The 2025-26 NBA season is right around the corner and no one knows exactly what to expect from the Boston Celtics. After major offseason changes and with superstar forward Jayson Tatum still recovering from the torn Achilles he suffered last season, some don’t view the Celtics as a possible playoff contender.
Of course, among the changes that Boston made this offseason were the trades sending star guard Jrue Holiday and star big man Kristaps Porzingis out of town. Both of those players have been key pieces for the Celtics over the last couple of years.
Tatum has been recovering well from the Achilles injury, but there is no guarantee when he could return to the court.
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When he originally suffered the injury, Tatum was expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season. However, that timeline has somewhat changed. There is growing belief that he could play later in the year.
Keeping that in mind, Boston assistant coach Sam Cassell took a moment to speak out about Tatum’s health status. He’s clearly liking what he’s seeing from the team’s superstar.
“He’s coming along well,” Cassell said. “People keep counting him out, but I like what I’m seeing. He’s active, moving around, doing the work. He’s not limping or slowing down — he’s grinding.”
Not long ago, fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown spoke out about his thoughts on Tatum’s recovery. He has never seen anyone recover so quickly from a torn Achilles.
“JT looked great, though, I’m not going to lie,” Brown said. “I’ve never seen anybody recover so fast from an Achilles injury, from any injury to that level… JT’s been going crazy… Anybody with a drive and a work ethic and a passion for the game, I’m not surprised.”
Last season with Boston, Tatum played in 72 regular season games. He averaged 26.8 points per game to go along with 8.7 rebounds, six assists, and 1.1 steals, while shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and 34.3 percent from three-point range.
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Unfortunately, during the Celtics’ playoff run in the second round against the New York Knicks, Tatum went down with the injury.
It will be interesting to see if he’s able to make his return to the court this season. Boston seems to be holding out hope that he can accomplish that goal. Either way, Tatum’s recovery seems to be coming along nicely.
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