Kemba Walker decided to sign with the Boston Celtics this offseason, leaving the Charlotte Hornets after eight years of service with the team.

Walker became a beloved member of the Hornets organization and the Charlotte community. The three-time All-Star says his decision to leave wasn't easy, but he's excited for the next chapter in his career:

“It was definitely one of the hardest decisions of my life,” Walker told ESPN's Tim Bontemps. “Charlotte’s all I’ve known. It came down to my happiness and wanting to compete night in and night out. … My time was up there. I’m excited to start a new chapter.”

Walker came to the Celtics by way of a sign-and-trade. Boston lost Kyrie Irving to the Brooklyn Nets in this year's free agency, which means Walker will be filling the starting point guard role.

Walker started all 82 regular season games with the Hornets last season, racking up averages of 25.6 points on 43.4 percent shooting from the field (35.6 percent from beyond the arc), 5.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

The Celtics finished the 2018-19 season with a 49-33 overall record, which earned the team a No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Unfortunately, though, Boston was eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, 4-1. This season, with Walker running the point, the C's will be looking to make another push.