Headlines were made when Paul George was traded to the Thunder and Chris Paul was traded to the Houston Rockets. This time, Gordon Hayward has chosen to go to the Boston Celtics. He gave a big thank you to the city of Utah via an article for the Players' Tribune titled "Thank You, Utah," for molding him into the player he is today and he also showed his appreciation to the fans. Hayward will join the Celtics and hopefully compete for a championship.

Taking his talents to Boston

Gordon Hayward is on his way to Boston to play basketball. He chose them over both the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz.

The decision came out right on the 4th of July. Hayward has agreed to a four-year, $128 million dollar deal, according to ESPN sources. His deal comes with a player option for his final year.

There were plenty of factors that led to the small forward wanting to sign with the Boston Celtics. One reason is that he wanted to reunite with former coach Brad Stevens, who was his coach at Butler University. Stevens is a great coach who was able to take the Celtics to the Conference Finals against the Cavaliers.

In Hayward's final year at Butler, Hayward led his team to the national championship game, but they ended up losing in a close match. Hayward shot the final buzzer beater that would have won the game, but it failed to go in.

The two have unfinished business.

Another reason why Hayward wanted to join the Celtics has to do with the opportunity to chase a championship. The Jazz are a good team, but they are not a contender, especially in the Western Conference. They are also in disarray now with the loss of George Hill and Hayward.

Boston is a great city with an equally great fan base.

Money was clearly not a factor in Hayward's decision, as Utah offered him more.

Hayward's breakout year

The small forward was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 draft, and since then he has shone with the Jazz and really grew into a phenomenal player.

Hayward has improved each year since entering the league.

Last season, he averaged about 22 points per game, along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists and he made his first All-Star appearance. The forward also shot 47.1% from the floor, his highest since his rookie season.

Celtics reach another level

This is obviously a big acquisition for the Celtics. With Hayward in the lineup, it gives them another talented scoring option behind Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford. The team will possibly be getting rid of Kelly Olynyk to clear up cap space and some other players.

Next year could be a different result with Hayward now on the team. Now that he is on the team they can no doubt challenge the Cavaliers and take the first spot in the East. The future is bright for the team and even brighter with their latest acquisition.

The Celtics are looking great heading into next year, but will it be enough to beat LeBron in the East? It will surely be a close series and could be one where the Celtics win. Hayward will embark on his next journey and soar to greatness.