Disaster struck the Boston Celtics organization late in game four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on May 12, 2025, when superstar Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Without Tatum, the Celtics went on to lose the series to the New York Knicks in six games. The future of the team seemed in jeopardy as the team found itself in deep salary cap trouble.
A cap problem, paired with the loss of Tatum, left a legitimate run to the NBA Finals feeling like a long shot.
During the offseason, the Celtics decided to move on from three key players in their 2024 NBA Championship squad: Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford. It appeared that the team was ready to endure a down year while waiting for the 27-year-old phenom to return.
Flash forward eight months, and the Celtics have exceeded all expectations in Tatum’s absence. They currently sit in the second seed in the Eastern Conference on the back of Jaylen Brown, who is having his best season yet in an increased role.
Now with the possibility of Tatum returning, the Celtics appear to be serious contenders to make it back to the NBA Finals.
So the question is: why wouldn’t he come back?
Many factors go into returning from a serious injury. The first is making sure that the player is 100% physically. The next, and more importantly, is that the player is ready to return mentally.
The Celtics have never offered a timeline on a return for Tatum, but he was recently cleared to appear in 5-on-5 practices with the Maine Celtics, the team’s NBA G League affiliate, which appears to be a major stepping stone towards a return.
Although this is a great sign for the Celtics, it does not mean his return is imminent, but more so that the door is open for a possible return.
The mental side of the return appears to be a bit more hazy. Before the season started, when Tatum was asked about possibly playing, he was very optimistic in his tone. As of late, his optimism appears to be fleeting, as his tone has become more somber.
This change could be in large part due to the success the team has experienced this season without him, as Tatum has mentioned that his return could mess up the flow and chemistry this team has built so far.
“That’s something I contemplate every day,” Tatum said on The Pivot Podcast. “More so about the team. If or when I do come back this season… They have an identity this year, things that they’ve felt that have clicked for them, and it’s been successful right now.”
I could understand the hesitation if he were just a role player and someone had filled his role, but we are talking about Jayson “The Anomaly” Tatum. A champion, a six-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA First Team player, in just eight seasons.
If Tatum is ready this season, he should play and not worry about the chemistry or flow of the team. Tatum is such a high-caliber player that all he can do is make the team better, not worse.
With Tatum on the floor, you can still use Brown as the first option while Tatum gets acclimated again, but it’s what his presence will do for other players on the floor.
Tatum’s elite scoring opens the floor for the rest of his teammates, and opposing teams will have to know where he is at all times.
Tatum’s shooting spaces out the floor for either back-door cuts for guys like Jordan Walsh and Hugo González or for a downhill drive where Jaylen Brown throws the hammer down.
His playmaking and driving ability create catch-and-shoot opportunities for Derrick White, Nikola Vučević and Payton Pritchard.
His defensive versatility of being able to guard the one through the five allows the Celtics to build on the identity that head coach Joe Mazzula has created.
If Tatum returns, the energy in Boston shifts instantly. What felt like a season of overachievement becomes a chase for history. Under the banners above the parquet, Celtic fans can start believing another one is coming.
