Jayson Tatum Earns Celtics Award Following 2024-25 Campaign
The 2024-25 campaign did not end the way either the Boston Celtics nor Jayson Tatum were hoping for. Still, that doesn’t mean the work Tatum put in on a nightly basis should be overlooked.
On Monday, the Celtics ensured that wouldn’t be the case.
Boston’s season effectively ended when Tatum ruptured his Achilles in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks. The C’s managed to keep their season alive with a win in Game 5, before the Knicks eliminated them in Game 6.
Now, the biggest storyline entering the offseason is Tatum’s rehab. After suffering such a serious injury, Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2024-25 campaign working his way back to full health.
The front office is widely expected to retool the roster during Tatum’s absence in order to create salary cap space and ensure that when he comes back, the team is set to contend. It’s not going to be easy, but president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has earned the trust of fans over the past few years.
In the meantime, the team opted to take a second to commend Tatum for another strong season on social media. With the Celtics revealing their end-of-year awards, Tatum was unsurprisingly named the MVP of the team.
It was business as usual for Tatum last season, as he averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and six assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. He earned his sixth All-Star selection and fourth All-NBA First Team honor in the process, as he continued to prove he’s one of the most consistent superstars in the league.
Unfortunately, Tatum’s stretch of consistent greatness has been put on hold for the time being. You can bet he will be doing everything he can to get back on the court as soon as possible, but it’s going to be several months before he’s even close to making that return.
It’s important to not completely overlook the season Tatum and the C’s had, but there’s bigger fish to fry now. In order for Boston to get back to the top of the mountain, the front office needs to push all the right buttons this offseason. If they can do that, this team will be in a great position to welcome Tatum back to a championship contending team.