Charles Barkley Suggested This Phone Call For Jayson Tatum After Celtics Injury

Jayson Tatum has a long road ahead to get back to the court for the Boston Celtics.

The six-time All-Star ruptured his Achilles in Monday’s Game 4 loss to the New York Knicks. Tatum is out for the remainder of the postseason and potentially through next season as he begins a lengthy rehab process.

NBA analyst and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley offered his well wishes to the Celtics star on TNT’s pregame coverage Tuesday and recommended that Tatum seeks advice from another NBA legend, who endured the same injury not long ago.

“That’s a play you make 1,000 times a game where you just push off your leg,” Barkley said on “Inside The NBA.” “Injuries is just the luck of the draw. First call I would make is to Kevin Durant. … If I’m Jayson, I call Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant is six years removed from the time he blew out his Achilles and he’s still a hell of a player.”

Durant tore his Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals with the Golden State Warriors and missed the following season before he began his next chapter with the Brooklyn Nets. Durant found his way back to All-Star form and should be the goal for Tatum’s recovery process with the Celtics.

When Tatum does return to the floor for the Celtics, Boston’s roster could look very, very different than it does in the present, though.