Per an announcement from the Boston Celtics, rookie swingman Romeo Langford has been recalled from his assignment with the Maine Red Claws.
Finishing up a three-game road trip that resulted in a sweep for the rejuvenated Boston club, the Celtics’ next game will come against Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and the Dallas Mavericks at home on Monday.
Perhaps this was always the plan.
However, after forward Gordon Hayward fractured his hand after running into a screen from San Antonio Spurs big man LaMarcus Aldridge in the first half of Saturday’s win, the Celtics may have felt more urgency in bringing Langford up from Portland.
Getting reps in while Boston went on a roll without him, largely due to suffering a number of injuries, Langford impressed in his G League debut while Hayward’s diagnosis was set.
The 14th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Indiana product dropped 27 points (23 in the first three quarters) and had six blocks (as many as second-year center Robert Williams III has against the Spurs on Saturday) in a performance that couldn’t have been more timely.
While Hayward’s injury timeline is unclear, he does appear to have at least a few weeks until he’d be ready to return, opening the door for Langford to enter Celtics head coach Brad Stevens’ rotation. Though not the decision-maker that Hayward is as a playmaker, Langford is an instinctual player who makes his living attacking the rim.
Replacing Hayward’s playmaking will have to be a team-wise effort but they effects of losing him could be mitigated by Boston’s latest lottery pick.
