CHAPEL HILL, NC - SEPTEMBER 28: Gordon Hayward #20 of the Boston Celtics dribbles up court against the Charlotte Hornets in the third quarter of a preseason game at Dean Smith Center on September 28, 2018 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The Hornets won 104-97. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz alums: Gordon Hayward struggling to find his shot thus far
Coming back from a gruesome injury in 2017-18, former Utah Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward is off to a slow shooting start for the Boston Celtics.
NBA Preseason is a glorious time as it gives die-hard basketball fans their first chance to see their beloved team back in action after a long hiatus. It’s a time of great optimism as the beauty of a fresh slate and a 0-0 record brings about major hope for the upcoming year.
Along with that, though, it’s also a time of significant overreactions. For better or for worse, preseason can’t be taken all that seriously. Minutes and rotations are wonky. Teams are shaking off rust. The games are meaningless in the big picture leading to a lack of motivation at times. And when all is said and done, preseason play just isn’t very indicative of what the teams are really on the cusp of accomplishing, good or bad, once the regular season gets underway.
So bear that in mind as we take a look at former Utah Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward, but to put it lightly, he’s not off to the greatest of starts in Boston Celtics preseason. Through a pair of games against the Charlotte Hornets, in which the teams have split the two contests, Hayward is shooting just 21.4 percent from the field and 14.3 percent from deep.
While the sample size of games is minuscule and, again, it’s preseason, those percentages are coming on a decent amount of attempts. In Game 1, Hayward went 2-of-7 from the field and 1-of-5 from deep in 23 minutes of play.
In the second contest, his 3-point volume went down but the overall results were even worse, as he finished just 1-of-7 from the field and 0-of-2 from beyond the perimeter. On top of all that, he was a minus-14 in the first game and a minus-9 in the latter.
Obviously, in many ways this is to be expected. Hayward is coming off of a major leg injury that cost him essentially the entirety of the 2017-18 season. Not only that, but for all intents and purposes, this is a brand new team that he’s playing with. Aside from last year’s training camp, a little bit of preseason and the first six minutes of the regular season, he’s never played with his current teammates.
Likewise, they adjusted to playing with each other without him in their ranks, so it’s understandable that it’s going to take some time for them all to sync. Nevertheless, if I were a Celtics fan (which I just so happen to be about the furthest thing from), I’d be just a tiny bit nervous so far and would hope to see a little more out of Hayward in the coming preseason games.
Boston performed admirably without him last season, and considering the hefty $31+ million annual contract that Hayward is on for the next three seasons, making him the Celtics’ current highest-paid player, they’ll need to see exceptional production out of him.
I’d wager he’ll get the rust shaken off and find a groove in Beantown, but early indications are that it may take him a little longer than expected to get his shot and confidence back. If and when he does, though, opposing teams may want to watch out, because this Boston Celtics squad has all the looks of a legitimate challenger to any that stand in their way.
The Utah Jazz will get their crack at Gordon Hayward and Co. on November 9th in Salt Lake City and a mere eight days later on November 17th in Boston.
