Though Jayson Tatum will be back in the starting lineup for the Celtics’ game tonight against the Orlando Magic, the persistent wrist injury which has bothered him for the majority of this season isn’t something that looks like it’ll be going away anytime soon; in other words, the phrase that most Celtics fans least likely want to hear, AKA Jayson Tatum might need wrist surgery this offseason, is a distinct possibility.
“Maybe. I don’t want to say yes and I don’t want to say no,” Tatum said to reporters in Florida on Monday when asked if he might need wrist surgery this offseason. “It’s something we’ve got to look at once the season’s over. But nothing that’s going to cause me to miss significant time the rest of the season. Just making sure I’m alright.”
Taytum sat out during the Celtics’ 106-104 road win against the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, which was enacted as a preventative measure after the 24-year-old forward played 48 of the maxium 53 minutes in the Celtics’ big win against the Warriors (the latter game of which Tatum claimed Celtics center Al Horford “set the tone for”).
“It’s kind of just talking with Nick [Celtics athletic trainer, Nick Sang] about how my body was feeling,” Tatum added, relating what he and the Celtics training staff had said to one another. “Those 50 minutes the other night didn’t necessarily help, and a couple of falls on my wrist, but I think the extra day off helped me out a lot.”
Though Jayson Tatum might need wrist surgery this offseason, the nagging injury hasn’t cut into the all-star’s playing time or production. Tatum is currently averaging 37.1 minutes-per-game in the 2022-23 season, a career high (career average 33.8 MPG) in addition 31.0 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists.
Tatum added that although he needed the rest, it still feels strange to be watching games instead of participating in them.
“It’s tough. I don’t miss too many games, so watching it, it feels weird,” he said of the Celtics’ win over the Raptors on Saturday without him. “It was a big win. Obviously, with myself and Rob [Williams] and [Marcus] Smart being out for most of the game, just figuring it out. Grant [Williams] played big. Malcolm [Brogdon] played big. Payton [Pritchard] made some big shots late. We’ve had two really big wins these last two games in terms of figuring it out, and those are pretty satisfying.”
What do you think of the fact that Jason Taytum might need wrist surgery this offseason? Do you think the injury has been affecting his performance this season despite what his statlines have been telling us? Let us know in the comments.
