With the somewhat confusing and surprising recent reporting from Chris Haynes and Ramona Shelburne regarding Jayson Tatum’s potential return from injury, a lot of questions have arisen. But in terms of the question of when Tatum should return? There’s only one reasonable answer: when JT is 100% ready, and not a moment before.
Sure, of course, there are a ton of factors that go into this decision, both relating to basketball and not. But for much of this season, it has felt like a foregone conclusion that Tatum would be back at some point. The team never indicated this, nor was there anything official, but it felt like everyone was approaching it as a matter of when, not if.
These recent reports have obviously thrown some cold water on that idea, and perhaps it’s a smart reminder for everyone to temper expectations. Tatum suffered one of the most demoralizing injuries an athlete can endure, and the idea that he’d be back at all this season should always have been seen as a bonus, an added luxury, and nothing more.
It would be great to see him return, and even more so now that we’ve seen how well the team has performed without him. A top-three seed being able to add a perennial first-team All-NBA player would be about as big a needle mover as the league can see during a season (apologies to the Luka trade).
Tatum must be ready both physically and mentally
But it’s not fair to just assume Tatum will step back in and be able to play. Even if the doctors clear him, there’s a huge mental hurdle to clear in trusting his body again. He can do all kinds of practices and simulations, but there’s nothing like game action against a real opponent.
Add to that the stakes of the games now, and the thought that Tatum will be inserted very quickly into high-leverage playoff basketball on a team that has built an identity without him and with many new players he’s never played with, and that’s a lot to ask.
He may not only be adjusting to changes with his body, but also to many changes with the team and perhaps even his role. If he feels any lingering doubt or a lack of full trust in any part of the situation, he shouldn’t be out there. It’s that simple
Tatum returning to full strength at any point would still be huge win
If that means he takes a full offseason to get right, to go through training camp, and to practice with the team every day, so be it. That’s totally fine, and if he’s able to hit the ground running next season, that should still be viewed as a massive win for the player and for the Celtics.
Let’s not forget that the Celtics are playing with house money this season. This has been a fun team to watch, and the results speak to the hard work, the great coaching, and the players stepping up. Any success in the playoffs would be incredible, and IF Tatum does come back and raises the ceiling even higher, that would be amazing.
But it would still be unprecedented in every way, and something that should come as a fortunate surprise, not an expectation. Whenever we do see JT on the floor again, let’s just hope it’s on his terms, and it’s when he’s feeling 100% ready to go out, trust his body, be himself, and get back to dominating the competition.