It is not common for athletes to return expeditiously from a torn Achilles tendon, but Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum could be on a shorter timeline than some of his counterparts. According to ESPN's Shams Charania , the Celtics have not ruled out a return during the 2025-26 season for their top player and are "cautiously optimistic" about his chances of playing at some point during the campaign.

That is a contrast to two other situations in the NBA , where the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers already ruled out Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard for the season after they also suffered torn Achilles tendons in the 2025 playoffs.

The Celtics' stance from a team perspective also aligns with Tatum's ambitions. The six-time NBA All-Star indicated last month on CB

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