Gordon Hayward was candid about why things didn’t work out for a loaded 2018-19 Boston Celtics team. Hayward said it started with the team not being on the same page.
“In my eyes it was just, we all had too many agendas, and the agenda to win the whole thing was not the main one,” Hayward said. “Not to blame anyone either, because I think it was all human nature.”
Hayward went on to explain that from players returning from injuries, to young players who had stepped up the year prior, the Celtics were all pulling in different directions.
“I mean, I’m coming back from, the last season I played I was an All Star, so, I’m trying to prove that I’m still an All Star,” Hayward said. “Kyrie (Irving) was hurt the year before, didn’t miss the playoffs. So he’s trying to prove this is still his team. Then you’ve got (Jayson Tatum) and Jaylen (Brown) and Terry (Rozier) coming off where they’re all starting, make it to the Eastern Conference Finals a year before. They’re all trying to prove, like, ‘We’ve arrived.'”
Ultimately, Irving would leave following that season. Hayward would leave the Celtics after one more season. Hayward added that despite that Boston team being filled with talented players, that too many over them overlapped in skillsets.
“We had probably eight players who had career highs over 40, who were all arguably in their prime,” Hayward said. “The other problem is there were too many of us in the exact same position. We all needed the ball, we all rocked with the ball, we all needed the ball.”