Jayson Tatum could be inching closer to an in-season return for the Boston Celtics. The four-time All-NBA First Team selection has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury.
However, over the past week, Tatum has entered another phase of his rehab. He’s begun playing controlled five-on-five basketball. Upon hearing that news, former Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams, shared his belief that Tatum could be cleared to play in around four weeks.
“If he’s about to play 5v5, that tells me we’re 4 weeks out,” Williams said via a Feb. 9 episode of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.”
According to Shams Charania, Tatum looked “great” when participating in a Maine Celtics practice session at the Auerbach Center on Monday.
“Everyone I spoke to with knowledge of Monday’s practice said Tatum looked great,” Charania said via “NBA Today” on Feb. 10. ” He’s been ramping up… He has been operating as a player who has a defined [goal] of debuting this season.”
Charania also noted that Tatum is progressing in his rehab but must still clear multiple hurdles before doctors medically clear him to return.
“At the end of all this, there’s going to be about a dozen people gathering in a room and deciding and determining whether Jayson Tatum is a hundred percent cleared medically and one percent cleared on a mental level,” he added.
Celtics Aren’t Putting Pressure On Tatum
When speaking to the media on Friday, Feb. 6, President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens, was clear that Tatum is under no pressure to rush back onto the court.
“He’s hit a lot of the thresholds, he’s doing more and more and will continue to do more and more,” Stevens said. “There’s no pressure from us. But there’s also not going to be any of us saying, ‘Well, why don’t you just take another week?’ It’s going to be: When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
Stevens continued.
“It’s best for Jayson to come when he’s 110% healthy, he’s fully cleared by everybody that matters in that decision, and he’s got great peace of mind and ready to do it,” Stevens added. “That’s it. That’s the objective, and that’s what we’re going to stick with.”
A Tatum return would undoubtedly improve Boston’s rotation. However, it’s important to remember that he will be far away from the best version of himself when he initially gets back onto the court. In truth, we might not see the All-NBA version of Tatum until next season, at the earliest.
Tatum Urged To Wait On Celtics Return
In A Feb. 10 edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith urged Tatum to wait until next season before returning to the court.
“I just want to say to Jayson Tatum, ‘why do that to yourself?’ Why come back? I mean, brother, you need to rest,” Stephen A said. “You need to take your time. Stay home. Get to the facilities. Rehab. There’s no rush. There really isn’t. I mean, it’s an Achilles tear. And I don’t want to see you get hurt again… So don’t rush back. Take your time. This is usually a 16 to 18-month recovery. It hasn’t even been 12. Jayson Tatum, that’s just not wise. Don’t do it. Rehab. Get yourself right. For next season.”
Ultimately, Tatum will make the decision that’s best for him and the Celtics. Furthermore, that decision will likely come once he’s been medically cleared. Until then, he’s sticking to the roadmap that’s been laid out for him.
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