Boston Celtics small forward Gordon Hayward has been playing better basketball as of late, but players around the league reportedly still feel he's a liability for Boston.

According to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, players feel bad for Hayward because he's a really nice guy, but know he's really compromised right now.

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“They know he’s going to be a step slower,” Smith said on ESPN radio. “They know he’s going to be compromised. I have spoken to people in the league who literally have said, ‘Look man, no disrespect to Gordon Hayward, nice guy, but he’s really, really compromised right now. He’s not the same guy that he was.'

And they said, ‘We actually kind of feel sorry for him, because he is a nice guy, and we know he’s trying to come back from injury.' “

On the season, Gordon Hayward is averaging 11.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 83.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Hayward is making $31,214,295 this season. The swingman had one of his best games of the season this past Saturday against the Golden State Warriors. Hayward scored 30 points while shooting 12-of-16 from the floor. He's followed that up with games of 12 and 15 points.