Just a few days ago, Boston Celtics superstar forward Jayson Tatum sent shockwaves throughout the NBA world after he was spotted dunking during practice. Of course, this came as a massive surprise due to the fact that usually it takes at least a year to recover from an Achilles injury. While the All-Star forward is still far away from reaching that point, his incredible recovery made several believe that he might be on track to make his return this season. But is it actually true?

Well, there’s no doubt that the Cs superstar has made massive strides in his rehab over the past few months. But given that he’s recovering from an Achilles injury, which is the same as that of Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton or Portland’s Damian Lillard, both of whom are ruled out for the entire season, it was hard to think that we’ll see Tatum make such a swift return. As expected, the CEO of the Boston Celtics, Wyc Grousbeck, has now revealed the official date for the 27-year-old’s much-anticipated comeback to the hardwood.

In an interview with WEEI, Grousbeck stated that Tatum will not be returning on the floor this season. “We’re not going to ever ask him (Tatum) to come back. We’re assuming he’s not coming back,  and we’re not even having discussions about it,” Grousbeck said. “If at the end of, at some point, he’s going to be ready to come back. Whenever that is, we’ll get five doctors’ opinions, we’ll ask him how he feels, and then we’ll all decide jointly, let’s do this. Whatever month that is, whenever that is, but there’s no discussion in the meantime.”

While he did mention that there’s a high chance the forward might want to play as soon as possible, he did confirm that the franchise will not be taking any chances with their superstar. The former Celtics majority owner emphasized that the organization is in no rush whatsoever to get Jayson Tatum back on the court. Meanwhile, he also pointed out that even if there’s a chance of him getting back, Boston will take every opinion possible before they make a final decision on the matter.

Well, that does seem fair, given that Achilles injuries have a terrible history of derailing an athlete’s career. Even in the NBA itself, many players have had their careers cut short due to Achilles problems. So, it’s only right for the Cs front office to hold back Jayson Tatum from making a rash decision and rather prolong his peak. Nonetheless, while Wyc Grousbeck has poured cold water on all the hype around Tatum’s return, a Celtics Insider still believes that the 27-year-old will make a comeback before the season ends.

A Celtics Insider still believes Jayson Tatum’s return this season is a possibility

While the Boston Celtics gear up for their season opener against the Sixers, the debate on Jayson Tatum’s return timeline keeps raging on. Although Wyc Grousbeck has indicated that there’s no possibility of the forward’s return, some NBA Insiders, including The Athletic’s Jay King, think that he’ll be healthy enough to justify his return to the hardwood before the 2025-26 NBA season concludes. “Even if Tatum does appear this season, it’s highly unlikely that he will come back at his usual All-NBA level,” he wrote.

“He will need time to ramp up physically and will likely need to climb psychological hurdles after the first significant injury of his career. Still, based on how he has always fought to play in the past, he will likely be pushing the Celtics to suit up as quickly as possible.” Well, there’s no doubt that the All-Star forward wants to return as quickly as possible, but will that be the best route for him? Even King believes that although JT might return, there’s a high chance he might not be able to play the level he was playing before getting hurt.

Now, that’s concerning to say the least. After all, what good would returning to the court be to the Cs and to Jayson Tatum if he can’t perform at an All-NBA level? None. So, while it seems like the six-time All-Star is making good progress, he must take things slow and try to ensure that he’s back to his old fitness level, if not better, and then only think about making a return in the league. Now, whether that’s what the Boston superstar will do or not? Only time will tell, as we closely monitor Tatum’s status and return timeline.