The odds aren’t in Jayson Tatum and the Celtics’ favor when it comes to the superstar forward returning to the parquet floor for the 2025-26 season.
With Tatum suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks in May, the severity of that injury — coupled with the timing at the end of the 2024-25 campaign — means that Tatum will likely be on the mend throughout this upcoming season.
Even if Tatum was to get cleared in the spring, there’s a compelling case to be made that the Celtics should just keep their most valuable asset protected and opt to rule him out for the entire 2025-26 season — rather than rush him back and risk injury during a potential bridge year.