When All-NBA talent Jayson Tatum unexpectedly tore his Achilles in game four of the Eastern Conference semi-finals in 2025, the consensus was that the team’s next season would be a wash. After all, the Celtics had to replace 72 points per game and 132 minutes from that roster after losing out on five rotational players. That kind of player movement is almost unheard of in the association.
Fast forward to February 2026, and Boston has 41 wins, tying their projected wins from the start of the season. This has all been done without their top five player in the league and a whole new band of players, half of whom have barely seen the court in their NBA careers.
The Boston Celtics are not supposed to be this good.
Tatum’s name has been in countless rumours as of late, all surrounding his return to the court after less than a year of recovery from a major injury. Fans have been speculating about his return since late last year, even getting an easter egg from the NBA itself after the league rescheduled a Sixers versus Celtics game to national television in March for no apparent reason.
With the Celtics currently holding onto the second seed in the East without the Duke product, his reentry into the lineup could unfold in a couple of ways, depending on how he and the team adjust.
First, if Tatum returns and performs at his usual All-Star level, the team could compete for an Eastern Conference or even an NBA title. The Detroit Pistons hold a secure lead over the rest of the conference, but have lost to Boston this year in a statement game. Jaylen Brown is having an M.V.P. year, and while Tatum’s return could signal a dip in his scoring, the two have been playing alongside each other for almost a decade. This leaves a potential lack of cohesion out of the picture. In a perfect world, this could help Brown out even more, as Tatum would take away some of the defensive attention from his running mate.
The likelihood of Tatum instantly returning to his peak form is slim; however, the former third-overall pick has been making a great impression on teammates in recent practices. Ron Harper Jr., a Celtics guard, said, “he looked like Jayson Tatum, I’ll say that much,” when asked about how the small forward played at a Maine Celtics practice. If that isn’t a sign that there might be something special brewing, it’s hard to say what is.
That said, Tatum himself is keeping the idea of a return behind closed doors. Reports have surfaced over the past few days that he will return in the coming games, but nothing has been confirmed.
Tatum spoke with reporters at a recent team workout about a specific return date:
“I do not have a date. Like I said, I just take it one day at a time. I feel better than I did yesterday, and that’s what’s most important.”
When asked if he could get back on the court at all this year, Tatum suggested that nothing was out of the realm of possibility but highlighted his tenacious effort to even get to this point.
“I think it’s important that I’ve worked this hard to get myself in a position where it could be a conversation, and I think we’ve done a really good job of that thus far,” said Tatum.
The next option is that the team stagnates upon his implementation in the lineup and ultimately falls short. Integrating such a ball-dominant player back into the rotation is likely going to cause some changes in the offence. Other wings, like Jordan Walsh and Hugo González, will be forced into lesser roles to compensate for Tatum’s return, stunting their progression.
Historically, Kevin Durant has been the only superstar player to return from a torn Achilles and play to the same level he was before the injury. In the modern day, players are returning from injury at an all-time fast pace, but relying on a player to adjust that quickly is a tough ask. Besides, half of the battle is mental, and if Tatum isn’t fully committed to playing on his injured leg, then his performance on the court will almost certainly be subpar.