Jayson Tatum Keeps Celtics Hopes Alive In Latest Interview

Over the past few years, players who tore or ruptured their Achilles needed at least one season to get back to normalcy. Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant, who returned almost at the same level he was playing at before his injury, is the most infamous example.

Only time will tell whether Tatum manages to return sooner than that. One thing is for certain; he’s putting in the work to make that happen. While discussing the recovery process, the 27-year-old says he isn’t rushing anything. However, he could still shock the league, getting back on the hardwood before the season is over.

Keeping The Playoff Streak Alive

The Celtics currently hold the longest active streak of consecutive playoff appearances with 11.

Even without Tatum, they might be able to squeeze into the playoffs due to the relative lack of talent in the Eastern Conference. But if there’s a sign that he might come back prior to the postseason, Boston will have to shift to a different strategy. Their salary-conscious offseason moves suggest this might be a gap year. Yet, if Tatum makes a full recovery, they can certainly compete with the teams in the East.

Ultimately, it’ll be up to the management and coaching staff to decide the best route for this season.

If they shut down Tatum, they might get a chance for a draft pick somewhere in the 15-20 range. With that being said, the 2026 NBA draft is one of the deepest in recent years, and the Celtics do have their first-round pick. They also have their first-round pick in 2027. However, if they’re competing for a title, that pick will have less value. Therefore, the 2026 pick might be their last chance at acquiring an affordable albeit talented first-round prospect.

Tatum says he has a goal in mind for his target return. If he doesn’t get there on schedule, the Celtics might decide to call it.

The Big Question

Looking at recent history, there have been several cases of players returning from an Achilles injury.

For Tatum, the most inspiring example might be Durant. In what was an exceedingly rare case, he averaged more points in the season he returned from injury than he did in the previous season. Of course, it has to be taken into account that he sacrificed shots in the Golden State Warriors system. That was quite different from his role with the Brooklyn Nets, where he was the de facto No.1 option.

On the flip side, KD needed 552 days of recovery. Dallas Mavericks wing Klay Thompson was 30 years old at the time of the injury, returned to the court after 414 days of recovery. Yet, his scoring took a hit, as he shot less than 40% from 3-point range for the first time in his career. Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant is a recent example of coming back rather quickly. Despite being 34 years old at the time of the injury, Kobe came back after only 240 days of recovery. However, he was not the same, averaging only 13.8 points per game the season after the injury.