Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum suffered a brutal non-contract injury that had all makings of an Achilles tear. If so, the Celtics will be forced to trade multiple pieces this summer. Fans knew this was coming. The Celtics roster would cost more than $400 million next season with luxury tax penalties and would be well over the second apron. That is unsustainable, and moves are even more likely now.
An Achilles surgery would put Tatum out for the entire 2025-26 season. They are not contending for a championship with Jaylen Brown leading their charge alone. The Celtics would be a playoff team, but the new owner is not paying that price tag to get bounced in the opening round.
It would not be surprising to see an even bigger reset now. Fans thought Kristaps Porzingis or Jrue Holiday would be traded, but both may be gone after this devastating injury. That would be $63 million off their books and likely lets the Celtics acquire multiple smaller deals to give them more depth.
Celtics breakup is coming after Jayson Tatum’s injury
The only way the Celtics were keeping this roster together was by winning another championship. Falling down 3-1 to the Knicks and losing their best player squashed that dream. Boston fans should prepare for a wild offseason where Brad Stevens remakes things around Tatum and Brown as he did in 2023.
Boston is projected to be $19.9 million over the second apron with just 12 players under contract for next season. Al Horford is a free agent and wants to finish his career in Boston. Bringing him back at even $9 million would cost significantly more in luxury tax penalties.
It may just be Tatum and Brown that survive this shakeup. Porzingis has a lengthy injury history and would be a free agent before Tatum plays again. Holiday and Derrick White are both are over 30, but could yield strong returns via trade. Getting rid of all three allows the Celtics to reshape their roster and get younger. Their star duo would be ready to compete again in 2027 and beyond with the new supporting cast.
It was a brutal night for Celtics fans. Boston had a serious shot to repeat as champions, but that is gone now. Everyone is praying for Tatum. It was a brutal injury after the best season of his career. The 26-year-old will bounce back, but nobody wanted to see him go down like this.
The Boston Celtics will make moves this summer. There are zero questions now. Fans are left wondering who departs and how much the roster changes, but only time will tell. Brad Stevens has done a fantastic job. He has earned your trust. Expect him to figure things out and have Boston ready to chase another ring in 2027.