The Boston Celtics could be in some trouble come playoff time, and it’s probably not for the reason you think.
Gordon Hayward, one of Boston’s top scorers, will not be with the team come September, but he’s got a pretty good reason for it. The 30-year-old and his wife Robyn will be welcoming their fourth child in September, and Hayward didn’t think twice before making the announcement that he’d be leaving the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble for the birth of his child.
“There’ll be a time if and when we’re down there and she’s going to have the baby, I’m for sure going to be with her,” Hayward said, according to ESPN. “We’ll have to cross that bridge when we get there. It’s a pretty easy decision for me on that. I’ve been at the birth of every one of my children and I think there are more important things in life. So we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
“I know the NBA has a protocol for that type of thing and hopefully I can do the quarantining and testing the appropriate amount of time and then be back with the boys.”
Hayward and his wife announced in March they’re expecting their first son after having three daughters — Nora, Charlotte and Bernadette.
While a majority of players are excited to return to the court, they’ve also voiced their displeasure with being away from their families for so long. Hayward admitted it’s going to be difficult to be away from his family, though he acknowledged that his daughters are now old enough to understand what’s going on and how the opportunity to compete for an NBA title is something all players strive for.
The loss of Hayward in September could be brutal for the Celtics, especially when looking at the year he’s been having. Hayward, after breaking his ankle during the 2017-18 season and lacking last year, is enjoying a strong bounce-back year with the C’s. Before the NBA season was put on pause, Hayward was averaging 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 50.2% from the field and 39.2% from beyond the arc.
Despite losing Hayward, Boston is set to get Kemba Walker (knee) and Jaylen Brown (hamstring) back from injury when the season resumes later this month.
A full-strength Celtics lineup will be good enough to compete with just about anybody, including the first-place Milwaukee Bucks and second-place Toronto Raptors.
Boston’s first game in Orlando is on July 31 against the Bucks. The first round of the playoffs will begin on Aug. 17.
