Gordon Hayward is slowly working his way back from one of the more gruesome-looking ankle injuries ever seen on an NBA court. The Celtics star forward only made it five minutes into his tenure in Boston before suffering the injury, which has made his first year with the Celtics a test in patience for himself, the team and fans.
Hayward and some fans have continued to hold out hope that he might be able to return at some point during a deep playoff run, should Boston make it into late May or June. Brad Stevens and the Celtics organization, however, have been insistent that he won’t be coming back until next season, which is probably the smart play for both Hayward and the team.
Every Hayward rehab video update has been watched intensely by fans hoping to see him make some major breakthrough that will indicate he’s well ahead of schedule. The latest from the Player’s Tribune shows something we haven’t seen out of Hayward, as he’s doing some light jogging on a basketball court, and it will undoubtedly have fans excited.
Get Ready… 3… 2… 1…@GordonHayward pic.twitter.com/ZZDMthH3n4
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 2, 2018
This is a good sign, but also probably indicates that Brad Stevens is right about his star’s timetable. If Hayward is just now doing some light jogging, that means there’s a long way to go before he’s in game shape to run up and down the court at NBA speed in a playoff environment. It’s good that Hayward is on his way to running without the aid of an AlterG treadmill, because that indicates progress is being made and his ankle is healing properly, but it also doesn’t mean a return to the court is right around the corner.
