Sam Hauser is listed as day-to-day with a rest issue on Boston's Friday, Oct. 16 injury report, his second trip through that designation this month. Despite the listing, Sean Grande of NBC Sports Boston reports Hauser is available for the preseason game against the 76ers.
What happened
Boston's Friday, Oct. 16 injury report lists Sam Hauser as day-to-day with a rest issue, logged at 7:15 p.m. ET under the Rest/Other designation. The listing follows a run of changes this month: Hauser went from out to day-to-day for a rest issue on Oct. 8, then was cleared off the report entirely on Oct. 10 before cycling back onto it this week under the same designation. Sean Grande of NBC Sports Boston reports that Hauser, despite the rest listing, is available for Saturday's preseason contest against the 76ers.
What it means for the Celtics
Boston is 0-0 with the 2026-27 season still to begin, and the next game on the schedule is at the 76ers, set for 7 p.m. ET on NBA TV. Last season Hauser averaged 9.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.8 minutes across 78 games, giving Boston a stretch shooter off the bench. With Hauser cleared to play, the Celtics keep that spacing option rather than leaning further on Baylor Scheierman, who has averaged 18.6 minutes and 5.5 points in games Hauser has missed. Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard remain the rotation's workload leaders regardless.
What to watch
Boston's next injury report will show whether the rest designation clears again or carries into the regular season. The expected-return timeline attached to this listing points to Oct. 20, 2026. Hauser is one of nine Celtics carrying a day-to-day or rest tag on Friday's report, a group that also includes Jayson Tatum, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, so the next preseason games will keep testing Boston's rotation before the regular-season opener.
Is Sam Hauser playing against the 76ers?
Yes. Boston's Friday report lists him as day-to-day with a rest issue, but Sean Grande of NBC Sports Boston reports he is available for the preseason game against Philadelphia.
When will Sam Hauser be back?
He is not out. His rest-related day-to-day designation carries an expected-return date of Oct. 20, 2026, after which Boston's report should clear him fully.