Report: Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving 'Doing Everything,' Joining Team Ahead of Training Camp
Celtics wing Gordon Hayward and guard Kyrie Irving appear ready to fully partcipate ahead of training camp, Boston's president of basketball operations Danny Ainge told ESPN on Monday.
Hayward is recovering from a broken left leg he sustained in the Celtics' season-opener last year. Irving is coming back from knee surgery that ended his season in early April. Both players will join Boston for informal team workouts and participate in pickup play prior to competing in training camp in September.
"I don't want to hype it up too much," Ainge told ESPN, "but I'm saying that if our training camp were starting today that they would be here today going full speed."
Ainge continued, stating that he expects both Hayward and Irving to participate in 5-on-5 action by Labor Day. "They're doing everything," Ainge said. "Dunking the basketball off both legs and playing one-on-one live and jumping and cutting and defending. I'm excited for them."
Despite having neither Hayward nor Irving available, the Celtics reached the Eastern Conference finals, coming a game within defeating the LeBron James-led Cavaliers and reaching the NBA Finals.
In 60 games prior to getting hurt, Irving, a five-time All-Star, averaged 24.4 points, 5.1 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, while shooting a career-best 49.1% from the floor during his first year in Boston. Hayward, a one-time NBA All-Star, averaged a career-best 21.9 points per game during his final season with the Jazz before signing with the Celtics last offseason.
