This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Jazz's return to the NBA playoffs creates big possibilities for the future of a franchise that has rebuilt and rebranded itself with a core of homegrown players.
Yet this advancement also has the aura of a last stand. General manager Dennis Lindsey will have to deal with the possibility of losing forward Gordon Hayward and point guard George Hill from the roster he has constructed.
Hayward, the face of the Jazz for the past few seasons, can become a free agent this summer. In the team's pitch to Hayward, "We have a really compelling case, for a lot of different reasons," Lindsey said this week during a Salt Lake Tribune fan forum.
Hill, also instrumental in the team's climb to the 50-win level for the first time in seven years, will reach the end of a contract the Jazz inherited via trade from Indiana. Lindsey's ties to Hill began in San Antonio, where the Spurs drafted him.
"He's one of my pride and joys as a professional," Lindsey said. "We hope there's a marriage to be had, but we can't force that."
Joe Ingles also is nearing the end of his deal. And while Derrick Favors is under contract through next season, the Jazz have decisions to make about him.
The Jazz know their team will be built around center Rudy Gobert at least through 2021, and that's reassuring. He has developed into one of the NBA's best defensive players and is improving offensively, while showing durability, toughness and determination to make the Jazz one of the league's top teams.
Gobert also knows he can't do that alone. He's hoping Hayward will stay.
"If he doesn't want to live here anymore or there's another city he wants to live in or he feels like he has a better chance to win a championship somewhere else, it's his decision," Gobert told HoopsHype.com. "But I'm going to remind him that I really want to win a championship and I think we can do it. If he stays, I think we'll have more chances."
Hayward has spoken favorably about Jazz coach Quin Snyder, recently describing Snyder's arrival in 2014 as the "turning point" of his NBA career and endorsing their relationship.
Boston also would be appealing to Hayward, for multiple reasons. The Celtics' Brad Stevens coached him for two years at Butler University, where they established close ties. Boston also is in the Eastern Conference, with less competition to reach the NBA Finals than in the West.
Hill, who will turn 31 in May, will have considerable options. He's understandably eager to get paid. having played for a relative bargain salary of $8 million this season after being traded from Indiana. The Jazz acquired Hill last summer to upgrade themselves at point and would have to retool the position if he departs. They may choose to do something before free agency begins July 1, such as trading for another point guard around the time of the NBA draft in late June.
Twitter: @tribkurt ———————————————————
Salary outlook
What the Jazz player contract statuses are for 2017-18;
Player Cap Total
Rudy Gobert $21,224,719
Gordon Hayward $16,376,610* Derrick Favors $12,000,000 Joe Johnson $10,505,000 Alec Burks $10,845,506 Boris Diaw $7,500,000 Dante Exum $4,992,385 Trey Lyles $2,441,400 Rodney Hood $2,386,864 Raul Neto $1,014,746 Joel Bolomboy $905,249 *—Hayward has an opt-out option that he is widely expected to use to become an unrestricted free agent. Unrestricted free agents • George Hill, Shelvin Mack, Joe Ingles, Jeff Withey.
———————————————————