National Basketball Association

Report: Jazz to match Hayward offer sheet but will make MJ sweat it out

Published Jul. 10, 2014 6:18 a.m. ET

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With free agents now free to sign contracts or offer sheets, some players have wasted little time in putting pen to paper (see: Chandler Parsons).

But in Utah, it did not take long for a team to make a decision on matching an offer sheet. But that doesn't mean they won't make the other team sweat it out.

Jazz restricted free agent Gordon Hayward agreed earlier this week to a four-year, $63 million offer sheet with Michael Jordan's Charlotte Hornets. Hayward is now free to sign the sheet, at which point the Jazz would have three days to match or lose the forward to Charlotte.

Well, Yahoo! Sports/FOX Sports 1 NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported early Thursday that the Jazz will indeed match the offer sheet — but don't expect Utah to waste any of those three days and give MJ extra time to pursue a Plan B.

Hornets coach Steve Clifford said he's hopeful the Jazz won't match the offer.

"I feel like we've done everything that we can do," Clifford said. "We hope that they don't match. If they don't, we've significantly improved our wing positions."

Clifford said Hayward has "size, skill, competitiveness" and could play small forward or shooting guard in Charlotte.

"He's 24 years old and he has the talent, the character and the work ethic to be an All-Star player," Clifford said.

Clifford said the Hornets have other plans if they can't land Hayward, but wouldn't discuss them. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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