The Boston Celtics have eagerly awaited the return of small forward Gordon Hayward after he was sidelined for the 2017-18 NBA season with a devastating ankle injury. Fortunately, Hayward understands that he will need to be patient with his transition back onto the court.
Hayward may be understandably anxious for the 2018-19 NBA season to get started. However, he is well aware that he must see how his ankle responds early on, via Michael Gallagher of NBC Sports:
“At the same time, I understand that the team and the trainers want to monitor how much I'm actually playing, and how much of a load I am putting on my ankle, and the rest of my body. It's a delicate balance. We want to make sure that I'm getting the work that I need, but we don't want me to overdo it, and the hurt something else or hurt my ankle because I'm trying to do too much. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and I've got to get used to that again.”
It is encouraging to see that Hayward is keeping an open mind about his return. Players are usually chomping at the bit to get back onto the court after an extended period of time. However, they often put themselves at risk when they try to push things too hard. That said, there is plenty of truth to his comments.
There is no question that the Celtics would like to pick up where they left off before the injury. In order to do so, they will need to see how Hayward's ankle responds to the new workload. Furthermore, Boston has high hopes for this season. The Eastern Conference crown is now up for grabs with star small forward LeBron James now with the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics would much rather take their time and have Hayward fully healthy for the playoffs than rush him back during the regular season.
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