The banners still hang, but the vibes in Boston have shifted. Just over a year removed from hoisting Banner 18, the Celtics find themselves in unfamiliar territory, bracing for a potential gap year. The loss of Jayson Tatum in the 2025 playoffs changed everything, and the offseason that followed only deepened the uncertainty. The team traded away core pieces like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to cut costs. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White remain anchors. Payton Pritchard steps up after his Sixth Man of the Year award. New additions like Anfernee Simons bring scoring potential. But beneath the surface of a retooled roster and a fanbase full of questions, one thing is becoming crystal clear: Tatum isn’t mailing it in. 

Tatum suffered the injury on May 12, 2025, during the second-round series. Surgery was performed hours later. Early signs showed progress with pool workouts in July and shedding the walking boot in August. The Celtics avoid firm timelines. Reports suggest a possible full-season absence to ensure complete healing. Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 6.0 assists last season. His absence tests the team’s depth. Boston slipped to No. 13 in ESPN’s future outlook rankings from No. 2 a year ago. Tim Bontemps noted the impact of the injury and trades.

Ian Inangelo posted on X about an exclusive Jayson Tatum report from Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand on WEEI. In the clip, Bertrand and Zolak, the co-hosts of 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Zolak & Bertrand radio show, revealed on Thursday that they went out to dinner on Wednesday night with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who relayed some positive news about Tatum’s recovery.

“The Celtics are very happy with how hard Jayson Tatum has been working at his rehab, and his level of focus and intensity in the rehab process,” Bertrand said. “(Tatum) did not leave town. He has been here the entire time. … Since the injury, he has not left town, and he has been inside the building at the Celtics’ facility with their people and their team almost every single day for months.” Marc Bertrand revealed on the show.

Zolak added that Tatum has only taken brief weekend getaways, never compromising his routine. “He’s taken trips. He’ll go away to a certain island or something,” Zolak said. “But he’ll get his Friday workout in, fly down, work out there at that place, fly back late Sunday night, and be right back in the building on Monday morning.”

“All summer long, all he did was take weekend trips away,” Bertrand added. “He did not go away for any extended period of time, because he wanted to be back to work on his rehab. He’s doing things that nobody asked him to do.”

This dedication stands out. Injured players often rehab away from facilities during the offseason. Damian Lillard planned his Portland rehab even before signing for the team this offseason. Tatum stays in

Boston under the team staff’s observation, commits to weekdays fully. Weekend trips maintain routine. Chris Forsberg from NBC Sports Boston highlighted the team’s setup for quick recovery. A top Achilles specialist performed his surgery. Jayson Tatum met players like Kevin Durant, who recovered from similar injuries. Rich Gotham echoed optimism: “What I know about JT is he’s going to do everything he can to put us in a position to make a decision.” 

Although there’s no official timetable for his return. Boston hasn’t ruled him out for the full season, but they’re not rushing him either. That ambiguity might be intentional because Tatum clearly hasn’t given up on 2025-26 just yet. No rush exists with Brown and White contracted through 2028-29. Rotational players like Sam Hauser, Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, and Neemias Queta gain minutes. Their growth informs future moves for Tatum’s return. But there is a fit issue with Anfernee Simons that the Celtics need to sort out.

With Tatum out, Boston must decide where Simons fits

Meanwhile, the Celtics are working through another crucial situation, one that could shape the rest of their season with Tatum sidelined. Anfernee Simons, the primary return from the Jrue Holiday trade, remains on the roster. But for how long? 

Boston acquired Simons in the Holiday trade to shed salary. His expiring deal at $27.7 million helped duck the second apron. Simons averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds last season on 36.3 percent from deep. He attempted at least 8.5 threes per game over three years. Late-season surge showed 21.3 points on 46 percent field goal and 40 percent three-point shooting in 39 games. Defense lags, but at 26, improvement fits under coaching.

Simons is a gifted scorer but has already been involved in trade talks. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, “As the Boston Celtics continue to explore ways to cut costs, they have held discussions with a few teams about Simons’ value and what a potential deal could look like.” Siegel reported discussions since the July Summer League. No immediate traction.

Dan Favale of Bleacher Report even proposed a massive eight-team deal where Boston would flip Simons for Terance Mann and future second-round picks, strictly a salary-saving move. “Going from Simons’ expiring deal to Mann’s agreement could be worth second-round compensation,” Favale wrote.

Celtics save $12.1 million, dip under first apron. They receive Mann through 2027-28 at escalating $15.5 to $16 million, plus protected seconds. Outgoing includes Simons, two seconds, and cash. Favale views it as a salary victory without losing their own firsts. Mann adds defense. Yet Simons outperforms Mann offensively. But fans aren’t sold. Simons is younger and more dynamic offensively.

Simons is also saying the right things. “‘No days off’ would be you’re always using the time or day to get better,” he said in the NBA’s No Days Off series. “Putting in the work is at the forefront of getting better, but also I think there’s a different element of being more intentional in the workouts that you do.” Bench role suits him behind Pritchard and White.

Boston’s last two Sixth Man winners were guards like Brogdon and Pritchard. Simons’ scoring fits. Higher volume threes align with team style. Keeping him aids scoring without Tatum. Trading risks losing him free. His fit questions echo Portland’s rebuild shift to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe. Boston weighs short-term boost against long-term cap.

The question is whether he’ll fully buy into a sixth-man role or want the ball in his hands more often than Boston can afford. If he flourishes early, the Celtics might choose to keep him and re-sign him next summer. If not, flipping him before the deadline becomes almost inevitable.

This season will test everything, from the front office’s salary-cap chess moves to the mental makeup of a roster missing its franchise cornerstone. But what we do know is that Jayson Tatum hasn’t left Boston. Whether he suits up this year or not , the tone is already set. The Celtics may be reloading, but their leader isn’t going anywhere.