Jayson Tatum may not return to the Boston Celtics’ lineup from an Achilles injury this season, according to Chris Haynes.
“It was always a foregone conclusion that Tatum was going to try to give it a go and return at some point during this season after suffering that Achilles tear.
“But league sources just informed me … that Jayson Tatum is now re-evaluating his situation, and it is up in the air if he’s going to return at all this season,” said Haynes.
Haynes added that Tatum re-evaluating his situation went against what the forward told him earlier this season.
“There are a couple of factors on why he’s reached that point. But as of right now, that changes the whole landscape because Tatum even told me personally months back that he was returning at some point. He was getting ready to return – he was getting close … and league sources informed me that the situation has changed,” added Haynes.
Tatum previously discussed his thought process on returning to the Celtics this year, including wondering how he would fit with the team.
“So there is a thought in my head, like, how does that work?” Tatum said. “Or how does that look with me integrating myself off the injury, 50, 60 games into a season? There obviously could be some challenges. And it is a thought: Do I come back? Should I wait? It’s something that I honestly, recently, in the last two weeks or so just kind of contemplate every single day.”
The Celtics currently are the second seed in the Eastern Conference.