The moment Jayson Tatum fell to the ground in painful agony, the Celtics fanbase began to worry. The defending champions are now down 3-1 against the New York Knicks. The concerns are aplenty. Can they even turn the series around without Tatum? When will the star forward return from what could be a major injury? If both answers go in the wrong direction for the injury-hit Celtics, some feel things can get even worse.

Amongst them is Bill Simmons. Like any other Celtics fan, Simmons admitted it was a bad day for their franchise. However, he feels the problems are only just beginning to pile on. Specifically, he began wondering what consequences the 27-year-old’s injury may have on the franchise. But it’s not just Tatum’s future he is worried about. Simmons anticipates some dreadful days ahead for his team.

“This could go down as one of the darker Celtic days. I mean, honestly, because especially the timing of, you know, not to mention he’s at the peak of his career. He’s never had a major injury, Tatum. And if this is like a major one, it doesn’t just take him out for this playoffs, but it takes him out for I think all of next year, too. As you said, in his late 20s, and you just wonder like, is he going to be able to get back to the point that he was at tonight?” he pondered on The Bill Simmons podcast.

It seems that the Celtics will head towards a roster reconstruction when the next season arrives. Yes, they do have some key stars they would like to retain. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White may be among them. However, if they do have to spend an entire season without Jayson Tatum, the Shamrocks need to prepare for the worst.

Due to his reputation and accolades as a valiant Celtic, Tatum signed a massive $313 million extension. From next season onwards, his salary vaults close to $57 million. If inactive, that would pose a major hurdle for the Celtics. They now have to arrange a competitive roster, keeping in mind that their franchise keystone won’t be available. However, that isn’t going to be easy considering their top-end depth.

A time for big decisions is upon the Celtics

Jayson Tatum’s injury hasn’t put the Celtics in a worse financial position. It does hurt their ability to compete, as he is a bona fide performer on the big stage. But their offseason is going to be characterized by some difficult decisions. Maybe some undersell the magnitude of the decisions they have to make.

With the franchise moving to a new owner, Bill Chisholm, reports suggest the Celtics won’t be keeping their core together. Starting next season, the cost of inhabiting the same roster would be over half a billion dollars. And from what Shams Charania has heard, the team will be active in the trade market.

“Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason. This team, this iteration is just not going to be sustainable for this team,” the insider mentioned on the Pat McAfee Show.

Among the names that may be heading out is center Kristaps Porzingis. Joe House feels “If Porzingis isn’t effective, then the Celtics, it makes it super duper hard for them to compete.” And with injuries constantly cutting his impact short, the Celtics may have already considered moving him. Especially with Jayson Tatum out and Jaylen Brown in need of a partner, will they continue to rely on the big Latvian?

Players such as Jrue Holiday and Al Horford might be purged to lower the salaries. But the Celtics’ culture has been to compete every year. Without Jayson Tatum, their task now is to build a compact roster to do so. And with already minimal resources at their disposal, it’s hard to see what direction the franchise will choose.

The Celtics are banking on Brown and Derrick White to keep them above water. Still, without the dexterity that Tatum brings to the table, staying alive in the East will take something exceptional. But from where can the Celtics expect that? With their situation, teams are going to make it tough for them to construct a roster that can even remotely resemble their current status.

So if Jayson Tatum is indeed out for a long time, people may agree with Bill Simmons. The days ahead could turn ugly for the Celtics.