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Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles got his big contract this summer. The Australian forward was signed to a four-year, $52 million deal. However, in the whole process, the Jazz lost their biggest superstar, forward Gordon Hayward.
Ingles and Hayward are actually best friends off the court, and Ingles spoke to NBA Australia about the future relationship between the two former teammates.
“I think for him it was kind of time for a change obviously, he needed some new challenges or whatever it was,” Ingles said. “I’ve spoken to him. I kind of spoke to him throughout it to try and lend support or stay away whenever he kind of wanted and at the end of the day, we spoke after it and I mean making a decision like that, you’re not going to change friendships because of guys who have gone on different teams. He’s always going to be a good friend of mine but I still don’t like him for the time being because he left us, but we’ll be fine.”
Ingles was also asked about the first meeting between the Jazz and the Celtics, and who is going to be guarding Hayward.
“I’m definitely guarding him,” Ingles said. “I’ve already told coach, I texted coach the next day and said between me and Donovan [Mitchell] we’ll give him a good game.”
Ingles also added a piece of information on the number 20, the jersey number Hayward wore.
“I might take his [Hayward’s] number, I might take number 20.”
Joe Ingles averaged 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists per game. He also shot 45.2 percent from the field and whopping 44.1 percent from three. He will, presumably, be the starting small forward for the Jazz next season.
