Possibility of Gordon Hayward returning this season

https://sports.yahoo.com/report-gordon-hayward-earliest-possible-140003995.html

Gordon Hayward‘s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said the Celtics wing was unlikely to return this season following surgery for a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

We’re obviously dealing with unknowns and probabilities, but there’s another spin to the timeline.

Mike Lynch of WCVB:

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Mike Lynch @LynchieWCVB
New information on Hayward surgery. As good as doctors could hope. Clean break, no ligament damage. Prognosis is good. Best case? March
10:15 PM - Oct 18, 2017
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It’d be great for Hayward and the Celtics if he can return in March. That’d give him time to acclimate before the playoffs, which Boston could still make.

However, this report casts doubt whether the Celtics will receive a disabled-player exception for Hayward. The NBA grants the exception – worth $8,406,000 in this case – if a league-appointed physician rules Hayward is “substantially more likely than not” to be unable to play through June 15.

When he said Hayward would likely miss the season, did Bartelstein mean the regular season, Boston’s season or the entire postseason? Those could be quite different dates. How likely is a player with at least a chance of returning in March to remain out through June 15?

The NBA is fairly lenient on granting disabled-player exceptions. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Celtics got one.

But I also wouldn’t be surprised if they’re denied – which, in a way, would signal good news for them and Hayward.

Not sure I believe it, but I thought I'd share this with the rest of the board

Everyone heals differently.  If the best case scenario is March the more likely one is that he misses the entire season.

Fans should move on.  Look forward to next year.

Dboss

I have no medical background, unless you count my various knee injuries over the years and paying our health insurance bill every month.

Even without that medical degree, I don't see any way a player returns from that type of injury this season.  I'm looking forward to seeing Hayward in green next season, after a long and complete rehab.

From USA TODAY

What Hayward's rehab will look like step-by-step

https://usat.ly/2gBrKNI

Shortly after Gordon Hayward had surgery last week, Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said Hayward wanted to start rehab immediately.That’s a great attitude, but rehab for a dislocated ankle and fractured tibia that required surgery is a slow process. There’s a reason why Hayward is expected to miss the remainder of the season.“The great news is that these are the highest competitive people there are,” Robert DiGiacomo, the director of the sports rehabilitation center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, said. “The reason they got where they are is because they pushed themselves to reach that level. They are driven...

The first person Stevens reached out to was Frank Vogel, the former coach of Indiana and coach of Paul George. He asked what types of things they could do to help Gordon in his recovery. One of the first things he said was to keep him involved with the team, secondly, sit in a chair in front of the basket and shoot, right and left handed. Move the chair, to different spots on the court. I am sure there are some upper body exercises they will do with him too.
When you have a guy as motivated as Hayward, It is not difficult to get him to do whatever they suggest to get him stronger.

I would be interested in seeing the stats of George's shooting percentages on the court before and after his injury. I hold out little hope that Hayward will return this year, but just want him to come back fully healthy and ready to go.

This is tough on a guy as motivated as he is.

At this point, I hope he does not try to come back this year. I think this would be better in the long term.

Pete

I dont think there is any chance Gordon and his people or the Celtics and their people would rush him back. If we see him in March or April - that will 100% be the right medical decision.

Ultimately Gordon and the Celtics will make a decision based on the advice of medical professionals who have spent their entire careers studying injuries like these and the outcomes of such injuries.

I don't believe he will be back this season. I would love to be wrong, but I doubt it.