Celtics’ Brad Stevens: No urgency for Jayson Tatum’s comeback
BOSTON — Brad Stevens has a message for Jayson Tatum if the injured Boston Celtics star is questioning his fit on the team that he guided to the 2024 NBA championship.
“Clearly, any team with Jayson Tatum will be improved,” Stevens stated on Friday. “If he needs reassurance, I’ll remind him every day. Because every team — all 30 of us — would be significantly better with him on the roster.”
Tatum led Boston to its 18th championship and had the team positioned for a repeat last spring before suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks. The Celtics appeared to be entering a rebuilding phase when they traded key players Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis over the summer to avoid the severe penalties of the league’s luxury tax.
However, they approached this week’s trade deadline tied for the second seed in the Eastern Conference, with the potential for a late-season return by Tatum to spark another deep playoff run. When asked about that possibility last week, Tatum expressed concerns about potentially disrupting the team’s chemistry upon his return.
“That’s something I think about every day,” he mentioned on The Pivot podcast. “They would have played over 50 games without me. So they have developed an identity this year, or found elements that have worked for them, and it’s been effective.
“So I do wonder: ‘How does that work? What does it look like for me to reintegrate after an injury?’ And it is a consideration, like, ‘Should I come back, or is it better to wait?'”
Stevens noted that he had not listened to the podcast, but from his discussions with the six-time All-Star, he has not observed anything beyond the typical uncertainties that a recovering player experiences regarding their ability to return to form.
“Those are just thoughts that everyone has,” Stevens remarked, amused by the idea that the team would be better off without Tatum. “In all of our discussions, he’s confident he can enhance the team as well.”
Currently, Tatum still has “a ways to go,” and the team will not rush his recovery, Stevens indicated.
“He’s met many of the benchmarks, he’s increasing his activity, and will continue to do so,” the former Celtics coach and current president of basketball operations stated. “There’s no pressure from us. But we also won’t be saying, ‘Why don’t you take another week?’ It’s going to be: When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
Despite Tatum’s absence and the offseason salary adjustments, the Celtics (33-18) secured four consecutive victories leading up to Thursday’s trade deadline, when Stevens further reduced the payroll by trading Anfernee Simons to Chicago for Nikola Vucevic and subsequently moving Josh Minott, Xavier Tillman, and Chris Boucher to fall below the luxury tax threshold.
Originally selected in the first round by the 76ers, Vucevic made his NBA playoff debut when the Celtics, featuring Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, eliminated Philadelphia in the 2011 Eastern Conference semifinals. However, the 35-year-old Montenegrin has only participated in the playoffs three additional times during his 15-year career and has yet to win a postseason series.
“It’s something that I believe every player aspires to experience, and to make deep playoff runs,” Vucevic told reporters on Friday. “Regrettably, I haven’t had that opportunity in my career. So I’m thrilled to be here, surrounded by a championship-caliber team, alongside many players who have achieved it before and the coaching staff as well, and the Celtics with their rich history.”
Stevens explained that trading the 6-foot-3 Simons for the 6-foot-9 Vucevic provides the team with added depth at the center position while sacrificing depth at a position where they are already relatively strong. The potential for Tatum’s return did not influence his decision-making, Stevens clarified.
“It’s crucial for Jayson to return when he’s 110% healthy, fully cleared by all relevant parties in that decision, and feels completely at ease and ready to go,” Stevens stated. “That’s the goal, and that’s what we will adhere to.”
