Danny Ainge Worried About Momentum Of Gordon Hayward Preseason Hype

Gordon Hayward is coming off his first healthy offseason in two years, so it’s not surprising there’s plenty of hype heading into his 2019-20 campaign.

But is it possible for there to be too much hype? Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge isn’t necessarily saying that, but he did point out that it’s heading in that direction. Ainge spoke to reporters at the team’s annual open practice at TD Garden and noted that he’s a bit concerned about the heightened expectations surrounding the forward.

“I think right now there’s been a lot of buzz about Gordon and his comeback and I’m worried that it’s getting a little out of hand,” Ainge said, per NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg. “Like, I think he’s Gordon. He’s back to being Gordon. And we’re very excited about that.”

Hayward went through a roller-coaster season last year, following a similar trend to that of his team. But the 29-year-old is hoping to find consistent success in 2019-20 after posting 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 72 games last year.

“Gordon is just a good basketball player,” Ainge added, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “He can think, he can pass, he can shoot, he can create, he can defend, he can rebound. I mean, he’s a complete player. And we need him to just be that. And we need lots of other guys to play up to their best. And I think we have a chance to be really good.”