Tatum begins on-court work as Celtics navigate after Achilles tear

Jayson Tatum took a major step in his recovery on Monday by taking part in his first on-court workout since tearing his Achilles during the Celtics' second-round playoff series against the Knicks. Four-plus months removed from the injury, the 27-year-old faced a long path back to competition as Boston charts a course through a season in transition. The workout was described to Sports Illustrated as a milestone in a rehab process that could stretch into the 2025-26 season, depending on how his body responds.

The moment was parsed in a SI interview in which Tatum recounted the sequence that changed his life on the floor at Madison Square Garden during Game 4. He said he heard a pop on a loose-ball attempt, watched his life flash before him, and was afterward helped off the court in visible pain. He underwent surgery the day after the injury, and the Celtics went on to lose Game 4, win Game 5 in a rout, and then fall in Game 6 without him in New York. Tatum described the emotional shock in those early days, saying, "I heard it pop ... I cannot believe this just happened. It was like my whole basketball career kind of flashed in front of my eyes." The moment led to a long rehabilitation that he described as emotionally taxing and transformative.

The injury and its aftermath arrived amid a broader franchise pivot. Tatum signed a five-year, $314 million extension last July, the largest deal in NBA history, ensuring the Celtics would lean heavily on him as they navigated the cap and roster moves. In the wake of the injury, Boston moved Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to get under the second apron, reshaping the roster in a way that some viewed as a signal of a shift from championship-contending status toward a more transitional phase. Tatum acknowledged the unsettling nature of the moment, saying it felt like the team had to consider drastic changes, even though he understood the reasons were financial and structural rather than personal.

"All perspective and reality goes out the window in that moment," Tatum told SI. "I know they love me, but they might feel like, 'Yo, we gotta move on.' That really went through my mind. That this might have been the last time I wear this uniform." The Celtics did not move to part with him, but the roster churn underscored how the organization framed its ambition for the near term while the franchise waits for the returning face of the franchise to join the lineup again.

The personal toll extended to the door of healing. Tatum said the day after the injury, as he prepared for surgery, he broke down crying, recognizing the abrupt shift from playing for a playoff win to entering a long rehab cycle. He credited the timely operation and the support of others who had endured Achilles injuries with helping his mindset. He has leaned on peers such as Kevin Durant for inspiration, and he stressed that while he feels stronger than he ever has, he has not set a firm return date for the season. "I haven’t said I’m coming back, and I haven’t said that I’m not," he said. "It’s for a couple of different reasons. For me to say, ‘Yo, I’m not coming back this year,’ I don’t know. I need something to look forward to. Going to the rehab every single day, I need a goal or something that I’m trying to chase. And I might not come back this year, but I need to feel like I’m attacking something, I’m working towards something." It is a careful, patient approach that leaves the door open for a late-season return if progress allows.

A further image from the playoff run captured the gravity of the moment when Tatum's injury first occurred, and the emotional arc that followed. The Celtics, without their star, navigated a postseason that underscored the high stakes surrounding his future and the franchise’s ability to compete at the highest level in his absence. The team’s decision to part with key pieces like Porzingis and Holiday in pursuit of fiscal flexibility mirrors the tension between contending now and building toward a sustainable future, an equation that Tatum acknowledged is complex and sometimes painful for a player who has carried the franchise for eight seasons.

As the rehab progresses, Tatum has avoided setting a timetable while remaining optimistic about his body’s trajectory. He described the current phase as feeling stronger than it has in years and said his daily rehab work is purposeful, designed to give him something concrete to chase. The Celtics, meanwhile, head into a season that will test their depth and cohesion as they attempt to maintain competitiveness while integrating players acquired in trades aimed at balancing their payroll and roster structure.

The exchange between patient preparation and aggressive roster management reflects a broader NBA narrative: even the most elite players can encounter moments that force a team to rethink its path. For Tatum, the next chapter is less about the date of his return and more about the quality of his recovery, the pace of his progression, and the clarity of his personal goals within a franchise that remains deeply invested in his futures. If his rehab continues on an upward trajectory, Boston could be steered toward a return to traditional contention; if not, the organization will have to navigate a longer-term plan that relies on its emerging players and its already established star.

The timeline remains fluid, but the first on-court workout marks a noteworthy benchmark. Tatum’s comments to SI reflect a blend of gratitude, realism, and relentless focus on recovery. He stressed that his primary objective is sustained progress rather than a rushed return, a stance that many players facing similarly long injuries might echo. As the Celtics balance expectations with financial and strategic constraints, the path back to the court will be watched closely by fans and analysts alike, who will parse every update on his fitness, the pace of his rehabilitation, and the pace at which the franchise can translate that progress into a renewed championship window.