Gordon Hayward's Been Through Too Much to Get Booed by Jazz Fans

We need a statute of limitations for booing in the modern NBA, and Gordon Hayward is a perfect case study.

In Hayward's latest return to Utah, a team he gave seven seasons of his career to, he was booed by Jazz fans. It's a situation that doesn't surprise anyone who follows the team on a semi-regular basis, as Hayward's departure was like pouring salt in the very open wound that is the fact that few free agents take their talents to Salt Lake City...or in this case stay.

Jazz fans will rightly argue that booing former players is a right of passage in the NBA. Thunder fans still hate Kevin Durant, Spurs supporters will forever jeer Kawhi Leonard -- the list goes on. However, what separates Hayward from those two is both his class upon leaving (he took out a full page ad thanking the entire state of Utah), his injury struggles (he played just one game in his first season with Boston) and the simple fact that the Jazz are better without him!

Donovan Mitchell does not develop into the homegrown star Jazz fans have grown accustomed to if Hayward is in town. Pre-injury, Hayward was the ball-dominant force Spider has been groomed to replace. There is no guarantee this is a better team with Hayward on it. Next question.

Hayward's final game in Salt Lake was 2017. While Jazz fans have the reputation of being some of the (how to put this nicely) harshest around the Association, they have plenty of reason to cheer their own Western Conference contender, rather than pester a 1-time All-Star who left the franchise three years ago.