The Nikola Vucevic trade signals that Jayson Tatum will regain faith in the injury
The The Boston Celtics shook things up at the NBA trade deadline to acquire a big man Nikola Vucevic from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Anfernee Simmons. The move comes as speculation about the superstar has increased Jayson Tatum could be back from his Achilles injury already this season.
NBA Insider Jake Fisher recently reported about how The Vucevic trade referred to the Celtics’ confidence in Tatum’s potential return, noting that “the Celtics’ decision to acquire Nikola Vucevic from Chicago before the trade deadline, in exchange for the expiring contract of Anfernee Simmons, is a clear indication that Boston believes Tatum will indeed return to the postseason,” via Mark Stein’s Substack.
Tatum was recently cleared to work out with the Maine Celtics of the G League, and has spoken on several occasions about his desire to return this season.
The star suffered a torn Achilles early last May against the New York Knicks in the NBA playoffs, a series the Celtics were already on track to lose in shocking fashion before the injury.
This year, Boston has blown away expectations, generating the number one offense in the NBA so far, thanks in large part to the play of Jaylen Brown, as well as contributions from players like Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard, among others.
Still, the head of the snake remains Tatum, and if he miraculously returns before the playoffs, many would likely see the Celtics as the favorite to make it out of the Eastern Conference, even with teams like the new Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers looming.
Tatum and his teammates will get a chance to rest a little more over the next week as the NBA All-Star weekend approaches.
Before that, the Celtics will take the next floor on Wednesday night at home against the Chicago Bulls. Tipoff is set for 7:30 PM ET from TD Garden.
2026-02-11 21:14:00
