All the Celtics can hope for is that Tatum responds to this injury just like he has to other adversities throughout his life. When many questioned if he was good enough to be a top option on the championship team, he turned around and won it all. When Tatum was asked to improve his game in other ways, he did just that.

According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, Jayson Tatum is playing a significant role in recruiting Lillard to the TD Garden. Tatum is also out due to an Achilles tear, but it would appear that he's already planning for his return to the rotation, either toward the end of the 25-26 season or at the start of the 26-27 campaign.

Tatum is looking to convince Damian Lillard to join the Celtics after he was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks, according to the Boston Globe. Both players tore their Achilles during the NBA playoffs and will miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season.