It was all but assumed that Jayson Tatum would return this year for the Boston Celtics, but that seems less certain.
The Boston Celtics have long been awaiting the return of All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who is a little over eight months removed from surgery on a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered on May 12. It was all but assumed that he would return at some point this season, particularly with Tatum ramping up his rehab process. He recently went through a full 45-minute workout last week in Detroit. But despite the confidence Tatum was getting close to a return, that has since shifted to uncertainty.
Tatum told ESPN Wednesday that he hadn’t made a decision yet about returning, saying he "wants to get it right the first time, so it's just a lot to think about." NBA insider Chris Haynes also reported that he was “re-evaluating his situation,” which all is a sharp shift from recent indications that Tatum was nearing the finish line. But Tatum ultimately wants to wait due to the injury’s severity.
Here is the full story from Celtics Roundtable writer Tom Carroll on the unexpected turn in Tatum’s timeline and what it means for Boston’s season.
The Celtics are currently No. 2 in the Eastern Conference at 29-18, defying expectations of a season without their star in Tatum. That poised them as contenders for a deep run with Tatum’s return, which was initially targeted to be around late-January or February as a possibility. But Tatum, for whatever reason, is showing a little hesitation, despite remaining fully engaged with the team and traveling to every road contest.