This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Gordon Hayward's decision to remain with the Jazz or play elsewhere in the NBA will affect the self-image of the franchise and even the entire state. Regardless of what Hayward decides, Utah long ago was validated when Frank Layden stayed in Salt Lake City.

As the Salt Lake Bees honor him Friday night at Smith's Ballpark, that's Layden's legacy: He's a Utahn.

Layden and his wife, Barbara, are New York natives and they could live anywhere they like, in their 80s. They've chosen to stay in Salt Lake City for nearly 40 years, since coming to town with the Jazz in 1979 when Layden became the team's general manager.

The Laydens have immersed themselves in Utah, with community involvement that has made them part of the fabric of the state. Layden is being celebrated Friday for his contributions to Utah sports, with bobblehead dolls distributed to Bees fans.

The setting is meaningful, because baseball always has been Layden's favorite sport. And it is significant that Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment is recognizing him, because Layden has distanced himself somewhat from the Jazz since 2012, when his son Scott was overlooked in the hiring of Dennis Lindsey as the team's general manager (Scott Layden ended up replacing Lindsey in San Antonio and now is Minnesota's GM).

Frank Layden did attend the reunion of the Jazz's 1996-97 team during a game in March, joining the players, coaches and staff members who were introduced at halftime.

His degree of attachment to the Jazz may have lessened, but his support of Utah causes from college athletic departments to the arts to charitable organizations never has wavered. As one example, he was an important mentor to Kyle Whittingham in the Ute football coach's first season of 2005.

The Layden family is a state treasure, and he's going strong at age 85. The bobblehead makes him look younger, and that's fine.

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