Rumors continue to fly surrounding Jayson Tatum's potential return to make his season debut with the Boston Celtics, with many pointing to Friday vs. the Dallas Mavericks as the possible date.
Two-time NBA champion and former Sixth Man of the Year J.R. Smith recently said that the Celtics are now Jaylen Brown's team -- amid an MVP-caliber campaign -- even if Tatum comes back soon.
Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony (a former longtime teammate of Smith) echoed those words on his "7PM in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony" podcast.
"Carmelo Anthony says Jayson Tatum needs to be very 'mature' when he returns knowing it’s Jaylen Browns team this season," the NBA Courtside account posted on X. "'For so long JB has sacrificed everything. Now it’s like JT, what are you going to sacrifice? But now I held the fort down for you and the whole organization. JT has to be very mature about this situation. It’s no ego, no pride. We got a chance to come back and win a championship. So let me just put my pride and ego aside for these next 3 months and continue to let JB steer the ship.'"
Carmelo Anthony says Jayson Tatum needs to be very ‘mature’ when he returns knowing it’s Jaylen Browns team this season
“For so long JB has sacrificed everything. Now it’s like JT, what are you going to sacrifice? But now I held the fort down for you and the whole organization.… pic.twitter.com/a3lEabBYTC
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 5, 2026
Brown is having the best season of his career and is an MVP contender, averaging highs in points (28.9), rebounds (7.2) and assists (5.0) across 34.3 minutes per game.
Tatum is nearly 10 months removed from suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Knicks.
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