Boston Celtics big man Robert Williams claims small forward Gordon Hayward is “back.”
Williams says he would get up at 9 or 9:30 a.m. to work out this summer and Hayward would be finishing up his work. The youngster reveals Hayward's explosion is there again.
Instead of training in San Diego like he usually does every summer, Hayward stayed in Boston so he could work with the Celtics’ coaching staff.
Hayward is a man on a mission. The swingman is looking to have a bounce-back 2019-20 season. For the Celtics to make some noise in the Eastern Conference this season, they will need Hayward to play like an All-Star again.
Last season, Hayward averaged 11.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 83.4 percent from the free-throw line. He was coming back from that gruesome ankle injury he suffered in 2017-18 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on opening night, so Hayward wasn’t that explosive or comfortable on the court.
By all accounts, though, Hayward had a very productive summer. The Celtics are anxious to see if Hayward can be that dynamic scorer they thought they were getting when they signed him to a lucrative deal in the summer of 2017.
This upcoming season will mark two years since Hayward suffered that ankle injury. Naturally, the Celtics forward should be more explosive and loose on the court.