Celtics coach Brad Stevens tells the Boston Globe that Gordon Hayward should be fully cleared to return to basketball by early-to-mid August after his recent procedure to remove a plate and screws from his left leg.
“All success,” Stevens told the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach of Hayward's progress from the May 31 procedure. “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.”
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Hayward, of course, was lost for the season after signing with the Celtics as a free agent last summer and severely injuring his leg and ankle five minutes into the season-opener in October. His recovery had been progressing well before he began to experience some pain from the plate in his ankle last month, leading to the removal of the screws and plate.
Stevens told the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy that he hopes Hayward and Kyrie Irving, who is recovering from a procedure to remove a tension wire from his knee, will be ready to play in pick-up games in August.