Boston Celtics Roster, Injury News 2017: Will Gordon Hayward Return This Season?
Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward still has a long way to go in his recovery from a gruesome ankle injury, but it appears that he hasn't ruled out the possibility of playing again this season.
In a recent interview with the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach, Hayward admitted that he had thought about the possibility of returning at some point later this season, but he noted that he would only do so if he's absolutely certain his ankle was fully healthy.
"I'm definitely pushing to get back as fast as I can, while making sure that I still have a lot of good years of basketball in me. And coming back early and hurting something else is not part of that plan. So I'm making sure that if I come back, I'm 1,000 percent confident in myself and my leg," Hayward said during the interview.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"I hope more than anything I can play this season. That would be awesome. But that's not something I'm stressing about. I'm stressing about what I can do today to help myself get better," he continued.
Hayward was expected to sit out the rest of the season after he dislocated his left ankle and fractured his left tibia in their season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but his wife recently posted an Instagram photo of Hayward without his walking boot and that had people talking about the progress he has made in his recovery.
During an appearance on Boston sports radio station 98.5 the Sports Hub, Celtics president Danny Ainge said Hayward was allowed to take the walking boot off, but only for a short period of time. Ainge also confirmed that the forward was around two weeks away from getting out of his boot.
Hayward seems to be making good progress in his recovery, but the Celtics are unlikely to rush him back so the chances of him returning this season are actually pretty slim.
