Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge says he misspoke when he referred to Gordon Hayward having had a "setback" in his recovery from a fractured ankle.
Ainge, speaking to the Boston Herald, said that wasn't the right word, that Hayward simply felt some soreness after using a specialized treadmill for the first time.
"Sometimes I talk too much," Ainge told the Herald. "'Setback' wasn't the right word, so let me rephrase that because it's not exactly true to say it -- or say it that way.
"What happened is he went on the AlterG the first day and he felt some soreness. It was the first day he tried the AlterG, a long time ago. He just wasn't ready for it at that point. That's all it was."
"I used the word 'setback,' and it became a headline. Like, 'Oh, setback.' It got blown out of proportion. It's my fault. I'm not blaming anybody. 'Setback' was probably too strong of a word."
Ainge said last week in a Boston radio interview that Hayward had the setback "maybe a month and a half ago."
"We were progressing a little bit too fast, we thought," Ainge told the "Toucher & Rich" program during his weekly appearance on Boston sports radio 98.5 the SportsHub. "But, other than that, his work ethic and his determination have been amazing.
"I don't want to get people's hopes up. He still is not back on the basketball court and we have a month left in the regular season. He's got a ways to go but we're excited about his progress and his determination."