Boston Celtics Predicted Not to Make Another NBA Finals With Jayson Tatum as Their ‘Best Player’

The Boston Celtics have been predicted not to make another NBA Finals with Jayson Tatum as their best player.

NBA writer Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report thinks the Celtics are done being a championship contender unless “Tatum is either gone or reduced to second-option status.”

Tatum is expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season recovering from his right Achilles tear. Even when Tatum is back in 2026-27, Hughes believes the Celtics’ core of Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White won’t be good enough to win it all like they did in 2024.

“Jayson Tatum should return next year but will likely be less than his best self until at least 2027-28,” Hughes wrote. “At that point, Jaylen Brown will be 31 and earning $61 million. Derrick White will collect $32 million in his age-33 campaign. Throw Tatum’s salary in there, and Boston will have $157 million committed to three players.

“That’s no way forward, which is why the Celtics will probably look to move Brown and/or White at some point in the next couple of offseasons. Tatum feels like a mainstay because of his stature in Boston and because of the contract that’ll keep him maxed out through 2030, but everything else is going to change for the worse by default. Boston had loads of deep playoff runs with Tatum at the forefront, and it won a title in 2024. Another one won’t arrive until long after Tatum is either gone or reduced to second-option status.”

The Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason after losing to the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 playoffs in six games. Tatum, 27, tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden.

Boston won the 2024 championship against the Dallas Mavericks in five games with Tatum, Brown, White, Holiday and Porziņģis. Brown and White will likely have strong 2025-26 seasons since they are talented players, but no one expects the Celtics to go on a deep playoff run without Tatum.

Once Tatum is back in 2026-27, so will Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. It’s unknown how either player will look coming from an Achilles tear.