The latest NBA free agency 2017 reports are suggesting that Utah Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward has selected a team to play for in the next season. However, it's still yet to be made official, based on the information that is circulating online. Nonetheless, once the ink has dried on a contract, it's looking like Hayward will join the Eastern Conference and the Boston Celtics. Here's the latest on the Gordon Hayward free agency decision and how it may help the Boston franchise going forward.

Is the Hayward deal done?

A report from ESPN's Chris Haynes indicates that Hayward has chosen the Boston Celtics' free agency offer over the deals he was pitched by the Miami Heat, and his former team, the Utah Jazz.

While that appears to be the deal, it was also reported that the two sides were working on completing it.

The Utah Jazz has been Hayward's team since he arrived in the league. Just this past season, Hayward made a first-ever All-Star appearance as a reserve on the Western Conference team. He also was instrumental in helping to lead his team to the postseason and helping to win their first-round series over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Utah Jazz president Steve Starks tweeted about the situation saying that they trust Hayward and his agent that no decision has been officially made.

While that is the case, it is looking like this deal could be very close.

If it becomes official, it makes for the second-straight year that a valuable free agent made a decision on the Fourth of July holiday. In 2016, many fans were shocked by the announcement that Kevin Durant had decided to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder and join the Golden State Warriors.

While the Hayward decision isn't quite as shocking or surprising, it could start to fuel conversations about Boston's chances to take down the Cavs in the East.

Top contender, former coach

With the Boston Celtics, Gordon Hayward joins a team that finished as the No. 1 overall seed in the East this past postseason but ultimately fell in the Eastern Conference Finals to Cleveland, 4-1. He would help make them even more of a contender against the East's most recent NBA Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Hayward averaged 21.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.5 rebounds per game over the 2016-17 season, all of which were above his career stats averages. With seven years of experience in the league, he'll bring that to a talented Celtics roster that has young developing players and other veterans.

There had been analysts speculating that Boston might try to add both free agents Paul George and Hayward to their roster this summer.

However, George was surprisingly traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder this past weekend, ending that possibility.

Hayward would not only join fellow 2017 NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas on the team but would be playing for his former college coach. Celtics head coach Brad Stevens coached Hayward during his collegiate basketball career with Butler University.
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