Gordon Hayward on what went wrong with 2019 Celtics: "Too many agendas"

BOSTON -- There is a whole lot to like about this year's Boston Celtics, a team that sits atop the NBA thanks to some incredible chemistry among its stars. Egos and personal stats have been put aside for the betterment of the team.

Not that anyone wants to think back to the 2018-19 Boston Celtics, but this year's team is basically the polar opposite of the star-studded Celtics that disappointed us five years ago. The 2018-19 Celtics were absolutely loaded with talent, with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward returning from injury to join rising stars Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier -- who had just led the undermanned C's to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Marcus Smart was already Marcus Smart, Al Horford was the steady vet, and Marcus Morris was gave that 2018-19 squad some firepower off the bench.

But nothing really went to plan for that Celtics team, as it was clear throughout the season that there were too many cooks in the kitchen. There were more "players only" meetings than there were thrilling wins, as everyone on the roster appeared more focused on themselves than the team.

Hayward, who had missed the previous season after his opening-night injury, shared some insight on that lost season in an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George.

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

Hayward himself was certainly guilty of that. He was an All-Star in his final season in Utah before signing his max deal with Boston, and he wanted to reassert himself as one as he came back from his gruesome ankle injury. Irving was also coming back after missing the playoffs, and was eager to get back atop the hierarchy on the floor.

"He's trying to prove this is still his team. Then you've got JT and Jaylen and Terry coming off where they're all starting, and made it to the Eastern Conference Finals a year before. They're all trying to prove, like, 'We've arrived,'" said Hayward.

As many worried before that season -- and as was made clear throughout the campaign -- the Celtics had too much talent. Much of that talent played similar positions, and the Celtics did not know how to handle it.

"We had probably eight players who had career highs over 40, who were all arguably in their prime," noted Hayward. "The other problem is there were too many of us in the exact same position. We all needed the ball. We all rocked with the ball, we all needed the ball."

The problem was there is only one basketball to go around, and no one wanted to give it up after they got it. Sacrifice was needed, but no one was willing to actually follow through with that. (Outside of Al Horford.) Everyone wanted to get theirs night to night, and that was the focus -- not winning basketball games.

The Celtics managed to go 49-33 in the regular season and swept the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs, but then suffered an embarrassing five-game loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the East semis. Irving bolted for Brooklyn that summer while Horford left for Philly, and Hayward left the following offseason after opting out of his deal with Boston.

Hayward provided some fascinating new insight on a season that could have been -- and likely should have been -- much more successful for the Celtics. It's clear that egos got in the way of the team's success, and that mix was never going to work with that attitude.

It's not much fun to look back on that team, but it should also help everyone a bit more appreciative this year's Celtics and the individual sacrifices being made by everyone on the roster.