Should Duke legend Jayson Tatum play for the Boston Celtics this season?
Multiple NBA reports have stated that Duke legend Jayson Tatum wants to play for the Boston Celtics this season.
Tatum tore his Achilles tendon on May 12. He hasn't been ruled out for the season by the Celtics, but NBA analyst Tim Bontemps of ESPN doesn't think Tatum should risk coming back this season.
"I would probably say it's better for them to wait until next fall anyway," Bontemps said. "Give him the 18 months. Let him heal up. Let this team make as much of a run as it can and come back. I am not, however, having to sit down across from Jayson Tatum and tell him that."
Tatum was the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Duke. The forward spent just one season at Duke, averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
Duke went 28-9 with Tatum leading the way in 2016-17. They were upset by South Carolina in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tatum's best total with Duke was 28 against Virginia on February 15, 2017.
Tatum has established himself as one of the best Duke players to ever play in the NBA. He's made six All-Star teams and five All-NBA teams with the Celtics. The talented swingman has career averages of 23.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 0.7 blocks in the NBA.
Tatum helped the Celtics win the 2024 championship against the Dallas Mavericks. He told DJ Siddiqi of Poker Strategy back in October that he hasn't ruled out playing this season.
"I'm there every day I practice," Tatum said. "I'm not practicing with them, but I'm in all the film sessions. When they're on the court practicing, I'm rehabbing and doing my stuff. But I've been there every day with them. Nobody's pressuring me. The team, the doctor, the organization, everybody is just like, 'We want you to be 100% before you come back.'"
Bill Simmons of The Ringer said at the start of the month that he's hearing Tatum could play this season.
Let's see if it happens.
"From everything I've heard across the board, he's been relentless and a maniac," Simmons said. "Passed every checkpoint and has done everything possible to come back as soon as possible at 100 percent. Not 94 percent. They're understandably being careful, but at some point, it's like if he's ready to play, let's play him. What are we waiting for?
"I feel more confident than ever with the way that this team is responding that he'll be back."