There’s some good news on the horizon for Gordon Hayward and the Boston Celtics. Echoing a very positive recent update from general manager Danny Ainge, head coach Brad Stevens said Monday he expects his star guard to be fully cleared by sometime in August.
“Everything is good and pointed toward being back exactly where he was—hopefully pain-free, because that plate is taken out—in the middle of July, which probably points to an early-August, mid-August fully cleared time frame,” Stevens said Monday, per the Boston Globe.
Hayward was injured on opening night last year when Kyrie Irving attempted an alley-oop pass to his new teammate that proved ill-conceived.
The former Utah Jazz star ended up suffering a gruesome broken leg that required a slow recovery process, but thankfully it’s one that appears to be leading to a positive conclusion.
The Celtics still hope to see some big things from Hayward. He was the team’s prized free agent last summer, inking a four-year, $128 million contract with the Celtics in July. Hayward averaged 21.9 points per game during his tenure in Utah and was named an All-Star in 2016-17.