Utah kids are giving Gordon Hayward the hard sell.
Students at Tooele (Utah) Junior High School have written the the Utah Jazz forward letters, in which they beg him to stay with the team. Hayward’s wife shared a photo of the children’s letters on her Instagram account, according to KSL.com’s Andy Larsen. From what we can see, the letters were poignant.
Hayward, 27, is coming off his best NBA season. He averaged 21.9 points per game, was an All-Star and helped the Jazz reach the second round of the NBA playoffs, where they fell to the Golden State Warriors.
Hayward can opt out of his contract this summer, and many are wondering whether he’ll re-sign with the Jazz or go elsewhere this offseason. The Boston Celtics are rumored to be chief among Hayward’s potential suitors, while the Miami Heat also could be planning to pursue him.
Hayward hasn’t publicly declared his intentions, but his looming contract saga clearly is a hot topic in Utah, from the voting booth to the classroom.
Thumbnail photo via Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports Images
