Ryan Blackburn of SB Nation’s Denver Stiffs has been ranking the best starters in the NBA based on position. His latest ranking was of the league’s starting small forwards where Utah’s Gordon Hayward was in some elite company coming in at No. 7 on the list.
Blackburn writes, “Can Hayward be a first option on a championship team? It’s not likely, but I believe he can lead the Jazz to the playoffs this year because of the veterans they added combined with a defensive identity. Hayward deserves a ton of credit though. He’s the face of their franchise and has been for a long time.”
