It's going to be an emotional Friday night for Boston Celtics small forward Gordon Hayward, as the swingman is making his return to Utah to face off against the Jazz. Hayward spent the first seven years of his NBA career in Utah, and Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is going to give his starting small forward around 23-26 minutes to put on a show in his former stomping ground.
Stevens says he expects Hayward to play 23-26 minutes tonight
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) November 10, 2018
Hayward is making his way back from that gruesome left ankle fracture he suffered on opening night last season. Utah drafted Gordon Hayward with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Butler University. In 516 career games with the Jazz, Hayward averaged 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. He made the All-Star team in 2017.
Gordon Hayward signed a four-year, $128 million free-agent deal with the Celtics in the summer of 2017, ending his tenure with the Jazz. Some fans in Utah were upset by the move, as was big man Rudy Gobert. Hayward will most likely receive some boos from the crowd but Kyrie Irving wants his teammate to tune them out.
In 10 games this season, Hayward is putting up 9.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.0 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line.
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