Gordon Hayward on 2019 Boston Celtics Lineup: 'We All Had Too Many Agendas'

Gordon Hayward was a member of the Boston Celtics for three seasons.

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

On a recent episode of Podcast P with Paul George, Gordon Hayward discussed the underwhelming performance of the 2018-2019 Boston Celtics roster. They finished the regular season with a 49-33 record and were later eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Boston’s key players included Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kyrie Irving, and Al Horford. Each player has earned at least one NBA All-Star selection during their career.

Hayward believes the 2019 Celtics lineup wasn't focused on winning an NBA championship.

“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,” said Hayward. “Not to blame anyone either, because I think it was all human nature.”

Hayward explained that Boston’s star players appeared more focused on personal achievements.

“I mean I [was] coming back from where the last season I played, I was an All-Star, so, I [was] trying to prove that I’m still an All-Star,” said Hayward. “Kyrie [Irving] was hurt the year before, too; [the Celtics] 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 the year before. They’re all trying to prove, like, ‘We’ve arrived.'”

Hayward emphasized that, despite an imperfect dynamic, the 2019 Celtics had a surplus of talent.

“We had probably eight players that had career highs of over 40 [points in a game] who were all arguably in their prime. In my opinion, the other problem is there were too many of us in the exact same position.”

"We all had too many agendas, and the agenda to win the whole thing wasn't the main one."

Gordon Hayward on the shortcomings of a loaded 2018-19 Celtics squad pic.twitter.com/vPm6yETr5B

— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) January 1, 2024

In 2020, Hayward was traded to the Charlotte Hornets for a conditional 2022 second-round draft pick.