Latest news with #Tatum
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celtics teammate of Jayson Tatum gives ‘good spirits' update amid Achilles recovery
The post Celtics teammate of Jayson Tatum gives 'good spirits' update amid Achilles recovery appeared first on ClutchPoints. Boston Celtics forward Torrey Craig gave a positive update on Jayson Tatum's recovery from a torn Achilles. The Celtics superstar is over a month removed from going down at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. Tatum has a long rehab process ahead of him as Boston begins a very consequential offseason for the franchise's future. The face of the Celtics' franchise is still just 28 years old and very capable of making a full recovery from this setback. Advertisement Tatum is expected to miss most of the 2025-26 season; however, the six-time All-Star remains upbeat. In a recent interview with The Garden Report, Torrey Craig revealed an encouraging update after visiting his teammate four weeks into rehab. The veteran forward seemed upbeat about Tatum's demeanor throughout this process. 'Just to see him in good spirits — see him smiling, laughing, joking around — and just, you know, just have normal conversation. Talk about the offseason, what I'm up to, and uh, yeah, I just look forward to his recovery, the progress he's making. And it's always just good seeing him in good spirits.' Celtics fans have to be fired up about this latest news. While the playoff exit against the Knicks was disappointing, the Tatum injury is the main reason this front office has several difficult decisions over the next few months. Boston is projected to be over the second apron again, and with new ownership coming in, the franchise might decide to get out of specific contracts to lessen its financial burden. The question is how much the Celtics could get back in a potential trade for Kristaps Porzingis or Jrue Holiday at this stage of their careers. Holiday is still a very good role as one of the best defenders of his generation. But the two-time All-Star is 35 and currently on a deal worth more than $30 million per year that expires at the end of the 2027-28 season. Porzingis, on the other hand, might be even harder to trade, even though he is only 29. The center has had a productive career with the Celtics and was crucial to the title run last year, but is an enigma regarding his health. In addition, Porzingis was dealing with a mystery illness the last few months of the season, and there's no telling if he's completely recovered from that. Advertisement Derrick White and Jaylen Brown are also on hefty contracts, specifically Brown. Those two players are franchise cornerstones who should continue to be with the Celtics for the foreseeable future. Overall, it's not the end of the world for Boston. The roster around Tatum will likely be significantly different when he returns to the floor. Still, when the superstar forward returns to the floor, the Celtics will be back to their championship-contending ways. Related: Patriots rookie reveals Brad Stevens, Joe Mazzulla message Related: NBA rumors: Insider floats Celtics involvement in Kevin Durant trade, with a catch
Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Jayson Tatum Won't Return Until 'Fully Ready,' Says Celtics' Brad Stevens
When Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the Celtics' conference semifinals loss the the New York Knicks, everything about Boston's immediate future changed. But what won't change is the Celtics' front office's prudence in making sure he has the space and time to make a full recovery. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the All-Star is progressing well following surgery last month. But asked about whether the team had put a potential timeline on Tatum's return, Stevens was definitive that there would be no rushing the star's rehabilitation. "We don't and we won't," Stevens said Wednesday night following the first round of the NBA draft. "We won't put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time. ... It's baby steps right now. He's actually progressed great, but I don't know what that means in regard to projected timelines. But that will be in consultation with him ... and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority." Tatum is expected to miss most if not all of next season. It has already had implications for next season, with the team opting to trade Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday — both key contributors from the 2024 title team — in an effort to get the team's salary under the luxury tax second penalty apron. But Stevens said All-Star Jaylen Brown has already been back to the Celtics' training facility since he had minimally invasive surgery to clean up his right knee. Brown is doing some light ball handling and work around the rim, Stevens said. [Related: Why Did The Celtics Trade Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis? What's Next?] "We said be ready for training camp and I think he'll probably be going full well ahead of that," Stevens said. While Stevens said league rules wouldn't allow him to address the pending trades of Porzingis or Holiday, he said anything they do this offseason is with an eye toward regaining flexibility after multiple seasons with a high payroll. "As far as whatever moves that those are a part of, they're all separate and hard and things that you're going to have to do your best to make sure you put yourself in the right positions," Stevens said. "We knew this was coming. This isn't a huge surprise. ... The biggest thing for us is making sure that we balance that, maximizing what we can with regard to what we bring back so we can continue to build and grow." Tatum's absence will leave a significant hole in Boston's rotation, regardless of what kind of offseason moves they make. He was All-NBA 1st Team for the fourth season in a row in 2024-2025, and an All-Star for the sixth-straight year. Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and a career-high 6.6 assists per game this past season, and in the playoffs, jumped his rebounds average to 11.5 per game on top of 28.1 points. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics National Basketball Association recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
Flexibility the name of the game for the Celtics and Brad Stevens
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Stevens had to get his team under the salary cap's second apron, which carries major restrictions and penalties, and with Jayson Tatum tearing his Achilles tendon and likely missing next season, now was the time to restructure the roster. And Stevens knew it, as difficult as those moves were because it essentially reversed the feverish work to compile a championship roster that was supposed to last multiple years. Multiple ended up being just two. Advertisement 'The biggest thing is there clearly is a need to prioritize regaining our flexibility,' Stevens said. 'Maximizing from an assets standpoint what we can. As far as whatever moves those are a part of, those are all separate, hard, and things that you're going to have to do your best to make sure you're in the right position. Advertisement 'We knew this was coming. We've got to prioritize flexibility.' We all knew this was coming but Tatum's injury expedited the process. The injury and the entry to new ownership perhaps forced Stevens to dismantle the roster prematurely. Also, seeing two young, athletic teams in the NBA Finals encouraged Stevens to overhaul the team, moving a 35-year-old aging defender and an often-injured center whose mystery illness may have been the final straw to his Celtics tenure. The good news is flexibility is here for the Celtics. They have ascended to the first apron, they can actually aggregate players in deals, they can add cash to deals, they can use trade exceptions. But the process of saving nearly $200 million in luxury taxes and replacing older with younger came at a cost of its own. 'Our owners are committed to spending,' Stevens emphasized, understanding that there was thought new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm mandated he reduce spending by any means necessary. 'There's a lot of things that go into these moves and a lot of things that are really important. The second apron basketball penalties are real and I'm not sure I understood how real until they were staring me in the face in the last month. I do think that can't be overstated.' What also can't be overstated is the significance of the Tatum situation. Not only did the franchise cornerstone sustain an injury that potentially cost the Celtics the Knicks series, it likely cost him all of next season, meaning the club will have to enter training camp without their significant piece. It's 'ER' without George Clooney, and that set the organization back at least a year or two. The Celtics now are just another team in the Eastern Conference. Advertisement 'The biggest challenge for our team is our first-team All-NBA player is in a boot,' Stevens said. 'We know that going into next year. Everything else is second to that on how we build, grow and improve as much as we can. I said when I sat down in front of everybody a few weeks ago, my goal is to compete for championships. There will be inevitably a lot that goes into being in the mix for those. 'We have to prioritize the health of those two guys (Tatum and Jaylen Brown) and at the same time make sure we're regaining some of our flexibility.' The offseason is young. Free agency begins in five days and Stevens has to find a center and determine which of the team's current group of younger players — Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, JD Davison, Drew Peterson — are worth increased roles and which need to be replaced by more productive players. The foundation remains Brown and Derrick White but that duo will begin the season with three new starters around them. Stevens couldn't discuss Simons but he's sure to be one of those starters. But with Luke Kornet and Al Horford free agents, the Celtics need a center and they could use another capable wing player. They have the second pick in Thursday's second round and because there were some shocking first-round picks, such as Portland taking Yang Hansen, there are a solid group of players available who could perhaps even help the Celtics next season. Advertisement And being in the first apron does allow the Celtics to use the taxpayer exception ($5.6 million) to sign free agents. 'We've got a good group; we've got the foundation with Jaylen and Jayson and D-White and Payton [Pritchard] and all those guys a lot of teams would love to have,' Stevens said. 'I expect us to go out and compete with what we've got to be the very best we can. That will always be the case. We'll do our best to put the right group together and at the same regain some flexibility and maximize some asset return.' The coherent theme here is flexibility. Change was necessary. Downsizing was a must and that doesn't mean Stevens had to like it. This new CBA almost forces teams to uproot popular players because they'll eventually earn too much money. Welcome to the new NBA. 'Anytime you make trades, those are tough conversations,' he said. 'I tried my best to communicate in general what our priorities were that I talked about here.' So repeat after Brad: Flexibility. Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at
2 days ago
- Sport
Celtics' Brad Stevens says Jayson Tatum progressing well, but won't return until 'fully ready'
When Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the Celtics' conference semifinals loss the the New York Knicks, everything about Boston's immediate future changed. But what won't change is the Celtics' front office's prudence in making sure he has the space and time to make a full recovery. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the All-Star is progressing well following surgery last month. But asked about whether the team had put a potential timeline on Tatum's return, Stevens was definitive that there would be no rushing the star's rehabilitation. 'We don't and we won't,' Stevens said Wednesday night following the first round of the NBA draft. 'We won't put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time. ... It's baby steps right now. He's actually progressed great, but I don't know what that means in regard to projected timelines. But that will be in consultation with him ... and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority." Tatum is expected to miss most if not all of next season. It has already had implications for next season, with the team opting to trade Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday — both key contributors from the 2024 title team — in an effort to get the team's salary under the luxury tax second penalty apron. But Stevens said All-Star Jaylen Brown has already been back to the Celtics' training facility since he had minimally invasive surgery to clean up his right knee. Brown is doing some light ball handling and work around the rim, Stevens said. 'We said be ready for training camp and I think he'll probably be going full well ahead of that," Stevens said. While Stevens said league rules wouldn't allow him to address the pending trades of Porzingis or Holiday, he said anything they do this offseason is with an eye toward regaining flexibility after multiple seasons with a high payroll. 'As far as whatever moves that those are a apart of, they're all separate and hard and things that you're going to have to do your best to make sure you put yourself in the right positions,' Stevens said. 'We knew this was coming. This isn't a huge surprise. ... The biggest thing for us is making sure that we balance that, maximizing what we can with regard to what we bring back so we can continue to build and grow.'
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Celtics' Brad Stevens says Jayson Tatum progressing well, but won't return until ‘fully ready'
When Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the Celtics' conference semifinals loss the the New York Knicks, everything about Boston's immediate future changed. But what won't change is the Celtics' front office's prudence in making sure he has the space and time to make a full recovery. Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said the All-Star is progressing well following surgery last month. But asked about whether the team had put a potential timeline on Tatum's return, Stevens was definitive that there would be no rushing the star's rehabilitation. 'We don't and we won't,' Stevens said Wednesday night following the first round of the NBA draft. 'We won't put a projected timeline on him for a long, long time. … It's baby steps right now. He's actually progressed great, but I don't know what that means in regard to projected timelines. But that will be in consultation with him … and everybody else to make sure when he hits the court he is fully ready, and fully healthy. And that will be the priority.' Tatum is expected to miss most if not all of next season. It has already had implications for next season, with the team opting to trade Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday — both key contributors from the 2024 title team — in an effort to get the team's salary under the luxury tax second penalty apron. But Stevens said All-Star Jaylen Brown has already been back to the Celtics' training facility since he had minimally invasive surgery to clean up his right knee. Brown is doing some light ball handling and work around the rim, Stevens said. 'We said be ready for training camp and I think he'll probably be going full well ahead of that,' Stevens said. While Stevens said league rules wouldn't allow him to address the pending trades of Porzingis or Holiday, he said anything they do this offseason is with an eye toward regaining flexibility after multiple seasons with a high payroll. 'As far as whatever moves that those are a apart of, they're all separate and hard and things that you're going to have to do your best to make sure you put yourself in the right positions,' Stevens said. 'We knew this was coming. This isn't a huge surprise. … The biggest thing for us is making sure that we balance that, maximizing what we can with regard to what we bring back so we can continue to build and grow.' ___ AP NBA:
