{"id":1469764,"date":"2022-01-19T19:07:07","date_gmt":"2022-01-20T00:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1469764"},"modified":"2022-01-19T19:07:08","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T00:07:08","slug":"gordon-hayward-candidly-reveals-left-celtics-join-hornets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/gordon-hayward-candidly-reveals-left-celtics-join-hornets\/","title":{"rendered":"Gordon Hayward Candidly Reveals Why He Left the Celtics to Join the Hornets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Boston seemed to be the perfect city for NBA veteran Gordon Hayward. His college coach, Brad Stevens, was the man in charge when Hayward signed with a Celtics<\/a>, and the team was a legitimate title contender during his time there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after just three years in Boston, Hayward decided to ditch the Celtics and sign with the Charlotte Hornets<\/a>. Ahead of his return to the TD Garden on Wednesday, the former All-Star opened up about that decision and what he misses most about the Celtics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gordon Hayward looks back fondly at his time with the Celtics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Why
Gordon Hayward of the Charlotte Hornets looks on during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers | Tim Nwachukwu\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hayward's three seasons with the Celtics were some of the toughest years of his career. After being named an All-Star for the first time in 2017 and signing a four-year, $128 million contract with Boston, Hayward fractured his ankle five minutes into his Celtics debut and missed the entire season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forward came off the bench for much of the 2018-19 season and struggled coming off of his ankle injury. Then, in his third season with the team, he suffered another ankle injury in the playoffs and missed the Eastern Conference Finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite three frustrating years in Boston, Hayward only has good things to say about his time with the Celtics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I think that I built a lot of great relationships in Boston,” Hayward told Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated<\/a> this week. “With the staff, with the coaches, training staff, the players. Those are the things that you remember more than anything. I know a lot of retired players always talk about it, but that's just the truth.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hayward reveals why he left the Celtics for the Hornets <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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