Jaylen Brown decided to have surgery on his partially torn meniscus, per a Boston Celtics team announcement, but he is expected to be back for the start of training camp. He underwent a successful right knee arthroscopic debridement procedure. With that piece of information included, it’s never been clearer that the Celtics should trust him to lead the way next year with Jayson Tatum out due to a ruptured Achilles.
Obviously, a lot has to go right from now until the start of the year, but if Brown does make it to that point healthy and ready to roll, then there’s no reason for Boston to doubt his ability to lead the team.
Not only is he ready for the chance, but he’s earned it.
How hurt was Jaylen Brown?
Brown had been dealing with knee issues for a few months heading into the postseason, though there had been no report regarding the details of the ailment. Despite being listed on the injury report for a good chunk of the postseason, Brown appeared in every game, highlighted by an impressive Game 2 performance against the Orlando Magic with Tatum sidelined.
However, once the playoffs wrapped up, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported that Brown finished the run with a partially torn meniscus.
The Celtics just officially announced that Jaylen Brown underwent a successful right knee arthroscopic debridement procedure. He's expected to be back in time for the start of training camp. pic.twitter.com/0dQb9EpBKc
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) June 11, 2025
In her report, she noted that Brown had yet to decide whether or not to have surgery, but fast forward a few weeks, and the Celtics star evidently decided to go through with a procedure to help the issue.
Now, Brown will be tasked with a recovery process. According to Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company in California, recovery for this type of procedure is usually around six weeks, which would theoretically give Brown plenty of time to rehab before training camp starts up. Alexander Orthopaedic Associates lists the recovery timeline similarly at 2-3 months.
That said, most websites list the recovery timeline in the range of “weeks” instead of “months.”
Why should the Celtics led Jaylen Brown lead the show?
Brown has been nothing but loyal to Boston since he entered the league. He’s blossomed into one of the best scorers in the NBA, and when Tatum blossomed alongside him, he adapted his game to fit what the Celtics needed.
The result was a championship in 2024, and now, with Tatum out, Brown has never been more ready for a chance at being the No. 1 option.
The only cloud over that potential decision was his meniscus injury, and now that the timeline for his recovery has been made clear, Boston’s decision has been as well: Let Brown be the No. 1 option next season and don’t blow up the roster.