For the second-consecutive summer, the Boston Celtics have landed a marquee free agent, this time in small forward Gordon Hayward.
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Free-agent Gordon Hayward plans to sign with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 4, 2017
Gordon Hayward intends to sign with Boston, league source told @TheVertical. @ChrisBHaynes first.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 4, 2017
Can confirm the @ChrisBHaynes report: Sources close to Hayward say he is signing in Boston.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 4, 2017
Hayward, the former No. 9 overall selection, visited the Miami Heat, Celtics and Utah Jazz before making his free agency decision.
According to other reports, Hayward has actually NOT made his decision:
Gordon Hayward's agent, Mark Bartelstein, tells ESPN: "Gordon hasn't made a decision yet. We are still working through it."
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 4, 2017
Okay. Strap in. Told by a source w/knowledge of the process that Gordon Hayward has NOT made a decision yet & is still in the process. FWIW.
— David Aldridge (@davidaldridgedc) July 4, 2017
Hayward, who is coming off an All-Star year for the Jazz and made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs shakes up the power in the Eastern Conference by adding a legitimate offensive weapon to a Celtics team lacking one in last year's playoffs if he is to sign. The Cleveland Cavaliers are still certainly the team to beat, but Boston's addition makes things a bit more interesting heading into 2017-18.
The Jazz traded for point guard Ricky Rubio, but the move was possibly not enough to keep Hayward from rejoining his college coach, Brad Stevens in Boston.
He averaged a career-best 21 points and five rebounds per game.
