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The Jazz won 51 games during the regular season. They qualified for the playoffs, advanced to the second round and made a significant leap as a franchise for a third consecutive year.
Now comes their biggest and most important challenge of the last decade: Figuring out how to keep a talented roster together.
As the Jazz hurtle towards what promises to be a hectic offseason — starting with exit interviews and lockeroom cleanout on Tuesday morning — Gordon Hayward stands is the biggest piece. On Monday night, after the Jazz lost Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals to the Golden State Warriors, Hayward was treated to a chanting, standing ovation from his home crowd.
He was questioned about his immediate future less than 24 hours later.
"I'm going to take some time off," Hayward said. "I'm going to enjoy some time with my family and reflect on the season. I want to get my body back to 100 percent….and after that, obviously deal with the next chapter."
For Hayward, that means opting out of the last year of his current contract and entering unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career, where he will have plenty of suitors besides the Jazz.
Hayward has developed into one of the best small forwards in the NBA. He was an all-star for the first time. He averaged 21.9 points a game, to go along with 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 24 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 11 games. Hayward out-dueled Los Angeles Clippers star Chris Paul in the first round. He was the only Jazz player that looked comfortable offensively against Golden State's swarming defense in the second round.
Because of this, Hayward will be one of the most coveted free agents on the market. He will command max dollars. And the Jazz will for sure pay full boat to keep him in a Utah uniform. Simply put, General Manager Dennis Lindsey's meticulous rebuild falls apart if Hayward leaves town.
"I think all of the guys who are free agents this year would much rather stay," Jazz forward Joe Ingles said. "Gordon has grown a lot in his time here. You guys have seen him go from a scrawny, shaggy haired kid who didn't play a lot into an all-star. I truly believe he loves it here."
Behind the scenes, it is believed the Jazz have an advantage in the battle to keep Hayward. Utah has a young core that won 50 games, despite being one of the most injured teams in the league. Hayward and his wife Robyn have settled down and started a family. The Jazz have a deep, improving roster, and they can offer more money than any other team on the open market. Utah already has Rudy Gobert locked up longterm, and he has established himself as an All-NBA candidate at center.
"We feel as if we've made a compelling case for Gordon to stay," Lindsey said in early April.
But crazy things happen in free agency — even to teams thought to be in a good place. Last summer, the NBA landscape changed when superstar Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Warriors. OKC was a title contender when Durant bolted. And nobody thought Dwyane Wade would ever leave the Miami Heat for the Chicago Bulls — until he did.
Still, the Jazz feel they have done everything they could to prove themselves to Hayward as an organization. Last summer, Hayward told Lindsey and coach Quin Snyder he wanted to see progress towards a winning situation. The Jazz improved by 11 games and advanced in the postseason.
Hayward said Tuesday he hadn't yet thought much about his free agent status. He also said he didn't want to draw the process out after July 1, when the free agency period begins.
His situation will serve as a domino, either way. Point guard George Hill said Hayward's decision will affect his impending free agency. Ingles and Hayward have the same agent in Mark Bartelstein, and Ingles is a restricted free agent.
Hayward said has enjoyed Utah, and values his time with the Jazz. He acknowledged the crowd on Monday night when they were chanting his name. He repeated his fondness for Utah on Tuesday as well.
"It's been so much fun for me here in Utah," Hayward said. "I've grown up here and started a family. I've grown from a basketball standpoint and from a man standpoint. Still, these opportunities don't come around very often."
If nothing else, Hayward's free agency will keep Utah's front office honest. The Jazz have two first round picks in June's NBA Draft. They have $13 million cap space that has to be used by July 1, or lost forever. If the Jazz want to improve the roster, their best chance to do that may be before the free agency period begins.
Doing so may bring Hayward back into the fold quickly, and save them a bunch of uncertainty.
Twitter: @tribjazz —
Jazz offseason breakdown
Under contract
Rudy Gobert • Signed a new four-year, $102 million last fall
Derrick Favors • Expiring contract after 2017-18. Free agency looms.
Joe Johnson • Entering final year of a two-year deal. A good value for the money.
Trey Lyles • Regressed in second season; will need to improve this summer.
Joel Bolomboy • Showed some upside, will play in summer league.
Unrestricted free agents
Gordon Hayward • Will be one of the biggest names on the free agent market
George Hill • His last chance at a major contract in his career. Does he get that money in Utah? Or elsewhere?
Jeff Withey • Wants to return. Do the Jazz want him to back?
Shelvin Mack • Could be the odd man out.
Restricted free agents.
Joe Ingles • Will be a priority for the Jazz. Is a perfect glue guy.
Non-guaranteed contract
Boris Diaw • Had a good season as a stop-gap starter. Wants to return. Age is a concern
Eligible for contract extension
Rodney Hood • Injuries hampered the shooting guard this season, but the Jazz are still high on his future.
Dante Exum • Has to get better over the summer. He knows that. Playoff performance could be a building block.
Team option
Raul Neto • Is a perfect third point guard and on a cheap deal. The Jazz probably keep him around