At least one of Gordon Hayward’s former Jazz teammates isn’t exactly thrilled with how he ended his time in Utah.
Hayward, the most highly coveted available NBA free agent in the 2017 class, ended his seven-year run in Utah and agreed to sign with the Boston Celtics on a wild Fourth of July. The news originally was denied, but Hayward made it official a few hours later when he posted an article on The Players’ Tribune.
The way things went on Independence Day rubbed some people the wrong way, including Rudy Gobert. The Jazz center also told ESPN that Hayward didn’t tell his Utah teammates he was leaving before making the announcement.
“You cannot be mad at somebody for wanting to play for another team,” Gobert said, via ESPN. “It’s just the way he handled it, that’s the thing I didn’t like. I’m happy for him at the same time. I hope he’s going to be happy over there and get what he’s looking for. To all his teammates, all the guys that he competed with for years, guys that sacrificed for him and for the team, not necessarily tell us but make sure as a team we can keep going forward if he leaves.
“I think that wasn’t the best way to do it, but I’m over it now. I’m just focused on the team.”
The next time the Celtics play in Utah during the regular season should be quite the event.
Thumbnail photo via Russ Isabella/USA TODAY Sports Images
