Gordon Hayward: ‘The hope is still there,’ to Play this Season

Celtics forward Gordon Hayward will not formally rule himself out for the remainder of the 2017-18 season, reaffirming that his focus remains on day-to-day improvements and seeing where that leads him.

Less than a week after Celtics coach Brad Stevens offered his most emphatic “He’s not playing this year” when asked about Hayward’s recovery, Hayward wouldn’t close the door completely on the possibility.

Hayward has said multiple times this season that he was hopeful of being able to return.

“The hope is still there,” Hayward said. “It’s something where I’m really honestly not even thinking about it. I know we’re getting toward the end of the year. It’s something that I’m still working toward, but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”

Source: Chris Forsberg of ESPN