Celtics' Jayson Tatum Could Play This Season, Says Scout

Could six-time All-Star Boston Celtics power forward Jayson Tatum actually be back in action before the end of the 2025-26 regular season?

The 6-foot-8 Duke product threw a wrench into Boston's championship aspirations when he ruptured his Achilles tendon late into Game 4, a road contest, of an eventual six-game second-round playoff series loss to the New York Knicks. He underwent surgery the next day.

Achilles tears number among the most severe injuries to affect NBA players, and while many can return and still play at a high level, few can fully recapture their past glories.

In recent memory, 15-time All-Star power forward Kevin Durant more or less achieved the feat when he returned for the Brooklyn Nets from his Achilles rupture, but others haven't been so lucky.

Now, the fortunes of the Celtics (with Tatum), the Indiana Pacers (with guard Tyrese Haliburton), and to a lesser extent the Portland Trail Blazers (with guard Damian Lillard, who was hurt on the Milwaukee Bucks) hinge on their top players recovering their prior All-Star heights following Achilles tears incurred during the postseason.

Recuperation timelines can vary, but generally at the absolute earliest players can be back in action around 10 months after the initial injury. For Tatum, that would be a March comeback.

More news: Celtics Potential Starter Underwent Major Surgery in Surprise Update

A rival scout, who was visiting Las Vegas to take stock of high school and NCAA prospects at L.A. Clippers guard Chris Paul's offseason CP3 Elite Camp, told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com that he was surprised by how good Tatum already looks.

Representatives from all 30 of the NBA's franchises were in attendance at the event. According to Bulpett, players hailed from "Nike and Jordan Brand colleges, high schools and AAU programs."

Tatum was on hand to coach wing prospects, while Paul was working with the attendant point guard hopefuls, per Bulpett.