The Boston Celtics are facing a massive challenge before the 2025–26 season even begins: navigating the year without Jayson Tatum.
The superstar forward tore his Achilles during Boston’s playoff loss to the New York Knicks. He is expected to miss most—if not all—of the upcoming season. Tatum underwent surgery on May 13. While the Celtics remain optimistic about his recovery, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made it clear: there’s no rush.
“We don’t and we won’t,” Stevens told ESPN after the first round of the NBA Draft, when asked if the team had a timeline for Tatum’s return. “We won’t put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time. … It’s baby steps right now. He’s actually progressed great, but I don’t know what that means in regard to projected timelines.”
Celtics Prioritizing Tatum’s Long-Term Health
Stevens emphasized that any return to the court will be made with extreme caution, ensuring Tatum is “fully ready, and fully healthy” before he plays again.
“That will be in consultation with him … and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority,” Stevens said.
In the meantime, Boston is working to stay competitive without its franchise player. The Celtics have already traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks—two moves aimed at getting the team under the second apron of the luxury tax.
Jaylen Brown Ahead of Schedule
Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty ImagesJaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
While Tatum recovers, fellow All-Star Jaylen Brown is making progress of his own. Brown underwent a minor knee procedure on June 11 but has already been back in the Celtics’ facility.
“We said be ready for training camp and I think he’ll probably be going full well ahead of that,” Stevens said. “He’s doing some light ball handling and work around the rim.”
That’s good news for a team that will rely heavily on Brown, Derrick White, and others to stay in the mix while Tatum recovers.
Celtics Playing the Long Game
While league rules prevented Stevens from commenting directly on the Porzingis and Holiday trades, he did confirm that the team’s strategy is focused on regaining flexibility.
“We knew this was coming. This isn’t a huge surprise,” Stevens said. “The biggest thing for us is making sure that we balance that—maximizing what we can with regard to what we bring back so we can continue to build and grow.”
With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the foreseeable future, the Celtics are in no rush. They’ve made it clear that his health comes first, and any talk of return timelines will have to wait. In the meantime, Boston is focused on taking the right steps — not the fastest ones — as they retool the roster and prepare for a season without their superstar. It’s a long road ahead, but they’re committed to the process. One baby step at a time.
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