Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens might have a hand on the reported chemistry issues with the team last season.
The Celtics had a tumultuous year last season, which eventually led to a second-round exit after being tagged as one of the favorites to win the title. According to Jackie McMullan of ESPN, the tension inside the locker room might be traced to Stevens' decision to force-feed Gordon Hayward last season.
Hayward missed all but one game during the 2017-18 NBA campaign after sustaining a gruesome leg injury. Stevens, who knows Hayward very well because he coached him during their days in Butler, wanted to integrate the superstar forward into their system quickly; however, it eventually took a toll on their team chemistry.
“You hate to pick on Gordon Hayward because he was coming back from injury and he was doing the best he could, but I really think that’s where it started,” McMullan said. “They were force feeding him on his teammates, Brad knew Gordon well, he wanted to get his confidence back.”
Moreover, according to the report, force-feeding Butler “bothered” and “rankled” the locker room because Stevens reportedly gave Hayward the benefit of the doubt too much even if the 29-year-old was not ready — looking more like a shadow of his old self last season.
Hayward only started in 18 of the 72 games he played for Boston this 2018-19 season. He averaged just 11.5 points, which is a far cry from his 22-point average in 2016 with the Utah Jazz.
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