Boston Celtics told to look at Kevin Durant’s story, not to worry about Jayson Tatum’s performance after injury

Tim Bontemps draws Kevin Durant comparison for Jayson Tatum’s injury recovery potential

The Celtics retain All-Star caliber players in Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, but otherwise rely heavily on young or mediocre role players.

This roster downturn raises questions about whether Tatum can elevate the team upon his return from injury.

ESPN expert Tim Bontemps believes Tatum can successfully return to elite status, citing Kevin Durant’s recovery from a similar devastating injury as precedent.

“Let’s assume Jayson Tatum is fully healthy coming back. He’s probably going to need some time to ramp back up to being fully Jayson Tatum.

“Look at Kevin Durant. There’s no reason to think Jayson Tatum will not become a top five, six player in the league again,” Bontemps explained.

Durant suffered an Achilles injury in June 2019 with the Golden State Warriors, missed the entire 2019-2020 season, but successfully returned as one of the league’s best players.

Bontemps believes Tatum could have the same path.

“He’s young, he’s obviously a tremendous worker. He’s already out of the walking boot moving around. So, let’s bank on that.

“You’ve got him, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White next year. That’s an awfully good foundation moving forward,” Bontemps added.

Roster talent addition becomes crucial for Boston Celtics championship aspirations

While optimistic about Tatum’s recovery, Bontemps emphasized that the Celtics must focus on adding talent around their core trio. The current roster lacks the depth necessary for championship contention.

“I think what will be interesting to see over the next 12 months is that they’ve gotten down near the tax, are there some moves the Celtics can make to add talent around those guys on the margins to deepen their roster?” Bontemps questioned.

The franchise faces the challenge of building a competitive roster while managing financial constraints.

Simply having Tatum return to form won’t automatically restore championship-level competitiveness without meaningful roster improvements.

Bontemps’ assessment suggests the Celtics’ future success depends on both Tatum’s complete recovery and the front office’s ability to acquire complementary talent during their rebuild phase.