BOSTON — Celtics forward Grant Williams had successful surgery on his left hand on Friday, the team announced.
Williams’ surgery repaired a tear of the radial collateral ligament of the third metacarpo-phalangeal joint on his left hand. The Celtics said the forward is expected to make a full return to basketball activities in 6-8 weeks, which would put him in line to return in late July or early August. He’ll make a full recovery before training camp begins in late September.
According to a report Friday from ESPN, Williams suffered the injury in March and played through it as the Celtics advanced to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Williams, who also suffered an elbow injury at one point this season, had an underwhelming fourth season despite finishing with career bests of 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 25.9 minutes per game, as he fell out of Joe Mazzulla’s rotation during the second half of the season.
His playing time was uncertain throughout the Celtics’ playoff run, but he pushed through to produce some important performances off the bench. He shot 45 percent from 3-point range while displaying tough and versatile defense in the postseason.
Williams’ future is one of the biggest storylines of the Celtics’ offseason. He’s a restricted free agent, which means the Celtics can match any offer he signs with another team. His interest around the league will be fascinating to watch after a turbulent season.