Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Addresses Whether Jayson Tatum Suffered Setback In His Recovery

ESPN’s NBA insider Ramona Shelburne reported on Thursday morning that Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum informed ESPN on Wednesday night that he has yet to decide whether he will return from a torn Achilles tendon this season.

Shelburne noted that Tautm expressed his desire to “get it right the first time,” which is why he’s giving it careful thought.

Of course, the first thing that comes to mind when hearing Tatum might not return this season is whether he had a setback during his recovery.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla dismissed the notion that Tatum had any setback.

Joe Mazzulla on if Jayson Tatum had a setback in his recovery:

“There’s been zero setback, he’s progressing naturally. He’s checking boxes. There’s checkpoints you have to go through in a rehab process, and he’s hitting those and continuing to work.”pic.twitter.com/Lh2wdXyUrJ

— jb (@lockedupjb) January 29, 2026

“There’s been zero setback, he’s progressing naturally,” Mazzulla said on Thursday during 98.5 The Sports Hub’s “Zolak and Bertrand”. “He’s checking boxes. There’s checkpoints you have to go through in a rehab process, and he’s hitting those and continuing to work.”

It usually takes up to a full year for a player to recover from a torn Achilles, and Tatum suffered his injury in May. If he doesn’t feel comfortable playing this season, then it’s probably for the best.

Tatum knows his body better than anyone, and if he believes that returning to the court could put him at risk of injury, it’s wise for him to sit out until the start of the 2026-27 season.