Brad Stevens is getting all too used to updating the public on the health (or lack thereof) of his players.

Having already done his damnedest to quash any wishful thinking about a Gordon Hayward return, and having effectively ruled out Daniel Theis for the rest of the season, the Boston Celtics head coach was back in front of the microphone Wednesday discussing Marcus Smart's injured right thumb.

Smart reportedly got an initial diagnosis of a torn tendon in the thumb, but is seeking multiple opinions before deciding how to proceed. Stevens acknowledged that Smart likely won't return any time soon, and may not return this season at all.

"Marcus is going to seek a second opinion, confer with everybody that he's talked to, and make the right decision from there that everybody's comfortable with," Stevens said on Boston sports radio 98.5 FM's "Zolak & Bertrand" show.

"So he's got to figure out what his next steps are. He told me today that he's going to take a couple of days, see what it feels like early next week, get all of the different doctors' opinions, sit down early next week, and weigh his options. There could be a slight chance that he's back sooner rather than later, but I'd say that it's not going to be any time too soon, and there's a chance that he would not be back."

Despite shooting just 36.7 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from 3-point range, Smart has been a significant part of the Celtics' success this season thanks to his playmaking and his physical, versatile defense. The team is 4.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor.

Meanwhile, the Celtics are also dealing with injuries to Kyrie Irving and Jaylen Brown, plus an ill Al Horford. Throw in Hayward and Theis, and they'll have six players on their inactive list for Wednesday night's game against the Washington Wizards.