Celtics 2025-26, Off-Season/Training Camp Thread

[Hal14]

Maybe this is similar to Michael Jordan suffering a serious injury in October in 1985 and returning 5 months later and ended up scoring 63 points against Bird and the Celtics in the playoffs.

The type of injury Jordan had was a 6-8 week recovery timeline. It took longer in his case, probably because that was 40 years ago so sports medicine / sports rehab wasn't as advanced as it is today.

But that type of injury is a 6-8 week thing in 2025. A torn achilles is 9-12 months, and in some cases even longer.

Apples to oranges.

Plus since that was 40 years ago, players back then typically came back sooner from injury than they should have but ended up paying for it in the long run. Careers were much shorter back then.

[Fierce1]

Maybe this is similar to Michael Jordan suffering a serious injury in October in 1985 and returning 5 months later and ended up scoring 63 points against Bird and the Celtics in the playoffs.

The type of injury Jordan had was a 6-8 week recovery timeline. It took longer in his case, probably because that was 40 years ago so sports medicine / sports rehab wasn't as advanced as it is today.

But that type of injury is a 6-8 week thing in 2025. A torn achilles is 9-12 months, and in some cases even longer.

Apples to oranges.

Plus since that was 40 years ago, players back then typically came back sooner from injury than they should have but ended up paying for it in the long run. Careers were much shorter back then.

JT is ahead of schedule.

9-12 months has turned into 8-9 months.

9 months is February.

If JT is running by December then we all know what that leads to.

[sam_I_am]

The fact that Tatum is walking without much of a limp is awesome. However, remodeling of a scar takes a year. With the Achilles tendon, you just shouldn’t rush him back. No matter how good he looks, it’s 12 months before he returns IMO.

[djFan71]

Maybe this is similar to Michael Jordan suffering a serious injury in October in 1985 and returning 5 months later and ended up scoring 63 points against Bird and the Celtics in the playoffs.

The type of injury Jordan had was a 6-8 week recovery timeline. It took longer in his case, probably because that was 40 years ago so sports medicine / sports rehab wasn't as advanced as it is today.

But that type of injury is a 6-8 week thing in 2025. A torn achilles is 9-12 months, and in some cases even longer.

Apples to oranges.

Plus since that was 40 years ago, players back then typically came back sooner from injury than they should have but ended up paying for it in the long run. Careers were much shorter back then.

JT is ahead of schedule.

9-12 months has turned into 8-9 months.

9 months is February.

If JT is running by December then we all know what that leads to.

The MJ comparison doesn’t make a ton of sense,tbh. The re-injury risk just isn’t near the same level.

But I’ve always thought 9-12 months means he could very well be back this season. At the same time, I get that it’s a risk that probably isn’t worth taking. Even if he’s 100% cleared in March. It’s just safer to wait til next year. But JT and his teammates won’t see it that way. Why waste a year of playoffs if he’s 100% cleared?

It’ll be super interesting to see. I wouldn’t bet either way right now.

[redslastlaugh]

Yea, I don't see ANY way JT is playing even one minute this year.

He has the whole back half of his prime ahead of him. He comes back too soon and has a Klay Thompson type second injury and his prime is instantly over. It's just not worth it. Very little chance he plays, honestly probably zero chance

The fact that Tatum is walking without much of a limp is awesome. However, remodeling of a scar takes a year. With the Achilles tendon, you just shouldn’t rush him back. No matter how good he looks, it’s 12 months before he returns IMO.

[darrendaye]

I like the idea of starting Pritchard, White, Brown, Minott (assuming he earns it) and Queta.
Very strong Bench of Simons, Hauser, Boucher.
Gonzales, Walsh, Scheierman and Garza deeper bench trying to earn minutes.
I have given up on Tillman but maybe he surprises me. He has been solid in the past.

I've internally debated Minott starting, but his questionable shooting paired with Queta compromises spacing too much. You think Garza is a deep bench guy on this team? You figuring Queta/Boucher primary center combo? I'd think this is against the grain, but I'd be curious to get your thoughts.

[cloverleaf]

I like the idea of starting Pritchard, White, Brown, Minott (assuming he earns it) and Queta.
Very strong Bench of Simons, Hauser, Boucher.
Gonzales, Walsh, Scheierman and Garza deeper bench trying to earn minutes.
I have given up on Tillman but maybe he surprises me. He has been solid in the past.

I'll be very disappointed if Scheierman and at least one of those others don't earn regular rotation minutes. Simons, though I doubt he'll still be here, and Boucher are on expirings, so know known investment for the future.

[Fierce1]

The type of injury Jordan had was a 6-8 week recovery timeline. It took longer in his case, probably because that was 40 years ago so sports medicine / sports rehab wasn't as advanced as it is today.

But that type of injury is a 6-8 week thing in 2025. A torn achilles is 9-12 months, and in some cases even longer.

Apples to oranges.

Plus since that was 40 years ago, players back then typically came back sooner from injury than they should have but ended up paying for it in the long run. Careers were much shorter back then.

JT is ahead of schedule.

9-12 months has turned into 8-9 months.

9 months is February.

If JT is running by December then we all know what that leads to.

The MJ comparison doesn’t make a ton of sense,tbh. The re-injury risk just isn’t near the same level.

But I’ve always thought 9-12 months means he could very well be back this season. At the same time, I get that it’s a risk that probably isn’t worth taking. Even if he’s 100% cleared in March. It’s just safer to wait til next year. But JT and his teammates won’t see it that way. Why waste a year of playoffs if he’s 100% cleared?

It’ll be super interesting to see. I wouldn’t bet either way right now.

Yeah, the risk of getting injured again is there.

The MJ comparison is more on the scoring 63 pts in the playoffs than the injury itself.

And yes, it would be hard for Tatum to waste one career year if he's 100% cleared in March.

[Fierce1]

The ideal is Tatum does not play this season.

But it's up to JT.

If the Cs are bad and just a play-in team after All-Star then I think JT will not return.

That changes if the Cs are a playoff team and have a winning record after All-Star.

December is 4 months away, if JT is running by then, another 3 months and that will be March.

Let's not forget JT is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

[djFan71]

The ideal is Tatum does not play this season.

But it's up to JT.

If the Cs are bad and just a play-in team after All-Star then I think JT will not return.

That changes if the Cs are a playoff team and have a winning record after All-Star.

December is 4 months away, if JT is running by then, another 3 months and that will be March.
Let's not forget JT is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

Do we know that? Nobody's really talking schedules, afaik. Or are we just thinking that cuz it seems like a short time and he's already walking? It happened May 12th, so almost 3 months ago. Average boot-time is 6-12 weeks according to a quick Google. So, great he's out of it, but that's normal timeframe.

Even if he is a little bit ahead, this stuff isn't always linear. It's great that he is progressing on or slightly ahead of schedule now, but it doesn't mean a ton in the grand scheme. I'm happy it's going well now, but like you said it's more how he's doing towards the end of the year.

[darrendaye]

Waive and stretch deadline is August 29th for those playing tax line limbo.

[Fierce1]

The ideal is Tatum does not play this season.

But it's up to JT.

If the Cs are bad and just a play-in team after All-Star then I think JT will not return.

That changes if the Cs are a playoff team and have a winning record after All-Star.

December is 4 months away, if JT is running by then, another 3 months and that will be March.
Let's not forget JT is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

Do we know that? Nobody's really talking schedules, afaik. Or are we just thinking that cuz it seems like a short time and he's already walking? It happened May 12th, so almost 3 months ago. Average boot-time is 6-12 weeks according to a quick Google. So, great he's out of it, but that's normal timeframe.

Even if he is a little bit ahead, this stuff isn't always linear. It's great that he is progressing on or slightly ahead of schedule now, but it doesn't mean a ton in the grand scheme. I'm happy it's going well now, but like you said it's more how he's doing towards the end of the year.

From what I've read, having surgery 12 hrs after the injury happened is already a big boost in the recovery.

That was the first time an NBA player had surgery 12 hrs after tearing his achilles.

Either way I'm fine with whatever happens this coming season.

Different story if Tatum and the Cs failed to win that 2024 chip.

I'm sure us here will celebrate another chip in the near future.

Just don't count out the possibility of 2019-20 happening again.

Who knows, the Cs could be the surprise team of 2026.

[phincsfan]

The ideal is Tatum does not play this season.

But it's up to JT.

If the Cs are bad and just a play-in team after All-Star then I think JT will not return.

That changes if the Cs are a playoff team and have a winning record after All-Star.

December is 4 months away, if JT is running by then, another 3 months and that will be March.
Let's not forget JT is ahead of schedule in his recovery.

Do we know that? Nobody's really talking schedules, afaik. Or are we just thinking that cuz it seems like a short time and he's already walking? It happened May 12th, so almost 3 months ago. Average boot-time is 6-12 weeks according to a quick Google. So, great he's out of it, but that's normal timeframe.

Even if he is a little bit ahead, this stuff isn't always linear. It's great that he is progressing on or slightly ahead of schedule now, but it doesn't mean a ton in the grand scheme. I'm happy it's going well now, but like you said it's more how he's doing towards the end of the year.

From what I've read, having surgery 12 hrs after the injury happened is already a big boost in the recovery.

That was the first time an NBA player had surgery 12 hrs after tearing his achilles.

Either way I'm fine with whatever happens this coming season.

Different story if Tatum and the Cs failed to win that 2024 chip.

I'm sure us here will celebrate another chip in the near future.

Just don't count out the possibility of 2019-20 happening again.

Who knows, the Cs could be the surprise team of 2026.

It's all about watching for compensating injuries. Probably why he's out of the boot and walking.

Unfortunately, no one will know until he gets cleared for full contact and even that's not enough because practice and real nba game action are two different animals.

I'm a Phins fan and saw what the achilles injury did to Marino's career, but I will also see how James Daniels does this season.

Marinodid come back and play a bunch more seasons, but he was never the same after the achilles.

Daniels tore his achilles last september and has been cleared for full practice in July. That's 10 months since the injury.

[Fierce1]

How many NBA players tore their Achilles twice?

It's a tendon, not a muscle.

Klay should not be an example because Klay tore his ACL in 2019 then tore his Achilles in 2020.
Different injury.

Dominique Wilkins tore his Achilles then 10 months later he was averaging 30 ppg.

I'm not saying let Tatum come back early.
What I'm saying is if the doctors clear him and he wants to play, he will play.

Initial report was Tat will be out 8-9 months.

Let's make it 10 months.

March 2026 is 10 months later of May 2025.

[phincsfan]

How many NBA players tore their Achilles twice?

It's a tendon, not a muscle.

Klay should not be an example because Klay tore his ACL in 2019 then tore his Achilles in 2020.
Different injury.

Dominique Wilkins tore his Achilles then 10 months later he was averaging 30 ppg.

I'm not saying let Tatum come back early.
What I'm saying is if the doctors clear him and he wants to play, he will play.

Initial report was Tat will be out 8-9 months.

Let's make it 10 months.

March 2026 is 10 months later of May 2025.

That will never happen. Too much lost revenue involved, and for bad teams that revenue is important.

JT pretty much played high level ball from Sept 23' to May 25' with weeks off rather than months off because of the Olympics. Most likely had the typical strains throughout. The achilles is a tendon which unlike ligaments aren't as flexible.

I keep thinking about Aaron Rodgers and his achilles tear. He had a strain prior and then pop the following week. Same with Halliburton.

Unfortunately for achilles, from what I've read there's not much that can be done for prevention except to shut it down when that lower calf strain happens. For the knee, they saw how important it is to strengthen the muscles around the hip.

I through the JT part in because if there was ever a guy I wished had some rest these last two years it is him.

[Parliament10]

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[165bows]

Just a quick reminder that even without the decade’s winningest player and elite three point shooter Georges Niang this team is still going to completely shatter the three point season records this year.

[31to6]

Just a quick reminder that even without the decade’s winningest player and elite three point shooter Georges Niang this team is still going to completely shatter the three point season records this year.

Has Mike Breen ever had the chance to make the epic call of "NIANG -- BANG!!" ?

it coulda been us

also: lolz, without JT do we shoot better from 3?

[Fierce1]

Just a quick reminder that even without the decade’s winningest player and elite three point shooter Georges Niang this team is still going to completely shatter the three point season records this year.

Has Mike Breen ever had the chance to make the epic call of "NIANG -- BANG!!" ?

it coulda been us

also: lolz, without JT do we shoot better from 3?

Yes.

Big fan of Tatum, but he takes a number of forced 3s.

If Simons play for the Cs then the Cs will be more accurate from 3.

[31to6]

Just a quick reminder that even without the decade’s winningest player and elite three point shooter Georges Niang this team is still going to completely shatter the three point season records this year.

Has Mike Breen ever had the chance to make the epic call of "NIANG -- BANG!!" ?

it coulda been us

also: lolz, without JT do we shoot better from 3?

Yes.

Big fan of Tatum, but he takes a number of forced 3s.

If Simons play for the Cs then the Cs will be more accurate from 3.

Don't have the stats but if I recall, JT's off-the-dribble 3s have been below average and sinking -- and he settles for a lot of them. We won't miss the vast majority of those.

But we should also give credit to JT for presumably helping create high % 3s for his teammates. It's going to take a team-wide dedication to moving the ball and moving bodies to not have a large drop-off in team-wide shot quality.

My optimistic prediction is that team 3pt % goes up a bit, overall.