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The NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement has been ratified. The new rules will take effect on July 1, just in time for free agency. And when that happens, many eyes will be on the Jazz.
With Gordon Hayward an unrestricted free agent, George Hill an unrestricted free agent and plaers like Joe Ingles and Rodney Hood eligible for new deals, not many teams will have more rotation players in limbo than the Jazz. And as a small market team, the new CBA — which has been designed to give small market teams an advantage in keeping their incumbent players — the Jazz could receive a boost in keeping its rising core together.
"It helps the small market teams," Hayward said of the new labor deal. "It's going to help keep guys from going and creating super-teams, especially if a team can offer that guy way more money."
Hayward will be the centerpiece of the Jazz's effort to hang on to their own. When Utah hosts the Detroit Pistons in a nationally televised game on Friday, the spotlight will be on the small forward, who is having a career season and coming off a game Tuesday in which he matched LeBron James statistically and led his team to victory against the defending NBA champions.
Hayward will be cheered on by the home crowd at Vivint Smart Home Arena. But he's received cheers on the road this season as well — most notably last week in Boston, in what was interpreted by many as a gesture by Celtics fans to encourage Hayward to move to the Eastern Conference in the summer and rejoin his former college coach, Brad Stevens.
The possibility of Hayward leaving Utah exists because it is expected that the forward will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent at season's end. The recipient of a max contract offer from the Charlotte Hornets as a restricted free agent in July 2014 — an offer the Jazz matched — Hayward is expected to command the max salary again in contract negotiations this summer.
But while any NBA team would talk to Hayward during unrestricted free agency, the Jazz will have a leg up on any attempt to keep him, thanks to the new CBA agreed to by the league's owners and the players' union.
Utah already holds Hayward's 'Bird Rights,' which means the Jazz can offer him a five-year maximum salary contract, one year longer than any other team. The new CBA's biggest influence on Hayward's potential free agency is the 'Designated Player Provision,' for a player who qualifies for one of the following: NBA Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, or having at least once been on an All-NBA team while heading into at least the player's eighth season.
Hayward's playing well enough this season that he has a shot at making third team all-NBA. If he did, and therefore qualified for the provision, Hayward would be eligible for a maximum salary potentially up to 35 percent of next year's salary cap total — and the Jazz would be able to offer additional years on a contract that no other team could. The Provision is a mechanism to entice players to keep from switching teams in the same fashion that Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City for the already star-studded Golden State Warriors this past summer.
"It will make the league more competitive and even things out," Jazz center Jeff Withey. "Small market teams will benefit for sure, if you can pay your guys more money. You saw that with New Orleans and Anthony Davis. I'm sure the Minnesota Timberwolves are going to pay their young guys. All of this money coming into the league should benefit everyone and every team. I know the league likes it to be competitive."
Utah is not the only team that will work to keep its stars from moving. Reports out of Sacramento this week indicate the Kings will offer DeMarcus Cousins, one of the best big men in the NBA, a $200 million extension this summer. Cousins — already eligible for the Designated Player Provision — all but confirmed the offer when asked by reporters, acknowledging "I'm good with it."
The thought process for the Jazz heading into the offseason was clear before the new CBA was even agree upon, with Hayward's retention the top priority. Now that the new CBA is in place, not much has changed in Utah's way of thinking.
Next on the list after Hayward may be starting point guard George Hill; the Jazz are 9-1 when both Hill and Hayward are healthy this season. He's has become invaluable for the Jazz, but he will turn 31 in May. Still, his game is aging well, and he's having possibily the best season of his career, statistically. Expect Hill to be offered a max contract by at least one team in the NBA, with the only question being how many years a contract offer will be for.
Rodney Hood will be eligible for a contract extension this summer and Joe Ingles, who has been a key piece in the Jazz rotation this season, will be a restricted free agent. Derrick Favors will also enter the last season of his contract. The salary cap is expected to be set around $103 million for next season, and Utah has already agreed to a four-year, $102 million contract extension with Rudy Gobert.
If the Jazz can get Hayward and Hill on long term contracts, with Gobert already in place for four years, they would look to be in good shape. And while Utah's front office has other questions to answer, like many franchises in the NBA, it is happy that the CBA is done, which makes putting any plans into action easier. Plus, the CBA's provisions give the Jazz additional leverage in keeping their best players together as a group.
"We're all glad that we have labor peace and that there won't be a work stoppage anytime soon," Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said.
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Jazz contract update
Utah Jazz free agents this summer include Gordon Hayward, George Hill, Joe Ingles, Shelvin Mack. Rodney Hood and Dante Exum will be eligible for contract extensions as well
Hayward is ranked among the top free agents available, with teams like the Boston Celtics said to have major interest in acquiring his services
The new CBA will take effect on July 1, with the salary cap expected to be set at around $103 Million
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Pistons at Jazz
When • Friday, 8:30 p.m.
Where • Vivint SmartHome Arena
TV • ESPN, ROOT Sports
Radio • 1280 AM, 97.5 FM
Records • Jazz 24-16; Pistons 18-23
Last Meeting • Pistons 95-92 (Jan. 25th, 2016)
About the Pistons•- The Pistons have lost two straight, after defeating Portland 125-124 earlier in the week. … Detroit lost an 18 point lead in Tuesday night's loss to the Sacramento Kings. … The Pistons swept the season-series from the Jazz last year. … Detroit allows 100.4 points per night, good for fourth in the NBA. … The Pistons will be playing the second night of a back-to-back, and on national television for the second straight night
About the Jazz • When Rudy Robert, Gordon Hayward and George Hill play, the Jazz are 9-1 this season. … The next four opponents the Jazz face are all under the .500 mark. … With Memphis' loss on Wednesday, Utah has regained the fifth spot in the Western Conference. … Alec Burks and Raul Neto are back with the Jazz after spending Wednesday playing in the D-League for the Stars. … The Jazz are the top team in the league in points allowed