Sam Hauser is out for Thursday night's preseason game at Cleveland, with the Celtics' injury report citing rest as the issue. He will not play as Boston continues its exhibition slate without its 2025-26 reserve forward on the floor.
What happened
The Celtics listed Sam Hauser as out for Thursday night's game at Cleveland, per the injury report issued at 7:12 PM ET. The report cites rest as the issue, filed under the other category, with no further detail given. Hauser's previous status is not announced. John Schuhmann of NBA.com reports that Hauser's role could become more secure following Boston's offseason shakeup, with the team swapping Jaylen Brown for Paul George.
What it means for the Celtics
Boston is 0-0 with the 2026-27 season not yet underway, and this trip to Cleveland falls in that preseason window. Last season Hauser averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.8 minutes across 78 games, a role as a stretch forward off the bench. With him out, minutes could go to wings and forwards such as Baylor Scheierman and Anfernee Simons, who logged 18.6 and 24.5 minutes per game, respectively, last season. There is no record with or without him yet, since no regular-season games have been played.
What to watch
The Celtics' next injury report will show whether Hauser's status changes before Boston's following preseason game. His expected return is listed as Oct. 10. Several other Celtics, including Paul George, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, are also listed day-to-day on the same report, so Boston's rotation could keep shifting through the rest of the preseason schedule.
Is Sam Hauser playing at Cavaliers?
No. Hauser is listed as out for Thursday's game at Cleveland, with rest given as the issue on the Celtics' injury report.
When will Sam Hauser be back?
The Celtics' injury report lists his expected return as Oct. 10.