Celtics' Jayson Tatum Explains Why He Still Travels with Boston Despite Injury

Oct 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, center, looks on during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Although he may not play a single second this season, Boston Celtics six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum can still be seen riding pine every game and cheering on his teammates.

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The 6-foot-8 Duke product tore his Achilles tendon during a heartbreaking second-round playoff series loss to the New York Knicks last spring. Fans would no doubt understand if Tatum wasn't up for traveling with Boston on road trips, especially during these early stages of his recovery. But there he sits.

Tatum recently unpacked his thinking behind the decision to travel with his team during a new interview with Noa Dalzell of CLNS Media Boston Sports Network.

Jayson Tatum on his mindset at away games:

“There are a lot of Celtics fans when we travel on the road. And I think, in a humble way, there’s a lot of Jayson Tatum fans.”

“I’m not able to play, but I can be out there. And, maybe I can make somebody’s day if I wave at them.” pic.twitter.com/Mx5C4988Q7

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) October 31, 2025

“There's a lot of Celtics fans when we travel on the road. And I think, in a humble way, there’s a lot of Jayson Tatum fans out there, some cities [where] we only come to once a year. I understand the value of people [who] only get to see us once a year [trying] to see their favorite player play," Tatum told Dalzell. "I’m not able to play, but I can be out there. And, maybe I can make somebody’s day if I wave at them.”

Replacing Tatum is No Easy Feat

Head coach Joe Mazzulla has been hard-pressed to replace Tatum's production this season. Mazzulla kicked off 2025-26 with Sam Hauser serving as his Tatum replacement in the starting lineup, thinking Hauser's 3-point production could help do a serviceable job of subbing in for some of Tatum's skills on offense.

After a bumpy 1-2 season start, Mazzulla went the other way, opting for defense over offense. He brought in new free agent signing Josh Minott to become Boston's starting power forward. The club has gone 3-1 since making the move.

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Minott has been averaging 9.5 points on 38.2 percent field goal shooting and 70 percent free throw shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.8 blocks a night since becoming the club's starter. While he's fairly raw as a scorer, his athleticism and knack for disrupting the opposition's offensive flow has endeared him to Mazzulla. He's no Jayson Tatum, but he'll have to do, for now.

The Celtics most recently got annihilated by the Houston Rockets in a 27-point Saturday night massacre. Boston will next square off against the Utah Jazz on Monday.

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