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Gordon Hayward, Celtics Agree to Contract After 7 Seasons with Jazz

Alec Nathan

Gordon Hayward is joining the Boston Celtics.  

For real this time. 

Following a day filled with mixed signals about his future, Hayward announced Tuesday night on The Players' Tribune he will leave the Utah Jazz and sign with the Celtics: 

"This was a life-changing decision for me and my family, and something we took really seriously. And from the very start of this process, one thing stood out as important: I knew that I wanted the fans and the organizations to hear my decision directly from me.

"After seven years in Utah, I have decided to join the Boston Celtics." 

According to The Vertical's Shams Charania, Hayward and the Celtics agreed to terms on a four-year, $128 million contract. 

USA Today's Sam Amick added the fourth year in Hayward's contract is a player option, which means he will be free to chase a 10-year max contract if he opts out in the summer of 2020. 

Early Tuesday afternoon, ESPN.com's Chris Haynes first reported Hayward planned to sign with the Celtics after hearing pitches from Boston, Utah and the Miami Heat. However, Hayward's camp walked that report back within minutes of the news breaking. 

"Gordon hasn't made a decision yet," his agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. "We are still working through it."

Now that the confusion has been cleared up, Hayward will reunite with his college coach, Brad Stevens, as the two seek to hoist championship hardware in the pros after they came up just shy of doing so with the Butler Bulldogs in 2010. 

With Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown and 2017 No. 3 overall pick Jayson Tatum in tow alongside Hayward, the Celtics should have plenty of firepower to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for Eastern Conference supremacy in the years ahead. 

   

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