BOSTON — Jayson Tatum is back on the practice floor but isn’t ready to commit to a return this season just yet 39 weeks into his recovery from a torn Achilles.
“I’m feeling good,” Tatum said Tuesday after practicing with the Maine Celtics Monday. “It was good to be a part of practice yesterday with the Maine G League guys. Today is 39 weeks, so it’s been a long journey. And it’s just like the progression of rehab. It was the next step. Doesn’t mean that I’m coming back or I’m not. It’s just following the plan. So it’s just another step.”
Tatum’s future this season may remain uncertain but the team has made moves to be prepared for the potential return of their All-Star forward in the coming weeks. Boston traded Anfernee Simons for Nikola Vucevic at the trade deadline in a move that created more center depth for a team that had relied on youth all season at the position in Neemias Queta and Luka Garza.
“Vuc is a hell of a player,” Tatum said. “Obviously I’ve competed against him for the last eight years. I’m excited about the things he brings to this team and the different dynamic. So we’re all excited to have him.”
The trade of Simons also led to Payton Pritchard’s move to bench last week, a spot he’s likely headed if and when Tatum is cleared to return this season. With the potential of Tatum returning, the roster is balanced more now for a team that sits in the No. 2 seed in the East at 34-19 through 53 games. Tatum raved about what the group has done to this point as he’s recovered.
“It’s been great,” Tatum said of the team’s play without him. “I think -- even before the season, there was no doubt in my mind that he and D-White and all these guys. I knew what they were capable of. Whenever somebody that loves the game that much and works as hard as they do, with maybe more opportunity, I’m not surprised what they’ve been able to accomplish. It’s been really fun and cool to see and watch.”
The Celtics are already adjusting a bit with Vucevic’s insertion into the rotation, playing different lineup combinations for the past week than usual. That trend would continue if Tatum returns but the star sounds confident that the team would be able to work through those adjustments with a different roster.
“Yeah, I mean, it might look different,” Tatum said. “I haven’t played with these guys or with this group, but lot of high IQ guys out there., I like to consider myself one of those types of players. So if that did present itself, and if I did come back, we professionals will figure it out.”
Boston has one more game before the All-Star Break before beginning a four-game road trip against the Western Conference next Thursday. With the prospect of a Tatum return looming for late February or March, the Celtics feel good about what the future holds.
“We’ve been one of the best teams all season,” Tatum said. “So we’ll continue being one of the best teams for the rest of the regular season, and hopefully in the playoffs.”