Celtics star Jayson Tatum still mum on return plan after 'milestone' practice

BOSTON — Jayson Tatum was back on the court Monday, wearing a green jersey with his signature No. 0.

The jersey said “Maine,” not “Boston,” and the court was at the Celtics’ Auerbach Center practice facility, not TD Garden. Speaking with reporters one day later, he remained tight-lipped on when or if he plans to return to game action this season.

But the practice with Boston’s G League affiliate, which traveled down from Portland for the occasion, was Tatum’s most significant step yet in his ongoing recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon.

“I’m feeling good,” the Celtics star said Tuesday. “It was good to be a part of practice yesterday with the Maine G League guys. Today is 39 weeks (since surgery), so it’s been a long journey, and it’s just the progression of rehab.

“It was the next step. It doesn’t mean that I’m coming back or I’m not. I’m just following the plan, so it’s just another step.”

Tatum, addressing the Boston media corps for the first time since Day 1 of Celtics training camp in September, said it’s “been tough not being able to play and compete” this season. His injury, which he suffered in Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden, has sidelined him for more regular-season games (53) than he’d missed in his entire NBA career before it (51).

Though he’s attended nearly every Celtics game, home and road, and continued to participate in team meetings and film sessions, Tatum’s primary focus has been rehab — a months-long, often tedious process he described as “exhausting.” He’s made steady progress, however. Since the season tipped off last fall, he’s upped his workload from individual on-court exercises to 1-on-1 drills with Boston coaches and, most recently, to 5-on-5 workouts.

Monday’s practice with Maine — “portions” of which he participated in, according to the team — was Tatum’s first since his injury, and it could signal he’s nearing a return.

Early last season, the Celtics brought in their G League squad to practice with big man Kristaps Porzingis, who was recovering from leg surgery at the time. Porzingis made his season debut eight days later.

“He’s in the 39th week in his progression,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tatum. “He’s continuing to just chip away at the progression of his rehab, and it was great to see him take another step. There’s been a lot of steps and milestones along the way, starting from just walking, and it was great to see him get to the next one.”

Mazzulla, who’s made a point to be present for each “milestone” in Tatum’s recovery, said the All-NBA wing “looked good” in practice. Celtics teammates Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams also participated.

“I think yesterday was a good milestone for him mentally, physically, emotionally,” Mazzulla said, “but it’s a good milestone to see the work that he’s put in to get back up to this point.”

Tatum has more benchmarks to clear before he’s game-ready — president of basketball operations Brad Stevens on Sunday said he “still has a ways to go” — but he’s given thought to how he’ll fit back into a Celtics team that’s been one of the NBA’s best without him this season.

During a recent appearance on “The Pivot” podcast, he acknowledged there “obviously could be some challenges” as he rebuilds chemistry with Boston’s new-look roster. Days after that interview dropped, it was reported that Tatum was “reevaluating” his play to return this season.

“I think over 39 weeks, you have a lot of time on your hands,” Tatum said Tuesday when asked about those comments. “You think about a lot of things, and you’re just hyper-aware of what’s going on. I think it just stemmed from that. Obviously, I know what I bring to the table and bring to the team, but I’m also aware that these guys have been playing extremely well. And not to say that I would come and mess it up or anything like that. It was just kind of being vulnerable, I guess, for a moment and talking from that perspective.”

Three of the Celtics’ current rotation players — center Luka Garza, rookie wing Gonzalez and trade-deadline addition Nikola Vucevic — have never played with Tatum. Of the seven teammates who have, most have larger roles on this Boston team than they did in previous years.

That includes longtime co-star Jaylen Brown, who’s thrived in his first season as the Celtics’ No. 1 option. Brown ranks fourth in the NBA in scoring (29.4 points per game) and was voted an All-Star starter for the first time.

“Yeah, I mean, it might look different,” Tatum said. “I haven’t played with these guys or with this group, but (the Celtics have) lot of high-IQ guys out there. I like to consider myself one of those types of players. So if that did present itself, and if I did come back, we professionals will figure it out.”

Mazzulla sidestepped questions about Tatum’s fit within that group, including whether he could come off the bench or be under a minutes restriction if and when he returns.

“I picture how it went yesterday — the next step in the progression of being on the court with the Maine team,” the coach said. “I picture him out there like he was yesterday. I picture him in the weight room, continuing to get better. I picture him in his workouts, continuing to get better. And I picture the progressions continuing forward of just getting better and better and making sure he’s where he wants to be before we talk about that.”

The Celtics, who sit third in the Eastern Conference standings behind Detroit and New York, will play their final game before the NBA All-Star break Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. After the break, they’ll immediately embark on a four-game West Coast swing before returning home for matchups with the Brooklyn Nets on Friday, Feb. 27 and Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, March 1. They’ll also host the Charlotte Hornets on March 4 and Dallas Mavericks on March 6.

Tatum said months ago that his first game back would be at TD Garden.

“I’m still trying to figure it out,” he said Tuesday. “I’m still just going through the progressions of rehab. I’m not saying I’m coming back or I’m not. It’s all about being 100 percent healthy and going through the plan of this protocol.”