Apr 30, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Raymond Felton (2) defends Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward (20) as he drives to the basket in the second period of game seven of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
All-Star swingman Gordon Hayward has elected to rejoin his collegiate coach by agreeing to sign with the Boston Celtics, ESPN reported on Tuesday.
Hayward spurned his now former team in the Utah Jazz as well as the Miami Heat to commit to the Celtics and Brad Stevens, who coached him at Butler.
However, Hayward’s agent Mark Bartelstein offered this comment to ESPN around 2:30 p.m. ET: “Gordon hasn’t made a decision yet. We are still working through it.”
Boston’s big-name commitment on the free-agent market is the team’s second in as many years. The Celtics signed Al Horford last year.
–The Sacramento Kings agreed to free-agent deals with point guard George Hill and power forward Zach Randolph, according to published reports.
Hill agreed to a three-year, $57 million deal, according to The Vertical. Randolph reached agreement on a two-year, $24 million pact, according to ESPN.
Hill averaged a career-best 16.9 points to go along with 4.2 assists for the Utah Jazz last season. He played in just 49 games due to an assortment of injuries.
Hill declined a wealthier offer from the Jazz during the season and seemed intent on departing. He is averaging 11.8 points and 3.3 assists in nine NBA seasons.
–The Miami Heat waived forward Chris Bosh and announced the franchise will retire the 11-time All-Star’s uniform number.
The move was expected, coming six weeks after Miami, Bosh and the players’ union had agreed to a resolution on Bosh’s contract status.
The 33-year-old Bosh missed the 2016-17 season after failing a preseason physical. Team doctors refused to clear him after Bosh was forced to miss the second half of the previous two seasons due to blood clots.
Earlier this week, the NBA notified the Heat that the remainder of the salary owed to Bosh — $52.1 million over two years — would not count against the team’s salary cap, although the standout forward will receive the money.
–The Los Angeles Clippers are attempting to secure a sign-and-trade agreement with free-agent forward Danilo Gallinari on a three-year, $65 million deal, ESPN reported.
With salary-cap space an issue, the Clippers are aiming to acquire Gallinari through a three-way trade involving the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks, according to the report. Los Angeles would send Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone and a future first-round pick to Atlanta while Denver is expected to receive draft compensation for Gallinari, who has played with the Nuggets for the past six seasons.
Should Gallinari head to the Clippers, the team would feature a potent frontcourt that includes All-Stars Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Griffin agreed to a five-year deal on Friday.
–Boston Celtics All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas likely will not require surgery on the injured hip that ended his season, according to coach Brad Stevens.
Thomas was shut down at halftime of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers after aggravating a hip injury that had lingered since late in the regular season. The 28-year-old Thomas initially injured his hip during the third quarter of a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 15.
Stevens offered his assessment after spending part of Sunday with Thomas.
Thomas finished fifth in MVP voting and secured a spot on the All-NBA second team after averaging 28.9 points during the regular season and 23.3 in the postseason.
