I had high hopes for the dorky white kid who looks like he’s 15 years old, but I really didn’t expect any real production from him.
Analysis: In perhaps one of Utah’s best victories of the season it was the doofy young gun who led the team in scoring. Hayward poured in in 22 points against a team favored to win the whole shabam (LAL). Topping it off was Hayward’s shooting percentage. He was 9-14 from the field, which means he really caught fire. The points alone were solid, but he also contributed nicely in other important categories. He pulled down 6 boards, added 5 assists, had two steals, and even threw in a block for good measure. The question is whether or not this was a fluke night or a sign of things to come. One good sign is that he’s averaged 16 points for 3 straight games in April. Shooting 54% for the 3 games.
Projection: Hayward needs to put on some serious muscle so he doesn’t get pushed around at the small forward position. If he can bulk up a bit I think next year can be a solid year for him. Not spectacular fantasy production, but he’ll shoot a decent percentage and put up some points on occasion. His 3 point shooting is a serious plus for fantasy owners as he’s shot the ball well from deep all season. He’s averaging 45% from downtown this season, so when he actually gets some minutes he’ll put up a fair number of 3s for your fantasy team. If Hayward starts to heat up for any stretch expect Utah fans to jump aboard the Hayward train. I believe Utah is the perfect place for Hayward and Utah’s Mormon community will not hesitate to push Hayward to his greatest potential.