The storyline surrounding the Boston Celtics all season has been the impending question of whether Jayson Tatum will return from the Achilles injury he suffered in the playoffs last May, and the latest update on the star does, in fact, signal that he will return to the court sometime soon.
Tatum has already made strong progress on a return from injury, as he practiced with the team’s G-League affiliate, and according to multiple insiders, continues to look like his progress is ramping up.
Additionally, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Celtics’ making the trade for Nikola Vucevic was an indicator that Tatum is returning from his Achilles injury this season.
“Sources say that the Celtics’ decision to acquire Nikola Vučević from Chicago before the trade deadline, in exchange for Anfernee Simons’ expiring contract, was a clear indicator that Boston believes Tatum will indeed return for a postseason run,” Fischer wrote on the Substack.
The rumors about Tatum’s return aren’t new, but after all the updates surrounding the star over the past few days, a return for Boston feels closer than ever before.
Jayson Tatum Injury Return
In what was the first real update outside of speculation about a potential Tatum injury return was the star player himself recently telling ESPN that he was unsure if he would get back on the court this season, citing that he “wants to get it right the first time, so it’s just a lot to think about.”
While that left an uneasy taste in Celtics fans’ mouths, as there was previously a near-certain expectation he would come back this year, that news was followed by the recent report that Boston sent Tatum to their G-League affiliate to begin practicing with that team.
“Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was assigned to the Maine Celtics, the team’s G League affiliate, on Monday to practice with the team as he continues the rehab process to return from a torn right Achilles,” they wrote in a statement. “Tatum was ‘immediately recalled’ back to Boston after the practice.”
While that news reignited the rumors about a potential injury return coming soon, Tatum once again said that his practicing didn’t guarantee a return.
“Today is 39 weeks [since the Achilles tear] so it’s been a long journey,” Tatum said, according to ESPN. “And it’s just the progression of rehab, [this was] the next step. Doesn’t mean that I’m coming back or I’m not. We’re just following the plan. It was just another step.”
Insiders Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst both said that Tatum has made important steps for an injury return, even though the star himself has yet to decide his playing future this year.
But now, the latest news from Fischer, that by making the trade for Vucevic, confirms that the Celtics expect Tatum to play this year, regardless of when that comes.
Jayson Tatum On Celtics’ Vucevic Trade
At the same time Fischer reported that the Celtics trading for Vucevic was a marker that the star could be well on his way to getting back on the court, the injured player himself commented about the team’s new big man.
“Vooch is a hell of a player,” Tatum said according to CelticsBlog.com. “Obviously, I’ve competed against him for the last eight years, and [I’m] excited about the things that he brings to this team, different dynamics. We’re all excited to have him.”
Boston made the deal for Vucevic by sending Simons back to the Chicago Bulls. While Simons played well in his half-season with the Celtics, he also hinted at a potential return to New England.
“For sure,” Simons said about potentially going back to the Celtics at some point in his career. “You’re winning, and everything is going great, you get comfortable…you wanted to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and compete with your team for the whole season. Obviously, it’s the NBA, and it’s a business. They traded for a great player.”
For now, Boston made a move to add Vucevic as a much-needed big man to pair alongside Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and the rest of the roster. It remains to be seen if the trade is actually an indicator that Tatum will return from injury, but it is at least a good sign for the team.
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