Danny Ainge on Gordon Hayward Injury: 'Setback' Wasn't the Right Word

Boston Celtics general manager and president Danny Ainge is walking back his statement that Gordon Hayward had a "setback" a month-and-a-half ago, saying he chose his words poorly.

Ainge clarified his comments to the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett on Sunday:

"You know what? Sometimes I talk too much. 'Setback' wasn't the right word, so let me rephrase that because it's not exactly true to say it—or say it that way.

"What happened is he went on the AlterG [anti-gravity treadmill] the first day and he felt some soreness. It was the first day he tried the AlterG, a long time ago. He just wasn't ready for it at that point. That's all it was.

"So I think 'setback' is the wrong way to put it. I mis-phrased that. I'm not sure what the right word is, but he wasn't ready for that. So we waited a couple of weeks before we started that again, and since we started that again it's been great and he's progressed along on the AlterG. That's all. It wasn't like he had an accident or anything like that."

Ainge said last week during a radio appearance that Hayward suffered a setback that cost him time in recovery. The news seemed concerning at the time because Hayward, to this point, had seemingly been on or ahead of schedule in his recovery from a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle suffered opening night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Ainge clarified to say "setback" was too strong of a word.

The Celtics have consistently maintained Hayward is out for the season. He has been more publicly open to playing at some point, but Ainge again made the possibility seem unlikely.

"The bottom line is he's not on the court other than shooting and ball-handling and some sidestepping," Ainge said. "But he hasn't done any running or even jogging or real jumping on the basketball court yet, and we have less than a month left in the regular season."

Hayward, 27, signed a four-year max contract ($128 million) with the Celtics last summer after spending his first seven seasons with the Utah Jazz.

Boston (47-23) has dealt with a rash of injuries throughout this regular season—Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis, Jaylen Brown, Shane Larkin—but remain the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed.