Gordon Hayward is progressing toward a return. Hornets coach gives update on his status
.JPG "Charlotte Hornets forward Gordon Hayward limps off the court at the Spectrum Center In Charlotte on Feb. 7.")
It sounds like there’s still a good possibility the Charlotte Hornets will get a little reinforcement at some point for their stretch run.
Gordon Hayward, who’s been out since Feb. 7 with a sprained left ankle, is no longer using a walking boot and it appears he’s slowly improving and getting healthier. There is still no definitive timetable for his return, but coach James Borrego is encouraged by Hayward’s advancement.
“He is making progress,” Borrego said Monday. “He’s pushing it, he’s headed in the right direction. Where that leaves us, I don’t know yet. But what I can say is he’s making positive progress and hopefully we’ll have a better update here soon.”
Hayward’s injury happened when his ankle got awkwardly twisted after colliding with Toronto guard Gary Trent Jr. He fell while the two were tangled chasing a rebound and limped off the court. Tests revealed Hayward suffered sprained ligaments in his ankle and he’s spent the better part of February in the boot.
Before going down, Hayward was attempting to work himself into a rhythm after sitting out for six games — half due to right foot soreness and the other three because he caught up in the league’s health and safety protocols for the second time this season.
In his absence, the Hornets have gone 4-6 and that’s why they are eager to have him available again.
“I’ve been on the floor with him a few times, so that’s progress,” Borrego said. “I just can’t speculate on time beyond that. We’ll just take it one day at a time, one week at a time, and see where he’s at. But let’s hope by the end of this week we’ve made some serious progress and we’ll look at next week to have an update or something like that.”
Although Hayward isn’t quite close to returning just yet, the Hornets might have another body to assist in their quest to push their winning streak to three games when they host Brooklyn on Tuesday. Jalen McDaniels, who’s been sidelined since Jan. 21 with a sprained left ankle, is listed as questionable for their matchup with the Nets.
The Hornets could use the help. They entered Monday night’s action sitting in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with 17 games remaining. Adding McDaniels would improve their depth and could also potentially slide JT Thor out of the rotation. The rookie has stepped in over the past nine games and logged plenty of minutes on the wing, giving the Hornets some length.
But incorporating McDaniels in the mix again would be a welcomed addition for Borrego after not having his services for the last 19 games.
“It is his first sprain, so I don’t know if that has anything to do with it,” Borrego said, “I’m not a specialist on this, but it’s just been a slow recovery. That’s all I can say. It looks like he’s turned the corner and we are right on that range to get him back.”
This story was originally published March 7, 2022 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Gordon Hayward is progressing toward a return. Hornets coach gives update on his status."
