The deadline for NBA teams to sign players to extensions is on Thursday on October 31 and the main player involved in a deal coming into the day is Utah Jazz star Gordon Hayward, as he is considered the next player in line to get a deal.
According to ESPN.com, the two sides have been working on a deal for quite some time and after averaging 14.1 points last season, he could be getting an extension. The Jazz likely will try and keep him even if the deal doesn't work out, but that also could invite some trade speculation if the deal doesn't get done.
The NBA season is started up and with the deadline for extensions finishing up today, teams are starting to lock up players before the deadline on October 31 for extensions and with Derrick Favors becoming the latest player to do so, reports have the team also looking to keep top draft pick Gordon Hayward on a contract extension.
According to ESPN.com, the Jazz signed Favors to a nearly $50 million contract extension over four years and they are also looking to sign Hayward, with Marc Stein reporting that the deal will be for eight figures and could be a higher total than the deal that Favors signed. The Jazz feel that Favors, Hayward and Enes Kanter are the future core of the team and signing these two players is the main reason why they allowed both Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap. Favors has shown some immense talent and the team feels that he can be an every night starting player after averaging just over nine points and seven rebounds.
Favors was one of the main pieces that came in the Deron Williams deal after he was taken third by the Nets in the 2010 draft and he is the latest from that class to sign a deal and Hayward looks like he is next. A number of players from that class have already signed and the group is a talented crop, with names like Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, Larry Sanders and John Wall all signing deals. Hayward averaged over 10 points last season, while Favors was very consistent while playing just 23 minutes per game and he should end up playing over 30 this season.
Some players appear to be missing out on new deals, including Greg Monroe and Evan Turner, with the Pistons likely waiting to sign Andre Drummond after dishing out money for Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings.