Gordon Hayward has a player option for next season and if he likes money, he will likely opt out. The Jazz have to be considered the major favorites to sign Hayward as they can pay him the most and it is where he has called home for the past several years. The Jazz have also clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 4 years so leaving a team on the up is extremely rare. But, according to a report from the New York Daily News by Frank Isola, the Miami Heat have an outside shot.
Riley has a home court advantage because Miami is a prime free agent destination. The weather, the zero state income tax and the chance to play for a top franchise are too good for a lot of players to turn down. There are already whispers that if Utah can’t re-sign Gordon Hayward he could end up in Miami.
There are always these type of “whispers” surrounding the big markets. The allure of the amenities from the large cities makes for a perfect bargaining chip for Hayward’s camp. It is unlikely that it’s anything more than that but it is interesting nonetheless. Pairing Hayward with Whiteside would not make the Heat “Finals ready” but it would make them much, much better and more attractive to other free agents.
