Brad Stevens explained the Boston Celtics' approach to having Jayson Tatum stay on the right track with his recovery process throughout the 2025-26 season.
Tatum has been rehabbing a torn Achilles, which he tore in Game 4 of the East Semis against the New York Knicks. He underwent a successful surgery, making significant progress as he could make his return near the end of the campaign.
Stevens talked with media on Friday about the current state of the Celtics after the Feb. 5 trade deadline passed. The team president and general manager also discussed Tatum, where he revealed there is no rushing the superstar forward back. Even so, he sent a clear message to Tatum about his importance to the franchise.
“Obviously, any team with Jayson Tatum's going to be better,” Stevens said Friday, via ESPN. “If he needs it, I'll tell him every day. Because every team — all 30 of us — would be way, way better with him on the team.”
“Those are just things that go through everybody's minds. In all of our conversations, he's confident he can make the team better, too…He's hit a lot of the thresholds, he's doing more and more and will continue to do more and more. There's no pressure from us. But there's also not going to be any of us saying, ‘Well, why don't you just take another week?' It's going to be: When he's ready, he's ready.”
What lies ahead for Jayson Tatum, Celtics
It's clear that Brad Stevens and the Celtics will continue to take good care of Jayson Tatum as he gets through the final stages of his recovery.
The Celtics had expectations of having a down season with Tatum's injury and changing their roster throughout the 2025 offseason. However, they have negated a lot of doubts as they firmly remain in the playoff race. Not only that, but they might also have a fighting chance at competing for a championship.
Boston boasts a 34-18 record on the season, holding the second spot in the Eastern Conference standings. They are above the New York Knicks by one game and the Cleveland Cavaliers by three games. However, they trail the Detroit Pistons by 4.5 games.
Rolling with five consecutive wins, the Celtics will look forward to their next matchup. They are at home when they host the Knicks on Feb. 8 at 12:30 p.m. ET.
