Jayson Tatum Reportedly Hasn't Made An Official Decision About Returning This Season And There Is Absolutely Nothing Wrong With That

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Almost immediately following the Celts getting completely demolished and outplayed by the Hawks on their home floor, we were given a pretty significant update from two separate reporters when it came to the potential return of Jayson Tatum this season

First, there was Chris Haynes

Which was then followed by more reporting from Ramona Shelburne

While initially shocking to some, it's not all that far what Tatum himself said just a few days ago about a potential return during his Pivot podcast appearance

I can understand the initial reaction to want to push back on guys like Haynes given how vague the reporting was, but I think that would be a decent amount of cope. I would find it hard to believe he just made it up, especially after what Tatum described in that interview.

This has always been and remains an extremely fluid situation. There is no "right" or "wrong" decision when it comes to the Tatum recovery. The path is whatever the fuck Jayson Tatum, his family, and the Celtics want to do. If that's a return in a few months? Hell yeah. If that means taking the year and returning next season? That's fine too. We aren't talking about a sprained ankle here, this is a major injury. Not only are there physical aspects to the recovery and return, but mental aspects as well that are JUST as important. 

I won't speak for others, but all I care about is that Tatum feels both physically and mentally ready whenever that time eventually comes and that as a person, he's OK. That's partially why I found that interview so interesting. He was open and honest about the mental side of this injury, the doubt that may creep in, things he thinks about when going through the idea of returning in hs head, all of that stuff is real, and it all goes into the equation. 

Have I been counting down the seconds until a potential Jayson Tatum return? Of course. We all have. Having Jayson Tatum on the basketball court is about as good as it gets. But I have no problem continuing to count until October if Tatum feels that's what's best for him. It's his life, his career, his rehab. We are just fortunate to be a part of the ride as fans. 

I don't really give a shit that at the beginning of the season he may have been adamant about returning this year and now might not be sure, or that both the team and he released clips of his progress only to potentially sit out. Anyone who is making a big deal of that is an asshole. For starters, so much can change and still could change that we all just have to wait and see. In terms of the clips, I personally have enjoyed seeing the progress and how good he looks. That doesn't mean we have to now hold a gun to his head and be like

"Well you put out clips! How can you not return?"

That's moronic. If you are of that belief, I would suggest re-evaluating your thought process. 

What I am curious about is what this now could mean in terms of Brad's direction at the deadline. We already got the two reports of the Zubac offer that the Clippers turned down and Brad turning down the Vucevic offer. He was clearly big man hunting. I would have to imagine he has a pretty good idea of what Tatum is thinking/might be the outcome there, so if he's not coming back, does Brad use the deadline to reset? Or, does he go shopping for a piece that could help this year AND in the future? Do you make a smaller move for this current group while saving your big ammo for the summer to load up for when Tatum returns in October if he's sitting the year? 

Much like the Tatum return, I guess we just have to wait and see. 

The point is, as fans we have to continue to do our best to not be definitive with anything when it comes to this topic. You can be hopeful of a return, but that's not set in stone. The same way you can think he should sit, but him sitting out isn't set in stone. Whatever Tatum wants to do, is what he should do. Period. The hard part as a fan is the waiting, but we've already made it like 260 days. It's been hell, but again, it's not up to us. What we want does not matter, and nobody should let their personal preference or wishes cloud their judgment when it comes to this topic. 

When Tatum is both medically and mentally ready, he'll return. And that's exactly how it should be. Could be this season, could next season, there is no wrong choice. 

Because once that happens? It's game on