Boston Celtics fans continue to hold out hope that Gordon Hayward could return at some point this season, and the thought has admittedly crossed Hayward’s mind as well.
In an interview with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe that was published on Saturday, Hayward acknowledged that he has considered the possibility of returning this season.
“It’s definitely in the back of my mind,” Hayward said. “I’m definitely pushing to get back as fast as I can, while making sure that I still have a lot of good years of basketball in me. And coming back early and hurting something else is not part of that plan. So I’m making sure that if I come back, I’m one-thousand percent confident in myself and my leg.
“I hope more than anything I can play this season,” continued the All-Star forward. “That would be awesome. But that’s not something I’m stressing about. I’m stressing about what I can do today to help myself get better.”
Hayward has been out of action since suffering a gruesome left leg fracture in Boston’s season opener on October 17. The Celtics have since gone an Eastern Conference-best 22-5 in his absence.
We had previously heard a specific month that Hayward might be able to return in a best-case scenario. But at the same time, it doesn’t sound like he wants to rush himself into a return this season unless he is totally ready.
