May 23, 2017; Cleveland, OH, USA; Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith (5) during the first quarter in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics agreed to trade guard Avery Bradley to the Detroit Pistons for forward Marcus Morris, according to multiple reports Friday.
The deal creates the salary-cap space the Celtics needed to sign All-Star free agent forward Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $128 million maximum contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Celtics also will send a 2019 second-round pick to the Pistons, according to The Vertical.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers also were pursing Bradley in the past 24 hours, league sources told ESPN.
The 26-year-old Bradley, a two-time All-Defensive Team player, averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 rebounds and shot 39 percent from 3-point range last season. In seven seasons with the Celtics, he averaged 12.1 points and 3.1 rebounds.
Morris, 27, played six NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Pistons. He averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 79 games with the Pistons last season.
Hayward, 27, chose the Celtics earlier this week over the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz, the team with which he played his first seven seasons since he was drafted No. 9 overall in 2010.
Hayward averaged a career-best 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds to go along with 3.5 assists last season for the Jazz, who made their first playoff appearance since 2012.
