Mar 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) stands on the court before the start of the game against the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

NBA Star Jayson Tatum Giving Celtics Early Optimism

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 7:14 PM ET

When the Boston Celtics reach training camp, they don’t plan to have Jayson Tatum in the mix.

The star forward is anticipating a year off, following an unfortunate Achilles-related setback. He suffered his injury during the Celtics’ disappointing 2025 playoff run, which ended in the second round.

While Celtics players from last year are either moving on or going through rest and recovery in preperation for the next season, Tatum is facing a full-blown rehab, which is reportedly going very well.

“The Celtics are very happy with how hard Jayson Tatum has been working at his rehab, and his level of focus and intensity in the rehab process,” said NBC Sports Boston’s Darren Hartwell.

“He did not leave town. He has been here the entire time. … Since the injury, he has not left town and he has been inside the building at the Celtics’ facility with their people and their team almost every single day for months. … He’s doing things that nobody asked him to do.”

Nobody expects the Celtics to begin looking at life after Tatum. The 27-year-old forward is still very much the face of the franchise, alongside Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics will patiently wait for Tatum to return to form and get back out on the court and contribute to winning basketball once again.

The 2025-2026 NBA season could be a strange one for the Celtics. Since the Tatum era started, the Celtics have been one of the most competitive teams in the Eastern Conference. Although Tatum faced plenty of criticism regarding his playoff performances, he had a breakthrough two summers ago.

After averaging 25 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game during the 2024 playoff run, Tatum helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals. Boston ended up winning.

Last season, the Celtics had a strong regular-season effort, securing the second seed behind the Cleveland Cavaliers. After defeating the Orlando Magic in the first round, the Celtics came up short against the New York Knicks. The injury to Tatum was a massive blow for Boston.

The Celtics aren’t expected to fall totally flat in 2025-2026. They might not have Tatum, and made notable changes, but they can still be competitive with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White in the mix.

Soon, the NBA will see what a Tatum-less Celtics squad looks like for the time being. Next year, the Celtics plan to be right back on track, barring any unexpected setbacks for Tatum throughout his long recovery journey, which is well underway.