Face]

It's better for all to have a quality PG in addition to someone like Hayward. Two unselfish guards + a quality front line = fantastic basketball.

[jazzfan1971]

Well, since I'd like to see what Harris can do off the ball I'm kinda hoping to see what the offense looks like with Haywood doing the creating and Harris running off screens.

Quite possibly very dynamic. The last couple games we've seen that Haywood can run the team pretty well. So, I'm suggesting letting Haywood play as a PG on offense and Harris as a SG and switching on the other end of the floor, with Haywood guarding 2s and Harris guarding 1s.

I can just see it now, "Haywood with the ball at the top of the key, flicks a quick pass over to CJ behind the 3pt line who surveys the defense and quickly returns the ball to Haywood, meanwhile Harris rounds around two screens, Haywood delivers the ball to Harris, Jefferson's man comes to help, Harris dumps the ball down to Jefferson who delivers a perfect shuttle pass to Favors for a THUNDEROUS dunk!"

[Ugly0598]

HayWARD, not Haywood.

[jazzfan1971]

Sigh, my entire post ruined. Hopefully I'll adapt to that faster than I did to Darin not De Ron.

[David Ginola 14]

Hayward is more of a facilitator than an actual PG it seems to me.

I agree...

[Fido]

Sigh, my entire post ruined. Hopefully I'll adapt to that faster than I did to Darin not De Ron.

I thought you were mocking the sportscasters that call him "Haywood"--I can't remember who that was the other night...but it was the crew that had lots of ex-Pacers working. They had been talking about Haywoode Workman at some point and then kept calling Hayward that too.

[Soul Patch]

Sigh, my entire post ruined. Hopefully I'll adapt to that faster than I did to Darin not De Ron.

I thought you were mocking the sportscasters that call him "Haywood"--I can't remember who that was the other night...but it was the crew that had lots of ex-Pacers working. They had been talking about Haywoode Workman at some point and then kept calling Hayward that too.

This is what I thought too.

[d-will8]

Well, since I'd like to see what Harris can do off the ball I'm kinda hoping to see what the offense looks like with Haywood doing the creating and Harris running off screens.

Quite possibly very dynamic. The last couple games we've seen that Haywood can run the team pretty well. So, I'm suggesting letting Haywood play as a PG on offense and Harris as a SG and switching on the other end of the floor, with Haywood guarding 2s and Harris guarding 1s.

I can just see it now, "Haywood with the ball at the top of the key, flicks a quick pass over to CJ behind the 3pt line who surveys the defense and quickly returns the ball to Haywood, meanwhile Harris rounds around two screens, Haywood delivers the ball to Harris, Jefferson's man comes to help, Harris dumps the ball down to Jefferson who delivers a perfect shuttle pass to Favors for a THUNDEROUS dunk!"

Despite the Hayward/Haywood mix-up, I think this is right on. Harris is really more suited to be a slasher/scorer coming off of screens than he is to playing a Stockton/Williams type role anyway. Hayward's ability to handle the ball, make plays and facilitate could free him up to do that. It's a real shame that next season will probably be shortened (if it happens at all), because I'm really interested to see what a healthy Harris can do playing with our other core guys (hopefully in a more natural role) after having a training camp to acclimate himself to the team and the system.

[The59Sound]

Agree that we're best not trying to force Harris to be Deron. The good thing about Devin's style and mindset is that he won't pound it into the ground like Deron; he doesn't need to have the ball in his hands at all times and make every team assist himself.

The first few games that Devin was here, I thought, "Christ, the ball is actually moving now!" And with a playmaker like Hayward, and big men who are good interior passers, that's the ticket for us.