v Recently, 14-year NBA veteran and former Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward announced his retirement from basketball. Hayward began his career with the Utah Jazz after the team drafted him ninth overall in the 2010 NBA Draft. However, after seven years with the team, he left in free agency to join the Celtics in 2017. At the time, the Celtics were fresh off their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in five years. Additionally, Boston’s head coach at the time, Brad Stevens, was also Hayward’s coach at Butler. At the time, joining the Celtics, who had also drafted Jayson Tatum just a couple of weeks prior, seemed like a no-brainer. However, in a recent interview with ESPN’s Dan LeBatard (YouTube link), Hayward revealed he “was very close” to joining the Miami Heat instead.

The Heat have always been a first-class organization, so I was really, really close to signing there. I feel like Spoelstra’s one of the best coaches in the league, and obviously, Pat Riley is legendary in his own right. I was very close. Also, my brother-in-law lives in Miami. My wife would have loved living there and the beach and everything, but ultimately decided to go to Boston,” Hayward said.

At the time, Miami had just missed the playoffs for the second time in three years after LeBron James‘ departure in 2014. However, the team was inching closer to potential due to the breakout of players like Dion Waiters and Hassan Whiteside.

Former Boston Celtics Forward Nearly Joined the Miami Heat in 2017

Gordon Hayward’s Boston Celtics Career

When Hayward signed with the Celtics, there were expectations that they could be the team to finally dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. Then, when the Celtics traded for Kyrie Irving later that offseason, there were talks of them matching up against the Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant at the helm. However, after Hayward suffered a devastating season-ending injury in Boston’s first game of the season, those expectations were quickly simmered. The Celtics did eventually make it to the conference finals without Hayward and Irving, who underwent knee surgery in March. However, they ultimately lost to the Cavaliers in seven games.

Hayward returned for the 2018-19 season. However, things went very poorly for the Celtics. Ultimately, the team finished with a 49-33 record and earned the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. For a team with sky-high expectations like Boston, this was a disappointing finish to the season. After the team lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, Irving and Al Horford left in free agency the following season.

The 2019-20 ended up being Hayward’s last in a Celtics uniform. Now with Kemba Walker running point, the Celtics bounced back from the prior season. They ended with a 48-24 record and earned the No. 3 seed in the conference. Additionally, this was Hayward’s best individual season in Boston. On the year, the forward averaged 17.5 points per game on 50% shooting. Additionally, he averaged 6.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. However, after the team’s Eastern Conference Finals loss to the Heat, Hayward joined the Charlotte Hornets in the 2020 offseason.