NBA Rumors: Latest Updates on Gordon Hayward Injury and Dion Waiters' Suspension
Gordon Hayward seemed to be nearing his best form, but a hand injury has brought his resurgent season to a screeching halt.
During a recent win over the San Antonio Spurs, the 29-year-old slammed into LaMarcus Aldridge. It was a routine play where Aldridge set a clean screen to free a teammate.
Hayward, in his third year with the Boston Celtics, did not leave unscathed.
In the immediate aftermath, the Celtics said it was a fractured left hand. Mark Bartelstein, Hayward's agent, then told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that a surgical procedure would happen Monday if necessary, and a timeline would be determined afterward.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today has now reported Hayward's official injury: a broken fourth metacarpal (ring finger) on his left hand.
"We just all feel so bad for him because he worked so hard to come back from one injury, with all the things he's been doing, and now this happens," teammate Marcus Smart said, per Tom Westerholm of MassLive. "Our hearts go out to him, and now we have to play for him until he gets back and hold the fort down."
The injury is crushing for a player who effectively lost the entire 2017-18 season to a gruesome broken ankle. Hayward returned for 2018-19 but rarely looked comfortable―and certainly didn't play to the level he showed as an All-Star for the Utah Jazz.
However, that had started to change.
In eight appearances this season, Hayward provided 18.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while averaging 31.1 minutes. He'd returned to the Celtics starting lineup and shot 55.5 percent from the floor, also boasting a 43.3 long-range clip.
But as cruel fate would have it, Hayward will be sidelined for at least a month and potentially more.
The Miami Heat, meanwhile, will be without Dion Waiters for 10 games―but for a very different reason.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Waiters experienced a panic attack on the team flight after consuming a THC-infused edible. The shooting guard did not attend Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, which the Heat lost 95-80.
And the story is only getting stranger.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic/Stadium, the Heat have suspended Waiters for 10 games without pay. Charania later shared more insight into the situation.
This is the latest chapter of a bizarre season for Waiters.
He'd been suspended for the season opener because of conduct detrimental to the team. He was listed as active for a game against the Houston Rockets earlier in November but neither participated in warmups nor sat on the bench.
"We are very disappointed in Dion's actions this season that include the very scary situation on Thursday night and [are] grateful that the outcome wasn't worse," the Heat said in a statement.
ESPN's Bobby Marks noted the suspension will cost Waiters $834,483. Plus, he'll no longer be eligible for a $1.2 million bonus that was contingent on him playing 70 games this season.
At this point, how this story ends is anyone's guess.
Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR
