Gordon Hayward hasn’t had a strong start to his return from a gruesome leg injury. The Celtics star is averaging 9.9 points per game on 39 percent from the field and has generally not been helpful while on the floor. Some of that is to be expected, because he is coming back from a brutal injury. The problem is the Celtics as a whole are struggling right now. They’re only one game above .500, their offense is a mess, and they’re seeking out ways to right the ship.
One possibility is to bring Hayward off the bench. He may be considered a star, and was signed as one of the key pieces to their future as contenders, but he’s struggling right now. Bringing him back in slowly as a leader of the team’s bench unit might be more effective than running him out there with the starters.
So far, Brad Stevens hasn’t indicated that he’s considered that, but when asked about it Hayward didn’t seem opposed to the idea. He just wants to help the Celtics win.
Via The Boston Globe:
“For me, I’m happy to be on the court, No. 1 more than anything and, No. 2, whatever I can do to help us win,’’ Hayward said at the Auerbach Center in Brighton. “I said it before the season, it’s whatever to me.
We have to figure something out because for whatever reason we’re not playing our best basketball right now.
There’s obviously a little bit of rust and sometimes you just go through those phases. You go through slumps. The shot feels good in practice and looks good and for whatever reason in the game, they’re in and out.”
Of course, what Hayward says publicly doesn’t always mean that’s how he feels internally. There’s a pride that comes with starting and most players don’t enjoy losing that label. That said, Hayward likely understands that his situation wouldn’t be a permanent one. If coming off the bench is a way for him to shake off the rust and get back into the swing of playing at his best, then it’s something worth exploring. Once he’s at his top form again, then he can return to his spot in the starting lineup.
Still, while Hayward definitely needs to find a way to get back to form, the rest of the Celtics aren’t playing incredibly well, either, and the Celtics offensive problems lie deeper than Hayward. They have an entire 82 game season to work these problems out, but as of right now, their offense needs a jolt of energy. Perhaps Hayward coming off the bench is that needed jolt.
