It is the worst-case scenario for Boston, and what was feared from the moment Jayson Tatum collapsed to the floor, grabbing his ankle late in the Game 4 loss to the Knicks.
Tatum has a ruptured Achilles tendon and underwent surgery to repair it on Tuesday, the team announced.
Jayson Tatum today underwent successful surgery to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon. No timetable is currently available for his return, but he is expected to make a full recovery. Further updates will be provided when appropriate. pic.twitter.com/TTXziFtMQB
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 13, 2025
Obviously, Tatum is out for the rest of these playoffs, and he will likely miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season as well.
The injury came with just 2:58 left in the fourth quarter. Tatum — who had a game-high 42 points and had driven Boston’s offense most of the night — took a hard step to go after a loose ball, then collapsed to the ground with a non-contact injury, grabbing his ankle.
Everyone knew it was bad immediately.
“The fact that he had to be carried off… he’s the type of guy that gets right up,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said.
Tatum, a six-time All-Star, took a step forward this season, averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6 assists a game, shooting 34.3% from 3. He is expected to finish fourth in MVP voting and make First Team All-NBA. He was at the heart of the Celtics’ 2024 NBA title, then joined USA Basketball last summer to win gold at the Paris Olympics.
Tatum’s injury also brings some of the salary cap challenges the Celtics face into focus, and it will make them re-evaluate their plan going forward. How much are they willing to pay for what might be a “gap year.”
Boston has $227.8 million in salary on the books for next season, a number that is already $20 million over the dreaded second apron with five roster spots to fill, plus dealing with potential free agents Al Horford and Luke Kornet. There was already speculation heading into this summer that the Celtics would have to lose a rotation player to keep their payroll within reason, but if this team struggles without Tatum next season and looks middle of the pack in the East, might they move on from a player like Derrick White at $28 million? Or Kristaps Porzingis at $31 million?
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