In the latest sign that Jayson Tatum appears on a path to return to the Celtics before the end of the season, he has been assigned to the Celtics G-League team for a day of practice, Boston announced Monday.
An assignment to a G-League team to get in a practice is now a common part of an injury return, even LeBron James was assigned to the G-League for a day this season. NBA teams do not practice much — especially this deep into the season, when recovery remains the most important thing — so assigning a player to a G-League team means he can get in a full practice while the team has the day off.
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There remains no timetable for Tatum’s return, but when asked, the organization says he is “making progress” in his recovery from a torn Achilles.
Tatum suffered that injury last May, in Game 4 of the Celtics’ second-round series against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Recovery time for an NBA player from a torn Achilles is generally around 10-12 months, which could have Tatum back in March. At 34-19, Boston sits as the No. 3 seed in the East, and it’s easy to envision how the return of their best player could spark a deep Celtics’ playoff run in an open conference. That said, Tatum admitted he is re-thinking a return, in part because he doesn’t want to rush his physical process, and in part because this team has found an identity without him this season and he doesn’t want to parachute in and mess it up.
Tatum may be thinking about it, but a G-League assignment is a sign he is nearing a return.
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