It may seem like a long time ago, but Gordon Hayward suffered one of the most horrific and gruesome in-game injuries in the history of sports just two minutes into the 2017-2018 season.After signing a maximum contract with the Celtics and reuniting with his college coach Brad Stevens, Hayward was supposed to be a major part of one of the most talented rosters in the entire NBA.Therefore, his severely dislocated ankle immediately created a serious feeling of doubt in Boston.But, rather than struggling without him, Boston’s young core proved to be a resilient bunch. Not only did they make the playoffs, but they captured the second seed in the Eastern Conference, going 55-27 in the regular season before advancing to Game 7 of the Eastern Finals, where they fell short against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.It’s worth noting that fellow star Kyrie Irving went down with a knee injury in March and missed the rest of the season as a result.With both Hayward and Irving expected to be healthy in advance of next season, expectations are at an all-time high in Boston.Hayward has been extremely transparent throughout his recovery process, keeping fans informed about pretty much every step along the way.On Tuesday, he shared some exciting news and even included a timetable for a major benchmark.

We have a timetable

“I’ve been out of the boot for about two weeks now though. So I’m excited to get back to it. I think at the recovery pace I’m currently on, I’ll probably start running again in July,” he wrote on his personal website.

“Once I get started, I’ll be jogging, then running, and then cutting and moving, and all that could happen within one to two weeks of each other, to where by the end of July I am playing full court, five-on-five basketball. And that’s probably the most exciting thing I could tell all of you,” Hayward wrote.

Overall, watching from the sidelines allowed Hayward to process how much talent his teammates possess.

“… I’m really happy with how our team performed as a whole, and I think it shows a glimpse of what we’re capable of,” he said. “… It felt good to be there, to be able support the guys during the Eastern Conference Finals, and to experience the atmosphere. Our fans are incredible. It was electric in the Garden, and it only makes me more excited to play next year.”

Since most of Hayward’s progress thus far has included minor strides, the thought of him getting back on the court to practice regularly will make Celtics fans everywhere breathe a sigh of relief.

Although the psychological impacts of coming back from such a horrible injury could play a role in Hayward’s effectiveness upon his return, everything that he’s indicated so far makes it seem as though he should eventually return to his All-Star form.

“We go into next season with a lot of options, high expectations, and a lot of reason for optimism. … I’ve talked with Kyrie, and I know he is progressing really well, and plans to start training hard pretty soon. We’ve both been itching to re-join these guys after watching what they did in the postseason,” he concluded.

If he and Irving enter next season at full strength, the Celtics could quickly become the team to beat in the East.