Celtics star Jayson Tatum opted against wrist surgery

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Celtics star Jayson Tatum opted against surgery on his injured wrist

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 9/29/23

Jayson Tatum has been dealing with a wrist injury for two seasons. The All-NBA forward first discussed the injury last summer when he revealed he was playing with a 'non-displaced fracture' in his non-shooting wrist. Tatum played last season with the injury heavily taped.

According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Tatum has seen multiple specialists this summer.

"He went into the offseason thinking he might need surgery on his non-shooting wrist," Shelburne said. "Went to a bunch of specialists, and essentially decided, 'I'm not going to get the surgery, I don't need it.' Got a cortisone shot, told me it feels really good."

"[Jayson Tatum] went into the offseason thinking he might need surgery on his non-shooting wrist. [He] went to a bunch of specialists and essentially decided [not to get the surgery]."

- @ramonashelburne pic.twitter.com/5Y47sB5mOd
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 29, 2023

Tatum's shooting form has been patchy since suffering the injury. The veteran forward has avoided contact when going to the rim. Instead, Tatum has been leaning into his 'Euro Step' to create space on his interior shots while also minimizing the amount of dunks he makes. The Boston Celtics are expected to contend for a championship in the upcoming season and Tatum will need to be near his best if he wants to play a leading role.

During Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Tatum suffered an ankle injury that limited his ability to impact the game. As such, Boston struggled to break down the Miami Heat's defense. While that injury isn't tied to Tatum's ongoing wrist issues, it does show how much the Celtics rely on their star player.

Celtics fans will be hoping the addition of Kristaps Porzingis takes some of the scoring load off Tatum's shoulders. However, should his wrist flare up in the coming months, he could regret opting out of surgery, especially if it costs Boston a shot at a championship.

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