Gordon Hayward made the right decision in 2017 when he chose the Boston Celtics over the Miami Heat in free agency, even if it hasn’t been clear over the following seven years, with Hayward sinking into obscurity before retiring on August 1.
At the very least, Hayward honoured the collegiate coach who helped him become a Butler star: Brad Stevens. He signed on the dotted line in Boston, becoming one of Stevens’ biggest stars in the pros.
Gordon Hayward ditched Heat for Celtics in 2017 because of Brad Stevens
Hayward’s injury and bad fit, combined with a wing-heavy rotation led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, prevented that from happening. However, Hayward confirmed on the 7 August broadcast of The Dan Le Batard Show that this was his line of thinking.
“It was a reunion with Brad [Stevens]…” Brad was the one who sold it,” Hayward explained. “It’s difficult to compete against someone I played under at Butler. He made a significant impact on my life. That was the crucial point. Playing for him again.”
Hayward was entirely sold on Miami at the start of the 2017 free agency period. So much so that it appeared he almost skipped the appointment with Boston.
“I recall telling my agent after each meeting that I wanted to travel to Miami. We do not even need to attend the other meetings. “Miami is where I want to be, and he was like, ‘Well, we’ve got to hear everyone out,'” Hayward explained.
Hayward never became a highly sought-after free agent again. Except for the Charlotte Hornets, who overpaid him, he had few suitors in 2020. It’s evident, however, that his 2017 free agency was more convoluted than we knew before this conversation with Le Batard.
Stevens and Hayward had a connection dating back to their undergraduate days at Butler, which influenced his decision. It didn’t work out due to the injury, but Boston still beat Miami because of their current President of Basketball Operations.
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