Jazz pick leaves fans to wonder

SALT LAKE CITY — There have been louder boos at EngergySolutions Arena, but not since Dick Bavetta left the court after the 1998 NBA Finals.

That time, Jazz fans thought they were hosed by a referee.

This time, it was from within.

The Jazz used the ninth pick in Thursday's NBA Draft to claim Butler swingman Gordon Hayward. John Stockton was booed when he was drafted, but that was a smattering. This was a chorus. When general manager Kevin O'Connor took the podium for the announcement, growls and howls cascaded down.

"The only thing I hope is in two years you're not booing," he said.

The selection of Hayward came at a time when the Jazz are in a state of considerable flux. With Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver poised to leave via free agency, the team is in need of additional help. In picking Hayward, they didn't address pressing issues such as interior defense and rebounding, or find a backup for projected starter Paul Millsap.

They didn't address speed or bulk, either. At 6-foot-8, Hayward weighs just 207.

As for immediate help, that's debatable, too. O'Connor and coach Jerry Sloan mostly spoke of what Hayward will be in a few years.

In fairness, anyone the Jazz took at No. 9 would need seasoning. O'Connor spoke of liking players who can come off the bench. But what the Jazz need is a player who can play early and often.

"We tried very hard to trade up and there were no takers," said O'Connor.

While anyone who saw the NCAA playoffs could see Hayward knows hoops, and can do numerous things well, the selection was a surprise nonetheless. Most experts expected Utah would choose North Carolina forward Ed Davis, or perhaps Kansas shooting guard Xavier Henry, Kansas center Cole Aldrich or Nevada forward Luke Babbitt.

The most popular possibility, Davis, would have raised a few concerns of his own. He was leading the ACC in field goal percentage and blocked shots, and was second in rebounding when he broke his wrist and missed the last month of the season.

For his part, Hayward improved in scoring and rebounding, but increased his turnovers and lowered his field goal percentage in his second college season. After making 45 percent of his 3-point shots in 2008-09, he made just 29 percent last year.