It’s much too soon to predict whether Jayson Tatum will play for the Boston Celtics in 2025-26. But it’s very clear he wants to — and that in itself could pay dividends for the franchise as a whole.
Tatum, who suffered a ruptured Achilles in mid-May during Game 4 of Boston’s second-round playoff series vs. the New York Knicks, told multiple media outlets Tuesday that he hasn’t ruled out returning to action this season.
“I have a goal in mind,” Tatum told NBC’s TODAY With Jenna & Friends. “What I will say is I’m not working out, rehabbing six days a week for no reason.”
Tatum took things a step further in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, admitting he has a date “circled” on his calendar with a stated goal of “being 100 percent ready by this day.”
Is Tatum being too ambitious? Perhaps. Are there downsides to throwing the Celtics star into the fire late in the regular season (less than 12 months removed from his surgery) and hoping he can contribute to a playoff push? Sure.
But as Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg argues, even the slightest possibility of a Tatum return could serve as a significant morale boost — both among fans and members of the organization.
“This is going to be our catnip throughout the season, right?” Forsberg said Tuesday on Early Edition. “… This is all that kind of pulls us along at various times: the potential for Jayson Tatum to be back out there. (It’s like) his mantra, ‘Better days ahead.'”
Tatum has done everything humanly possible to expedite his recovery, from getting surgery mere hours after his injury to staying in Boston the entire summer to focus on his rehab.
Not only does Tatum’s maniacal work ethic set a great example for his teammates, it also might motivate them to keep this team competitive early in the season — despite the departure of multiple key players this offseason — so the Celtics can make a run when Tatum returns.
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“I love that he has attacked this rehab relentlessly, from the team getting him into surgery as quickly as possible and getting the right procedure and everything to give him a chance to make an expedited return,” Forsberg said. “And no one is sitting here setting a timeline — except for I guess Tatum, saying that he’s already circling dates — but I love that he has motivation, that he wants to push the issue, that he has set goals for himself.
“I just wonder if that will be something that helps just motivate these guys. Like, even beyond Tatum, if they’re sitting there saying, ‘Hey, we just if we just keep this afloat until he can get back out there.’
“I don’t know if it’s going to be the best idea. Well, you’ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I love that they’re just finding positives in the process.”
Check out the video below for more Tatum discussion from Forsberg, Trenni Casey and Tom Giles on Early Edition.