Ask any player how long it takes to recover from an Achilles injury, and the response will be: Do not come back before a year. But… Just a few days ago, Boston Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum sent shockwaves throughout the NBA world after he was spotted dunking during practice. While the All-Star forward is still far away from reaching that point, his incredible recovery made several believe that he might be on track to make his return this season. But how true is that?

Well, there’s no doubt that the Cs superstar has made massive strides in his rehab over the past few months. But given that he’s recovering from an Achilles injury, which is the same as that of Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton or Portland’s Damian Lillard, both of whom are ruled out for the entire season, it was hard to think that we’ll see Tatum make such a swift return. As expected, the CEO of the Boston Celtics, Wyc Grousbeck, has now revealed the official date for the 27-year-old’s much-anticipated comeback.

In an interview with WEEI, Grousbeck stated that Tatum will not be returning on the floor this season. “We’re not going to ever ask Tatum to come back. We’re assuming he’s not coming back & we’re not even having discussions about it,” Grousbeck said. “If at the end, at some point, he’s going to be ready to come back. Whenever that is, we’ll get five doctors’ opinions, we’ll ask him how he feels, & then we’ll all decide jointly, let’s do this. Whatever month that is, whenever that is, but there’s no discussion in the meantime.”

Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured right Achilles tendon during Game 4 of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semifinal against the New York Knicks in May 2025. The injury happened while he was chasing a loose ball, and he underwent surgery the following day. Since then, Tatum has been diligent with his rehab, attending sessions six days a week and consulting with other players who have gone through similar recoveries. Despite the progress, the Cs’ boss doesn’t want to risk their star player.

Well, that does seem fair, given that Achilles injuries have a terrible history of derailing an athlete’s career. Even in the NBA itself, many players have had their careers cut short due to Achilles problems. So, it’s only right for the Cs front office to hold back Jayson Tatum from making a rash decision and rather prolong his peak. Nonetheless, while Wyc Grousbeck has poured cold water on all the hype around Tatum’s return, a Celtics Insider still believes that the 27-year-old will make a comeback before the season ends.

A Celtics insider still believes Jayson Tatum’s return this season is a possibility, but with a condition

While the Boston Celtics gear up for their season opener against the Sixers, the debate on Jayson Tatum’s return timeline keeps raging on. Although Wyc Grousbeck has indicated that there’s no possibility of the forward’s return, some NBA Insiders, including The Athletic’s Jay King, think that he’ll be healthy enough to justify his return to the hardwood before the 2025-26 NBA season concludes. “Even if Tatum does appear this season, it’s highly unlikely that he will come back at his usual All-NBA level,” he wrote.

That is certainly concerning. After all, returning to the court too soon wouldn’t help the Celtics or Jayson Tatum if he can’t perform at an All-NBA level. While the six-time All-Star is making encouraging progress, he must take his time to fully regain his strength and fitness before even considering a return.

“He will need time to ramp up physically and will likely need to climb psychological hurdles after the first significant injury of his career. Still, based on how he has always fought to play in the past, he will likely be pushing the Celtics to suit up as quickly as possible.” Well, there’s no doubt that the All-Star forward wants to return as quickly as possible, but will that be the best route for him? Shouldn’t be.

But whether Tatum will follow that cautious path remains to be seen, and only time will tell as fans and analysts continue to watch his recovery and monitor his potential return to the league.