It’s not full-speed Tatum, but his one-on-one workout is the clearest wink yet that a once-far-off return might be sneaking a little closer.
On Tuesday, Celtics All-World forward Jayson Tatum posted a video on his Instagram story that showed him partaking in one-on-one drills with a member of the Celtics training staff at the Auerbach Center in Brighton as he continues his rehab process after undergoing surgery on his torn Achilles’ tendon in May.
I know that was a mouthful, but the entire context of the situation is necessary to understand why the seemingly innocuous video of Tatum is worth noting.
Give it a watch here:
We’re not talking about full speed, and it’s certainly not any sort of high-intensity shooting drills. It’s not the five-time All-NBA superstar throwing up a rack of balls from three, and it’s not a video of him slamming down a running dunk, either.
All this is?
It’s progress for the 27-year-old, who initially tore his Achilles in the fourth quarter of Game 4 against the Knicks (16-7) during last May’s Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden. At that moment, it looked like we weren’t going to see the Duke-product until the fall of 2026. He was helped off the court in absolute agony, and you could tell by the way he collapsed to the floor that his 2025 season, and potentially all of his 2026 season, was done.
But 24 games into the 2025-26 season, and Tatum is seemingly much further along in his rehab process than anyone would have thought he would be at this point.
Until very recently, I was of the mind that Tatum should not play basketball again until 2026-27. I felt like rushing him to come back for a season where the Celtics (15-9) didn’t have a real chance to win the title was a futile endeavor. What was the point of risking the most important piece of the franchise’s future as a star in this league by having him come back before he was ready to do so, just so he could help the team get bounced in the first or second round?
The answer is there was no point.
But with how this team has looked of late, winning 10 of their last 12 games while their role players have completely morphed into reliable scorers and defenders across the board, my tune is starting to change.
I know Bill Simmons teased on his podcast last week that those close to the organization are talking about the idea of Tatum coming back as early as January.
That feels like a bit too soon.
But if you told me Tatum is going to return sometime after All-Start Weekend (February 14-16), I can get on board with that.
With the Eastern Conference as open as it is, and with the Celtics playing as well as they have against top-tier competition this season, I am OK with Tatum coming back IF the medical professionals that he’s working with are 100% on board with the decision.
We all know Tatum is chomping at the bit to return to the court. He’s mentioned it on basically every podcast and interview he’s been on since the injury occurred. We know he lives, eats and breathes basketball, and that all he wants to do is be there for his teammates and the fans. This is why I need that 100% approval from a group of third party observers.
Does Tatum’s confidence in his Achilles holding up matter to me? Of course. That has to be a part of the equation. But it can’t be the whole thing, and it certainly can’t be the main determining factor in what ultimately becomes his true return timeline.
This needs to be like the concussion spotters in the NFL. Both the team and player have to be somewhat removed from the process on this one.
And with the Celtics not having the best reputation as an organization with how they’ve handled injuries in the past, they have to be especially careful with this one. With how hard it is already to attract top-tier free agent talent to Boston, a mishandling of Tatum’s return would forever be a nail in the coffin of being ale to acquire anyone of consequence ever again.
All of this is to say:
I am officially on board with Jayson Tatum returning to the Boston Celtics at some point during the 2025-26 season, as I now firmly believe that this group has a real chance at making a legit playoff run.
And yes, I just knocked on wood.
Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.