New photos posted to the Boston Celtics' official X account appear to show Jayson Tatum scrimmaging with the team.
Right calf muscle still a year+ away from full strength.
— Colin Keane (@colinkeane_) February 21, 2026
JT is the man for working this hard to come back ... just a reminder to Celtics supporters that he shouldn't be expected to be "MVP Tatum" again anytime soon.
75% of Tatum is still better than most of the NBA. https://t.co/KXElsY3B75 pic.twitter.com/qnmRrXzroF
This is exciting news for Celtics fans, and another indication that Tatum could indeed return to the court for Boston this season.
Like any athlete returning from an Achilles tear, Tatum will require plenty of time to get back to full strength, even once he's back on the floor.
You don't simply hit the ground running and operate as an MVP candidate again after an injury like this.
That's where Celtics fans must show Tatum plenty of grace in the event of a return.
A less-than-full-strength Tatum is still an enormous asset to the Celtics, not to mention a more effective NBA player than most.
While JT can't be expected to look fully like himself until another year or so elapses, that doesn't mean he can't contribute to winning soon (as in, this season).
The priority for Tatum and the Celtics with this situation is to ensure that JT is never biting off more than he can chew.
Luckily, Boston has shown that it's a contender without him. Tatum doesn't need to come back and be Superman for this team to compete.
If anything, these impressive rehab milestones show that Tatum has a chance to be better than ever next season, making Boston potentially the most dangerous team in the NBA by an unexpected margin (looking at you, Oklahoma City).
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