The Downbeat: Unexpected Ballers Edition

Obligatory Trey Burke Signing Update.

RT @nickbaumgardner: Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. will hold a joint autograph signing at the State Street M-Den in Ann Arbor on Aug. 24.

— Michigan Hoops (@GoUMBBall) August 6, 2013

If you're a Jazz fan in Michigan you should head up to Ann Arbor and get your autograph signing on.

I'm posting this because this is probably the funniest thing I've seen in some time.

I can neither confirm or deny that is Gordon Hayward.

Recently ESPN posted an article projecting the top 10 Small Forwards in the NBA in 2013-2014. They had this interesting tidbit about Gordon Hayward who was just rated barely outside the top 10.

The comer in this group is Hayward, who should get more of a featured role in what promises to be a very young Jazz lineup. He was one of the standouts in the Team USA summer workouts in Las Vegas and may be ready for his close-up, so to speak. If he can sharpen his 3-point stroke to the 40-percent range, then his ability to make plays inside the arc will be enhanced. With rookieTrey Burke taking over at point guard, Hayward may also take on more of a playmaking role.

There's a few things that are interesting in this article. One is that just above Hayward there is Chandler Parsons. Who received a huge boost in his game last year by the presence of another elite perimeter player, James Harden. The Jazz will have two new starters on the perimeter with Hayward this year: Trey Burke and Alec Burks. If any of those two can be a threat with the ball in their hands Hayward could easily make a leap into the top ten and be on the best Small Forwards in the NBA. Not bad for some baby faced kid from Butler University.

Looks like Kay Malone is going to be working over time to feed this little hungry tike.

Having my home cooked food. I took good care of him in the eating department. #southerncooking pic.twitter.com/QvFXfFKQyu

— KAY MALONE (@mamail) August 6, 2013

Then Kay figured out that she could get followers by holding pictures of our precious Enes Kanter hostage. (The twitter is strong with this one.)

I will post a picture of @TheDeliverer_32 and @Enes_Kanter working out if I get 2000 followers

— KAY MALONE (@mamail) August 6, 2013

But then she gave up after learning that Jazz Nation on twitter is probably not as large as she would have hoped.

Ok here it is because I am going to bed.. pic.twitter.com/cA2GmeGkrj

— KAY MALONE (@mamail) August 6, 2013