Much has been made about Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury and his potential return, with the initial expectation being that he would sit out the entire 2025-26 NBA season. However, recent updates have been more optimistic, with many expecting him to be back at some point during the campaign.

Chris Haynes is one of them, as he explained how Tatum is likely to return to play during the regular season.

“Based off of what he texted me, I think we will see him at some point during the regular season. He told me he is working out three times per week, 45-minute sessions. He said he is 23 weeks out from when he underwent surgery and he’s feeling good,” he explained on NBA TV.

However, does that mean a return during the season is likely? Haynes claimed that that is exactly what the Celtics’ talisman is targeting.

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“He’s posted videos of him being able to explore off of that leg. So I asked him myself, ‘you really trying to come back this season?' And basically he is like, ‘I am not putting in all this work for nothing,'” he explained.

In his absence, the Celtics have responded with a bit of a fire sale, with the likes of Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis all being traded to save on luxury tax and salary. The Celtics are reported to save around $300 million due to their offseason moves.

Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard will carry larger scoring and creation loads after averaging 22.2, 16.4, and 14.3 points last season. The key additions have been Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher and Luka Garza, with Simons profiling as the only proven high-volume scorer among them.

Regardless, while Tatum may have a chance to return this season, all signs currently point to the Celtics being in no rush.