Jayson Tatum continues to add fuel to the rumors of a potential return to action this year after tearing his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Before the season started, the masses didn’t see a point in that plan. As many considered this year to be a gap year for the Celtics, it was valid to question why Tatum would think about returning so quickly if the Celtics aren’t viewed as championship contenders.
Suddenly, the idea doesn’t seem so bad.
DeMarcus Cousins Makes a Major Celtics Statement
“If he does return, they are the clear-cut to come out of the East,” Cousins said on ‘Run It Back’ this week.
Cousins’ comments come one day after videos of Tatum putting in some on-court work surfaced.
“It changes things,” former NBA player Chandler Parsons added.
“Anfernee Simons has got to be a little bit better off the bench. Payton Pritchard has a starting role and he’s playing good. Derrick White, you know what you’re going to get from. The depth for me has been the issue as always with the Celtics. Now they have Jordan Walsh, he’s playing good and getting some good games. Sam Hauser, he’s got to be better and make more shots. It’s the depth for me, versus the glaring hole and the biggest difference.”
Do the Celtics Seriously Have a Chance?
Never say never.
It’s still early, but the Celtics might make it to Christmas as a top-three team in the Eastern Conference. With a 15-9 record, they currently only trail the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons. The Orlando Magic are on their heels with a 15-10 record.
With the Celtics and the Indiana Pacers being the last two Eastern Conference Champions, their situations for the 2025-2026 season made it seem as if the East was open for the taking. Tatum could miss the entire season, while Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton is expected to with the same setback.
The Pacers are struggling with a 6-18 record, placing them 14th in the conference. The Celtics have remained one of the top teams, despite the absence of Tatum.
“It’s all up to him,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said, regarding a potential Tatum return. “At the end of the day, his health is the most important thing, his process is the most important thing. You trust him, trust the team that’s around him — he’s got a great team — and you just kind of go from there. So kind of just all starts about where he and his team think he’s at.”
It will be a while before Tatum takes the court again, but if the Celtics continue thriving, he could be a difference-maker down the stretch.
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