Gordon Hayward to sign with Celtics; spurns offers from Jazz, Heat

Gordon Hayward to sign with Celtics; spurns offers from Jazz, Heat
2:32 PM ET

ESPN

Chris HaynesESPN Staff Writer

 

Gordon Hayward has committed to sign with the Boston Celtics, sources told ESPN, choosing their offer over the Utah Jazz, his team since 2010, and the Miami Heat.

Hayward hasn't yet informed the Jazz he has decided to sign with Boston, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Hayward will be reunited with Brad Stevens in Boston, who also coached him in college at Butler.

Hayward's decision marks the second consecutive offseason that a major star has decided to switch teams in free agency. Last year, Kevin Durant announced that he was leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder for the Golden State Warriors.

It also is the second straight summer that the Celtics have successfully recruited a coveted player on the free agent market. Last year, Al Horford signed with Boston.

A contingent from the Jazz, including the recently acquired Ricky Rubio, met with Hayward on Monday in a 3½-hour meeting at Hayward's San Diego home. Rubio, who was acquired as a key part of the Jazz's plan to re-sign Hayward, traveled from Spain for the meeting.

The All-Star swingman, who also met with the Heat on Saturday and Celtics on Sunday, will command a maximum salary after opting out of the final season of his contract.

Hayward, 27, steadily developed into a franchise-caliber player since the Jazz selected him with the ninth overall pick of the 2010 draft. He has improved his scoring average each year, topping out at 21.9 points per game last season, when Hayward made his first All-Star appearance and led 51-31 Utah to its first playoff appearance since 2012.

The last Utah player to be selected to an All-Star Game was Deron Williams in 2011.

Hayward also averaged a career high in rebounds (5.4 per game) last season, dished out 3.5 assists per game and shot 47.1 percent from the floor, his highest mark since his rookie season, when he had a limited role.

Hayward, whose only previous playoff experience consisted of a sweep at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs in a 2012 series in which he was 6-of-33 from the floor, starred in his second appearance on the postseason stage. He averaged 24.1 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists in the playoffs -- numbers skewed low due to food poisoning that limited him to nine ineffective minutes in Game 4 against the Los Angeles Clippers -- to help the Jazz advance to the second round for the first time since 2010.

Hayward's 8,077 career points rank eighth in Jazz history. He has career averages of 15.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

Hayward was ranked No. 6 on the list of top available free agents this offseason compiled by ESPN's Kevin Pelton.
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Report: Gordon Hayward signs with Celtics

WEEI - Ty Anderson

Finally, in what was a three-team race between the Celtics, Heat, and Jazz, All-Star small forward Gordon Hayward has made his decision, and will take his talents to Boston on a four-year, max deal according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes.

In a long weekend spent between the Miami, Boston, and then San Diego (the Jazz braintrust and teammates opted to meet Hayward at his California home), the 27-year-old Hayward was ultimately wooed enough by the C’s presentation.

It was in Boston that Hayward was met by Celtics president Danny Ainge, head coach Brad Stevens (Hayward’s college coach at Butler), and superstars Al Horford and Isaiah Thomas. Their presentation, which apparently lasted over nine hours, included a visit to Fenway Park, where Hayward was shown a lengthy centerfield jumbotron montage of great C’s moments, and a closing message from Red Sox legend David Ortiz.

The Indiana-born Hayward did meet with the Jazz after his trip to Boston, as mentioned, but without much else to be discovered between Hayward and the only NBA team he’s ever known in his career, the four-hour meeting didn’t do enough to convince Hayward not to leave the club.

Hayward’s move to the Celtics gives the C’s their closest thing to a three-headed monster since the days of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett, a team that captured one NBA title (2008) and went to another (2010) during their run together.

Hayward averaged a career-best 21.9 points per game and broke the 1,600-point plateau for the first time in his career this past season.

112288

BATTA BING!

112288

Nice. Horford last year, Hayward this. Boston can no longer be considered a place free agents wont sign.

mrclean,

Youare correct, but now Boston has no money left for any big time free agents probably until Horford finishes his contract in Boston.

Keeping Thomas, Bradley and Smart next summer as well as filling in some rebounding players for this year may be difficult.

Not sure they need another big time free agent, guess it will depend on the development of Brown, Tatum and Zizic.

I see Crowder gone this summer and likely Bradley will go at the trade deadline if not sooner and that will free up a bit of money to sign another solid player.

The Celtics are still a year or two away from really being ready to contend, so I am in no rush in judging Jayson Tatum and some of the other young players.

Hayward seems to be a good addition, although we're now loaded with wings.  He could contribute to a nice small-ball lineup with big scoring potential...

Thomas
Horford
Tatum
Hayward
Rozier

That lineup could put up some numbers.

Still, there must be more changes to come.  We have no size, and less rebounding than at the end of last season.

Since there are no bigs left in free agency worth pursuing, I would expect we'll be looking to trade for a big or two.  The trading chips would appear to be draft picks, Bradley, Crowder and possibly Smart.

It may be hard to shake anyone loose with those pieces, so I expect a lot more offense next year with less on the defensive end.  We could end up winning a lot of high-scoring affairs.  I'm sure we'll continue looking, however, and if we can't swing a deal or two, next year's draft looks like it could be deep on bigs.

We're getting there, however.  This should be an interesting roster.

Hayward signing's residual effect on Knicks: 

http://nypost.com/2017/07/04/how-gordon-hayward-to-celtics-move-stunts-carmelo-market/

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2719835-gordon-hayward-gives-boston-celtics-exactly-what-they-need