Gordon Hayward To Sign With Boston Over Miami, Utah
It's been a busy off-season so far in the NBA as Gordon Hayward is the next player to sign with a different team as he will leave the Utah Jazz which was the team that drafted him seven years ago out of Butler.
It was announced today that forward Gordan Hayward has committed to sign with the Boston Celtics sources told ESPN, choosing their offer over those from the Utah Jazz, his team since 2010, and the Miami Heat. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
Hayward hasn't yet informed the Jazz he has decided to sign with Boston, sources told ESPN's, Adrian Wojnarowski. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
Hayward will be reunited with in Boston Brad Stevens, who also coached him in college at Butler. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
Boston would now need a series of transactions to create cap space for Gordon Hayward. The Celtics would have to pull the qualifying offer on Kelly Olynyk, renounce free agents Jonas Jerebko, James Young, Gerald Green and waive the contracts of Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson (or trade). The Celtics would be left with $27.6M in room and likely need to move the contract of Terry Rozier or Marcus Smart. Trading Rozier would have the Celtics short $1M of a max salary a lot. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to tohttp://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
Hayward, 27, has 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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
The last Utah player to be selected to an All-Star Game was Deron Williams in 2011. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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 because food poisoning 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. "according to tohttp://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
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. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat
Hayward was ranked No. 6 on the list of top available free agents this offseason compiled by ESPN's Kevin Pelton. "according to http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/19810138/gordon-hayward-picks-boston-celtics-utah-jazz-miami-heat