There was major movement across the league with many of the stars in the Eastern Conference heading to the Western Conference.

However, All-Star forward Gordon Hayward was one of the few players to head East as he joined the Boston Celtics in free agency on a four-year, $128 million deal. During an interview with the Associated Press, Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers voiced that he believes Hayward's decision to join the Celtics was the right choice.

“I think Gordon Hayward’s the smartest one. He got out of town,” Rivers said, referring to the All-Star’s move from Utah to Boston. “He went to the East. I really don’t understand the logic of this. It is what it is. It’s just going to be a harder conference, if that’s possible.”

The Eastern Conference saw many of its top stars such as Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Paul Millsap all head West. This has weakened the conference creating less formidable teams in the conference with the Celtics remaining the biggest threat to dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Beyond just that, Boston provides Hayward with the best chance to win moving forward. The Utah Jazz had developed into a playoff caliber team in the West that included experiencing its first 50-win season and a trip to the second round of the playoffs in seven years. However, the Golden State Warriors steamrolled past them in a convincing four-game sweep that deflated any realistic hope of them challenging them.

Meanwhile, Boston has pieced together a team that has three All-Star caliber players along with young talent around them. It may have been a difficult choice to leave Utah after seven seasons, but it appears to have been the right decision for his career moving forward.