![\"Jayson](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/GettyImages-2241313377_4339bb-e1771363988824.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics<\/p>\n
Jayson Tatum<\/a> is yet to suit up for the Boston Celtics<\/a> this season. The All-NBA forward has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury.<\/p>\n In recent weeks, Tatum has been making strides in his rehab. He\u2019s been filmed working out in the weight room and was recently cleared to participate in controlled five-on-five work<\/a> with the team\u2019s coaches.<\/p>\n As such, Celtics fans have begun to postulate when Tatum could return to the court. However, according to ESPN\u2019s Ramona Shelburne, speaking via a Feb. 17 episode of ESPN\u2019s NBA<\/a> Today, Tatum is yet to make a decision on whether he will return this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI know everybody has seen that game got flexed to that spot on NBC on prime time. There\u2019s a documentary that an NBC affiliate has been doing,\u201d Shelburne said.<\/a> \u201cThere are connecting dots. But, I checked in with Jayson Tatum, and he said, \u2018I\u2019ve still not made a decision on whether or not I\u2019m coming back this year.’\u201d<\/p>\n If Tatum returns to the Celtics rotation this season, he will need time to ramp up before the playoffs. If he is not cleared until late March, it will be tough to regain conditioning and reach a high level before the playoffs begin.<\/p>\n Tatum Unsure Of In-Season Return To Celtics<\/p>\n During a recent appearance on \u201cThe Pivot\u201d podcast,<\/a> Tatum gave an honest insight into his concerns on returning midway through the Celtics current season.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s something I contemplate every day,\u201d Tatum said. \u201cMore so about the team, if or when I do come back this season, they would\u2019ve played 50-some-odd games without me. So they have an identity this year or things that they felt have clicked for them. And it\u2019s been successful, right? Third or second team in the East up to this point. So there is a thought in my head that\u2019s like, how does that work or how does that look with me integrating myself off an injury and 50-60 games into a season?\u201d<\/p>\n Tatum continued.<\/p>\n \u201cThere could obviously be some challenges and it is a thought, like damn? Do I come back or should I wait? It\u2019s something that I honestly, recently in the last two weeks or so, just kind of contemplate every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to envision Tatum derailing the success the Celtics are having this year. He\u2019s too good a player for that to happen. However, if he feels that he would be better served waiting until next season, then it\u2019s a decision that only he can make.<\/p>\n Former Celtics Big Man Believes Tatum Should Wait<\/p>\n During a recent conversation with Daniel Donabedian of ClutchPoints<\/a>, Blake Griffin<\/a> shared his thoughts on Tatum\u2019s recovery timeline. He said he believes Tatum should wait until next season before returning to Boston\u2019s rotation.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of information on Achilles and all other sorts of injuries, but especially Achilles injuries, where, the longer you wait \u2014 like, yes, you may be able to play within, call it 10 months,\u201d Griffin said. \u201cBut does 16 months give you a much better chance at not re-injuring and not injuring something else? And I think the data on that is very clear. As good and as much fun as the Celtics are to watch this season, as good as they\u2019ve been, I don\u2019t know that if I was advising him \u2014 I don\u2019t know that I would be like, \u2018Yeah, you got to get back this year.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Celtics fans are undoubtedly excited for when Tatum does return. However, he must first be cleared by the medical staff. When that happens, both he and the coaches will have the final say. Until then, Celtics fans will remain in limbo regarding whether they will see Tatum this season or not.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAdam Taylor<\/a> is a basketball reporter covering the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Miami Heat for Heavy. He holds bylines for CelticsBlog, USA Today and Yardbarker. Adam also covers the WWE and AEW. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in creative writing from Open University. More about Adam Taylor<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Celtics\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t