On Friday, 18 months after his last game in a Utah Jazz jersey, Gordon Hayward made his long-anticipated return to Salt Lake City.
Hayward played his first seven NBA seasons with the Jazz, before signing with the Celtics in the 2017 offseason. The All-Star forward missed the team’s game in Utah last season after breaking his ankle in his first game with the Celtics. Friday night’s game was Hayward’s first back in Utah since leaving for Boston, and although the team released a brief tribute video, the still-aggrieved home crowd was far less welcoming.