The 25-year-old is thrilled that Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey didn’t choose to go the rebuilding route. They landed rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell in a draft-night trade with Denver, made key free agent signings and trades, continued to focus on player development, and now find themselves looking as dangerous as any team around. “Just try to teach players how to make winning plays, not only good basketball plays but winning plays,” Gobert said in explaining coach Quin Snyder’s system. “Teach every single one to help the team win games. A lot of teams are very good doing skill work, strength work. But if you want to win, you have to teach a player how to win. That’s why I don’t believe in tanking, all that stuff. I believe you learn how to win by winning. You don’t learn how to win by losing on purpose to get a 19-year-old who you’ve never seen.”
Dennis Lindsey Rumors
One of the Jazz’s scouts, David Fredman, has been recommending a Stockton call-up to GM Dennis Lindsey and coach Quin Snyder, sources said.
His agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, denied the multiple reports that Hayward was headed for the Celtics and insisted no final decision had been made. The trio of Jazz officials, left in limbo, decided to stay put while waiting for clarity. “We didn’t want to jump on the flight and not being able to communicate,” Lindsey remembered. “And then we flew from Austin to Washington D.C., and then we found out the final decision…in D.C. We had the flight back from D.C. to Salt Lake City to kind of collect ourselves.”
A day after they touched down, the Jazz would take the high road yet again. In a move that is not the industry norm, Lindsey, Snyder and team president Steve Starks issued statements thanking Hayward for his time in Utah and wishing him well. “We didn’t want to be vindictive in any way, because I think the whole league watches in on (these situations in) the NBA – the teams, the agents, the players – so we were sincere in thanking him and wishing him the best,” Lindsey said.
“We thought that Gordon Hayward would be back, and so when we introduced (Mitchell) to the team, we felt like he could be a little bit like George Hill, maybe a little like Dwyane Wade,” Dennis Lindsey explained. “And if all of our free agents stayed, then maybe his first season looks a little bit more like George Hill’s did in San Antonio when we took George (during Lindsey’s time there). But again, opportunity presented itself. Instead of trying to make him go through all the rookie rituals that traditionalists would put him through, let’s just embrace where he’s at and have him get better on the fly. We had a few thumbnails during the summer that (showed) maybe he could handle a few more possessions than we originally anticipated.”
Eric Woodyard: Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey said “we’ll find out” if this Jae Crowder trade will benefit the team down the line. “We think over time, it will be a good move but we do have to admit that there’s a lot of unknowns and certainly we’ll be judged on the results,” Lindsey said.
Eric Woodyard: Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey on Rodney Hood: “We’re happy to send him to a contender.”
