Story byAdam TaylorThu, December 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM UTC·2 min readWith each new workout video, Boston Celtics fans are growing more hopeful that Jayson Tatum will return to the rotation before the end of the season. The four-time All-NBA First Team selection is currently sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury. In a recent episode of Brian Windhorst’s “The Hoop Collective” podcast, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps shared his opinion that Boston could be better served by holding Tatum out for the season. That way, he would have a full 18 months to recover before returning to the rotation ahead of the 2026–27 NBA season. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Jayson Tatum has definitely not been ruled out,” Bontemps said.