Sam Amick

USA TODAY Sports

Gordon Hayward visited the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, the 24-year-old small forward formerly of the Utah Jazz taking part in the first of what is likely several stops on his restricted free agency tour.

But despite reports that he would be given a maximum salary offer sheet before the day was done, Hayward left town without a commitment from the Cavaliers and with an eagerness to continue testing the rest of his one-man market. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Hayward's time spent with the Cavaliers was merely a getting-to-know-you session in which the two sides wanted to get better acquainted before deciding what might come next.

There was, the person said, no plan among the Cavaliers front office of presenting an offer sheet on Wednesday and the possibility remains that one could eventually come his way from the Cavaliers. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the situation.

Hayward is one of the top young free agents on the market, but the widespread belief is that the Utah Jazz would match any offer that comes his way. Then again, that's the way restricted free agency typically unfolds at this point in the process, with the team that would rather not lose its player sending signals that other buyers should beware even if they may be bluffing. Thus, his situation will remain one of the most intriguing as both Hayward and the Jazz wait to see if he'll play his fifth season somewhere else.

As USA TODAY Sports reported Monday, Hayward was expected to draw interest from the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies and others. The Jazz and Hayward's agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports and Entertainment, were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension before the Oct. 31 deadline.

Had the Cavaliers put a maximum-salary offer sheet on the table, it would have been the strongest signal yet that teams in the running for free agent LeBron James were giving up on that pursuit. Cleveland has approximately $16 million in salary cap space, and an offer sheet of that magnitude would have been prohibitive in the pursuit of the former Cavaliers star who left his home state so unceremoniously in the summer of 2010. It is still widely believed that James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will ultimately re-sign in Miami, but moving parts remain and all options for James appear to still be in play.

Hayward, meanwhile, doesn't have a decision of his own to make just yet.

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