Celtics stars Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are returning from major leg injuries, but team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is confident that both players will be ready to go when training camp gets underway next month. Ainge told ESPN’s Chris Forsberg that Irving and Hayward already appear close to 100% after finishing last season on the shelf.
“I don’t want to hype it up too much, but I’m saying that if our training camp were starting today that they would be here today going full speed,” Ainge said of the two veterans. “It’s not like they need an extra month. I think that they know they have an extra month, so they are sort of pacing themselves. They’re playing as if to build up to that opening day of training camp (September 26).”
Hayward only played five minutes in his first season as a Celtic, with his year coming to an abrupt end when he landed awkwardly and suffered a bad break of his left ankle on opening night. As for Irving, he was nagged by knee issues and eventually underwent season-ending surgery in April on his troublesome left knee.
The Celtics won two playoff series and pushed the Cavaliers to Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals without Hayward and Irving, and now have their sights set on bigger goals with both players on the road to recovery. Ainge, who says he’s “really excited” about seeing the duo back on the court, told Forsberg that the team will ramp up activity for Hayward and Irving during camp. Boston will have the luxury of easing its stars back into key roles since the team has a ton of depth it can lean on in the early going.
“They’ll both be here within the next week or so; by the time Labor Day is over, they will all be playing 5-on-5,” Ainge said of Hayward and Irving. “I think it’s just a matter of, if they’re not playing 5-on-5 now, then it’s only because they want it more of a controlled environment, I guess. They’re doing everything — dunking the basketball off both legs and playing one-on-one live and jumping and cutting and defending. I’m excited for them.”
That’s what I like to hear!! Go Green!!
I think the three teams I see winning the title are either Houston,Toronto, or Minnesota. Towns will put the league on notice, all these rumors are just BS.
The Timberwolves could barley be an 8 seed. Let alone beat the Warriros
Yea but think about the strides Towns and Wiggins could make alongside Jimmy. Don’t sleep on Patton and Okogie either. Okogie’s game reminds me of Wade.
Warriors have no shot – ridiculous!
Cannot see Minny winning, but they are a lock for the playoffs, that’s for sure. If KAT goes back to the level he had his 2nd year, with the addition of Butler & if Wiggins improves… then they have a good team, capable of winning some playoffs matches, remember last year before the injury of Butler they were the 3rd seed in the west very comfortably. They can be anywhere between #4-#8 seed in the west, so they can even make it to the 2nd round. But cannot see any better at least this year, but as KAT keeps dominating the league, things can only get better for them.