Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics have undergone major changes ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. During the offseason, the Celtics traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks and Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, while Al Horford signed with the Golden State Warriors. Now, Boston’s roster looks much different than it did when the team won the Finals just two seasons ago.
But the biggest loss for the Celtics is Jayson Tatum. The All-NBA star suffered a torn Achilles in the second-round series against the New York Knicks, ending his playoff run and putting this season in jeopardy. Typically, it takes nine to 12 months for a basketball player to return from this kind of injury, but Tatum seems to be ahead of schedule, and experts are saying he could return as soon as January.
And Brown has noticed Tatum’s quick recovery as well.
On Sunday, Brown streamed live on his Twitch account, FCHWPO, answering questions from fans. At one point, he discussed Tatum’s rehabilitation, claiming he has never seen someone recover faster from an Achilles tear than the former Duke Blue Devils star.
“JT looked great, though, I’m not going to lie,” Brown said. “I’ve never seen anybody recover so fast from an Achilles injury, from any injury to that level… JT’s been going crazy… Anybody with a drive and a work ethic and a passion for the game, I’m not surprised.”
While the Celtics lost several key players, they also added one who could make an immediate impact, acquiring Anfernee Simons in the deal for Holiday. The eighth-year guard averaged 19.3 points and 4.8 assists last season, giving Boston another reliable scoring option.