Jayson Tatum 's Achilles injury was one of the pivotal storylines pertaining to the Boston Celtics last season. Tatum's recovery journey was closely documented, and, to that end, his speedy return was nothing short of impressive. However, it appears some doubts are being cast on what motivated his rushed comeback.
Once Jayson Tatum went down with the injury, many wrote the Celtics off for the 2025-26 season, suggesting that the team didn't have enough to make another title push. Despite these doubts, former Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown overcame the odds, helping Boston retain its place among the top teams in the East until Tatum recovered.
For all intents and purposes, Jayson Tatum's return wasn't enough to get the Celtics over the line. Still, during a recent appearance on " Gil's Arena ," former NBA player Jared Jeffries suggested that the only reason Tatum rushed his recovery was out of fear of Jaylen Brown's success as Boston's leader. While discussing Brown's move to the 76ers this offseason, Jeffries stated:
"He did not fight his way out of Boston to go there [Philadelphia]. He knows how good he is. A big shoutout to Jaylen Brown because they [Celtics] came in and they were like, 'Hey, we're going to give this team back to Tatum next year.'"
"Out of all the guys that got hurt last year, Tatum rushes back because he felt it," Jeffries continued. "They had the best record in the East. He knew that if they went to the Finals with that team, he was in big trouble. So they came in and were like, 'We're going to hand this team back to Jayson.' He [Brown] was like, 'Trade me there.' So, that's why he's there to have this opportunity."
It comes as no surprise that there was some friction between Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown before the latter's move to the 76ers was finalized. Although Tatum maintains that there is no tension between the two, Brown has been quite vocal in addressing the lingering issues between them.
Still, Jeffries' account of the situation does paint the picture in a different light.
As he mentioned, before Jayson Tatum made his first appearance with the team last season, the Celtics posted a 41-21 record. While the team's 13-3 record with Tatum on the floor was also impressive, Boston was clearly Jaylen Brown's team last season.
In many ways, Jeffries' comment on the situation highlights Boston's preference for Jayson Tatum over Jaylen Brown. Given how this was only exacerbated in the days leading up to the trade, with Brown dramatically falling out of favor with the organization, there may be some truth to this line of thinking.
Regardless, at this point, it is marginally easier to assess whether the Celtics made the right decision by picking Jayson Tatum over Jaylen Brown. Although the team's 6-2 record (3rd in the East) and Paul George's fit have been promising , one could argue that, individually, Tatum has delivered.
With averages of 27.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, the Celtics' superstar has been phenomenal. Although his struggles from beyond the arc continue (22.9% 3PT), his 40-point outing against the Nets, which featured a game-winning shot , suggests that he is finding his groove again.
Following a 109-93 loss against the Houston Rockets , the Celtics bounced back with a 109-102 victory over the Bucks . With some momentum on their side, Boston will look to its new star duo to extend its winning streak as the team enters a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
