The Boston Celtics future is up in the air, thanks in large part to Jayson Tatum’s injury status. The All-NBA forward ruptured his Achilles in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks, meaning he will miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season.
With Tatum’s health a question mark, the Celtics have begun the offseason by retooling their roster. They traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, and after losing Luke Kornet in free agency, it seems like Al Horford’s departure is a near certainty.
The front office seems intent on building the best possible team around Tatum once he returns, and in order to accomplish that, getting under the second apron of the league’s new salary cap is crucial. While they initially got under that mark after trading Porzingis, their two free-agent signings, Luka Garza and Josh Minott, have put them back over it.
Tatum, in the meantime, is working his way back from a serious injury, and there’s no doubt it’s been difficult for him. The more he’s able to do now, though, the quicker he will be able to get back on the court. On the Fourth of July, Tatum sent himself a motivational four-word message as he continues to grind through his rehab process.
“‘Keep showing up JT,’” Tatum captioned his latest photo on Instagram.
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Before his injury, Tatum was in the middle of one of the best playoff games of his career, as he dropped 42 points in an effort to keep the C’s afloat against the Knicks. It was in vain, though, as Boston lost the game, and eventually, they got bounced by New York in six games.
In 72 games, Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and six assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. He earned his sixth-straight All-Star selection and his fourth-straight All-NBA First Team honor, which makes this untimely injury all the more crushing.
Given his love for the game, it’s understandable that Tatum is distraught to have found himself in this situation. But he’s continuing to put in the work necessary in order to get healthy, and if he keeps on doing that, he will be back on the court before he knows it.
