Former Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward yet again is going through another injury-riddled season.
The 13-year NBA veteran has been sidelined for the last nine games due to a left shoulder injury, but reportedly could make his return to the court Friday night when the Charlotte Hornets take on the Atlanta Hawks.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Hayward is "hopeful" to get back into the lineup and he ultimately will make a decision if he is ready to do so following shootaround.
Hayward has only played in 11 out of 28 games for the Hornets this season, averaging 16.3 points, 4.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds in those contests.
Hayward has had a terrible string of injury luck over the second half of his career. Hayward, of course, only played five minutes in his debut season with the Celtics after suffering a significant ankle injury. He bounced back to make 72 appearances during the 2018-19 season, but he has yet to play in over 52 games in a season since then.
Even with Hayward on the precipice of returning, it feels unlikely he will cross that mark again for this campaign given it seems like another injury is just right around the corner for him.
But it is admirable that Hayward will try to push himself back on the court, especially for a lowly Hornets squad that currently owns the worst record in the NBA.
