‘I just take it one day at a time’: Unanswered questions remain about Jayson Tatum’s return

Returning from the all-star break for a West Coast road trip, the Celtics published photos of players returning to practice ahead of their game at Golden State. Missing from the post was Jayson Tatum, who has yet to return to practice since he ruptured his Achilles tendon in May.

Tatum received his own post Saturday morning, as one of the pictures featured Tatum driving toward the basket off his right leg against Luka Garza. Tatum wore a black short-sleeve t-shirt, a noticeable difference from the green and white pinnies his teammates wore. It was not his official return to practice, according to Tatum. Instead, he said he “had an option to work out with a couple of them the other day in San Francisco.”

It was the latest example of positive developments regarding Tatum’s potential return for the 2025-26 season. Many questions still linger about what that will look like, as more inquiries are created with every inkling that surfaces. Fans are eager for Tatum’s return, discussing potential games as TV executives continue to flex the Celtics into prime-time slots at the outset of March.

In front of reporters Saturday, Tatum was not ready to answer his fans’ biggest question.

“I do not have a date,” Tatum said. “Like I said, I just take it one day at a time. I feel better than I did yesterday, and that’s the most important (thing).”

When asked about any topic regarding Tatum’s return, head coach Joe Mazzulla has emphasized that the most important aspect of Tatum’s recovery is his health. It doesn’t matter if the topic was about Tatum’s reintegration process or a return date, Mazzulla’s answer is the same. Mazzulla said before the Celtics' 111-89 win over the Lakers that Tatum attended practice Saturday before blankly staring at a reporter’s follow-up question about his level of participation.

Clarity about where Tatum is in his rehabilitation process was not given during his media scrum. He wouldn’t address how he is feeling despite stating he knows what it feels like to be 100 percent.

“I think it’s just important that I’ve worked this hard to just get myself into a position where it could be a conversation,” Tatum said. “I think we’ve done a really good job of that thus far.”

So is Tatum’s continued absence or return still a possible outcome this season?

“Yeah, I feel like I’m beating a dead horse,” Tatum said. “I’m just taking it one day at a time. It’s something that is very serious, the injury that I had. It’s a long journey. For me, it’s a lot easier just to take it one day at a time.”