Jayson Tatum remains out indefinitely due to an Achilles injury he acquired last May. It’s been nine months since we last saw Tatum play. Boston Celtics fans are now wondering if JT will ever make his return this season. An NBA doctor shared his insight on Tatum’s recovery process and urged the Celtics to carefully decide on whether their star should come back this season or not.
Dr. Gautam Believes Celtics Shouldn’t Rush Jayson Tatum’s Return
In a recent exclusive interview with PFSN’s Itiel Estudillo, pain management specialist Dr. Abhinav Gautam shared his thoughts on Tatum potentially making his return this season.
During his interview with Estudillo, Dr. Gautam explained how fascial health played an important role in Tatum’s recovery from his ruptured right Achilles tendon. The doctor discussed how recovering from an Achilles injury isn’t as simple as healing the tendon itself.
Having that in mind, Dr. Gautam believes that the Celtics should be more careful when deciding on whether or not JT should make a comeback this season.
There have been rumors that Tatum will soon make his return. Some signs point towards March 1 as his return date, given how NBC moved the Celtics’ game against the Philadelphia 76ers to a primetime slot. In addition, Tatum’s mini-docuseries about his road to recovery will air on the same day.
Despite all these factors, Dr. Gautam thinks the Celtics shouldn’t rush Tatum’s return, especially considering how the team is doing just fine without him. Boston is currently second in the Eastern Conference with a 37-19 record without JT all season long.
With all that said, Dr. Gautam shared that it might be best if the Celtics have Tatum ready for the playoffs rather than the regular season.
“You want to win as much as you can, but you don’t want to jeopardize long-term viability and performance. So I’m sure they’re going to make the right decision. The fact that he’s their second right now will probably lead me to believe that there’s no need to try to rush him back, and rather probably stay on whatever recovery schedule he’s on and hopefully have him ready for April when the playoffs get going.”
Dr. Gautam urges the Celtics to carefully assess Jayson Tatum’s potential return:
“I’m sure they’re going to make the right decision. The fact that (the Celtics) are second (in the East right now will probably lead me to believe that there’s no need to try to rush him.” https://t.co/3DNs916xsS pic.twitter.com/MLlK3Z3Po3
— Itiel Estudillo (@Itiel_Estudillo) February 24, 2026
As of now, neither the Celtics nor Tatum has announced his official return date. Multiple sources have reported that Tatum is now participating in light workout sessions with his team, signifying that his return is on the horizon.
It is worth noting that earlier this week, Tatum expressed his frustration with the frequent questions about his return timeline, stating, “I feel like I’m beating a dead horse. I’m just taking it one day at a time.”
