Jazz GM: We Want Hayward to Stay

Speaking at the team’s locker cleanout day Thursday, Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey stopped short of promising the team would bring Hayward back. But Lindsey made it clear Hayward is in the plans.

“We look forward to him being a career Jazz member,” Lindsey said.

Last fall, Hayward’s camp and the Jazz front office failed to reach terms on a contract extension. So in July, Hayward will be free to test his value on the open market. And the Jazz are in prime position to match.

“We’re confident in Gordon and you guys saw what we did the last few years as far as being very disciplined with our salary cap,” Lindsey said, adding that the team has the funds to give Hayward a substantial raise and still sign another max-deal player if the right one were available. “… We’ll stand by our statement that we hope he’s a member of the Utah Jazz for the length of his career.”

via Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune