Sam Houser reveals the luxury of Jayson Tatum’s potential return

ByNBAUSA



BOSTON — As the NBA All-Star break approaches, the chatter around it the potential return of Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum — who suffered a devastating Achilles tear in May — is getting louder.

Will he return this regular season? Can he make it back to the playoffs? Should he go back and risk further injury?

Regardless of the answers to these frequently debated questions, Celtics shooting guard Sam Hauser wants Tatum to know he’d love to see the six-time All-Star take the floor again.

“If he’s going to come back, we’ll certainly welcome him back with open arms,” ​​Houser said in the locker room Wednesday night after 117-106 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “He’s such a great player. Anytime you can have the luxury of adding a player like that to your rotation, it’s pretty exciting.”

Houser, however, didn’t want to put any additional pressure on him, stressing that the final decision ultimately rests with Tatum.

“Whatever his schedule is, it’s up to him,” Houser continued. “And we’re trying to focus on the day-to-day and then try to win as many games as we can before he comes back, if he ends up coming back.”

What did Jayson Tatum say about returning this season?

So far, the Celtics have picked up plenty of wins in Tatum’s absence, as they are 29-18 and in third place in the Eastern Conference just over halfway through the 2025-26 season. The recovering superstar has witnessed it from the sidelines, recently revealing that Boston’s current chemistry has made him consider how his return may affect the teamvia “The Pivot Podcast.”

“It’s something I think about every day,” Tatum said when asked about his fit with the new-look Celtics. “If or when I come back this season, they’re going to play 50 or so games without me, so they have an identity this year or things that they felt hit them. And it’s been successful.”

Tatum has been committed to his recovery since the day he was injured, going under the knife in New York less than 24 hours after the traumatic injury. This level of commitment led many to believe he would surely return late in the regular season.

however, Tatum admitted his re-entry is more complicated than thatand provided a little more insight into his difficult decision.

“(They’re) the third or second team in the East, so far,” Tatum said of the Celtics. “So there’s a thought in my head that’s like, how does that work or what does that look like when I’m coming back from injury and 50, 60 games into the season? Obviously there could be some challenges and that’s the thought, heck, do I come back or do I wait?”

What is the latest report on Jayson Tatum’s return date?

Just a day after these comments, senior NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Tatum’s attire this season is uncertain. Haynes didn’t specify what exactly prompted Tatum to reassess his situation, but an NBA TV contributor said the return is “no longer a foregone conclusion.”

“He was getting close, I heard they were getting close, and then I was informed by league sources that the situation has changed and now it remains to be seen whether he will come back or not,” Haynes announced.

Earlier, Haines reported that Tatum was poised to return sooner than many thought possiblewith a view to don the green and white again during the 2025-26 campaign. It’s unclear what has changed, but Tatum’s current strength level, his confidence in his ability to produce immediately, and the possibility of re-injury could be potential factors in his thought process.

While Boston shattered preseason expectations, which were largely low due to Tatum’s absence, it has struggled a bit to start 2026. The Celtics are 5-5 in their last 10 games and have the Toronto Raptors and red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers right behind them in the East.

The Celtics have proven they can still win without full health, but how far they can go remains to be seen. As it stands, the Green Team would likely not be favored in a playoff series against the East’s elite, including the first-place Detroit Pistons and the second-place New York Knicks.

Regardless of Boston’s championship status and when Tatum is able to play again, the Celtics look forward to the long-awaited homecoming of their franchise cornerstone.

“If that’s the case, we can’t wait,” Houser said of Tatum possibly returning this season.





2026-01-29 15:54:00

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