SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Utah Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey hasn’t spoken with Gordon Hayward since the All-Star announced he was heading to the Boston Celtics. The two have texted back and forth, however.
Lindsey wouldn’t lament Hayward’s choice to take Boston’s $128 million offer, understanding that it’s a personal decision that was made. But the process has left the Jazz in a bit of a bind. There were contingency plans in place in case Hayward left, but most available marquee players had made their decisions before Tuesday.
“Timing has been problematic,” Lindsey said Wednesday. “It’s time for us to pivot. It’s time for us to move on. We like our young group and we think we’re going to keep the defensive integrity.
“There’s not as many prospects left on the board because of the timing. So we’ll take a look at it, prospects at every level.”
Things took a bizarre turn Tuesday as early reports had Hayward going to Boston, but his agent later put out a statement that the decision had not been made. Hours later, it was announced through a Hayward-written post on The Players’ Tribune .