Jayson Tatum comeback ‘very close,’ says NBA insider

The Jayson Tatum comeback buzz has gone on for weeks, and according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, the return could be coming soon. Tatum was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Hornets at TD Garden. But Friday’s game facing the Mavericks could be the night Tatum chooses to return to the court.

According to Mannix, in an appearance on FanDuel’s “Run It Back,” detailed what he’s heard about Tatum’s comeback from the ruptured Achilles tendon.

“Every indication that I’ve been getting is that we are getting very close,” Mannix said. “I think Friday, you don’t want to put a percentage on it, but I think it’s certainly in play for Jayson Tatum. Certainly if it’s not Friday, it’s at some point quickly after that. I think we’ve gone past the point of will he be back and now it’s done to when he will come back.”

There was some buzz that Tatum could return for last Sunday’s win over the 76ers after that game was flexed to a primetime broadcast on NBC. But Tatum has been ruled out for every game since then. However, there continues to be smoke around the league that Tatum will return sometime soon.

There were multiple big Tatum updates last month. Notably, he practiced with the Maine Celtics, the team’s G League affiliate, back on Feb. 9. He has since progressed to five-on-five scrimmages, which is an important step coming back from injury.

• BETTING: The Celtics team total wins line is listed at 54.5 total games on Caesars for the regular season. Our comprehensive Caesars Sportsbook review shows you how to register and use their app.

Tatum himself hasn’t confirmed an in-season return yet at this point. He last spoke to the media Feb. 21 in Los Angeles, detailing how he hasn’t made a decision either way. But it appears Tatum could be back on the court soon following his lengthy rehab.

“I think Tatum knows, coming back, he’s stepping onto Jaylen Brown’s team,” Mannix said. “Brown is a top-5, top-6 MVP candidate this year. He has put this team on his back offensively, and Tatum’s going to have to find a way to fit into that. I think there will be an adjustment. But I ultimately think he’s going to be fine. He’s Jayson Tatum.”

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.