After signing Gordon Hayward and trading for Kyrie Irving, the Boston Celtics established a roster that could compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, in the 2017-18 NBA season opener, Hayward suffered a gruesome injury that is expected to keep him out for the remainder of the season.
As the Celtics have heavily relied on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge discussed the possibility of adding another player according to Gary Washburn of Boston Globe:
“Right now there’s no deal we’re doing right this second,” Ainge said. “It’s next man up, opportunities for the guys that [were not] going to get these opportunities all of a sudden play with no Marcus Morris and no Gordon Hayward. That’s 65 minutes a game right there. Until we find a deal that we like, we’ll do all we can to be patient.”
While the expectations may have quickly changed, Ainge put the situation in perspective:
“Injuries and bad breaks are just part of sports and we all have to deal with it,” Ainge said. “Nobody is going to feel sorry for us and we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. We all feel bad for Gordon because Gordon is the one who has to get surgery and go through months and months of rehab and that’s hard, that’s really, really hard. That’s where our thoughts are. The rest of us will be fine.”
Although the Celtics have lost Hayward to injury, they still have an extremely talented roster. Along with Irving looking to take on more responsibilities, Tatum, Brown, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier have all stepped up in Hayward's absence. In addition, Marcus Morris is expected to make his return soon.
With only four players returning from last season's roster, it will take time for Boston to come together. Once Morris returns, Ainge will be able to accurately assess the team's roster and see if they need to make a move.
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