The buzz surrounding Jayson Tatum’s potential return to the court for the Boston Celtics is getting harder to ignore.
Last week, the Celtics superstar began participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages with the team. Such progression is often the final checkpoint for an injured player before returning to play.
ESPN’s Shams Charania previously noted that Tatum also needs to clear the mental hurdle before returning from the torn Achilles injury he suffered last May. At least one Celtics insider believes Tatum is getting closer and closer to that point.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons, a longtime Celtics diehard who’s often plugged into what’s going on with the team, named a specific date for Tatum’s return: March 6 against the Dallas Mavericks. During Sunday’s episode of his podcast, Simmons noted that “all signs are pointing to Friday” when the Celtics host the Mavericks at TD Garden in Boston, Mass.
“Tatum, it feels like it’s gonna be Friday vs Dallas. All signs are pointing to Friday, Dallas.”
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 2, 2026
– Bill Simmons on Jayson Tatum return 👀
(Via Bill Simmons podcast) pic.twitter.com/Z8Qxa93lwH
Tatum has stated in the past that he wants to return in front of his home fans. The Celtics play at home Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets and Friday against the Mavs before embarking on a three-game road trip.
Boston may pump the brakes on a return and give Tatum another full week to recover. But if the 6-time All-Star is truly keen on returning this week, Celtics fans may want to keep their Friday night free to watch some basketball.
