Jayson Tatum DROPS Major Return Timeline Hint | Is His RETURN CLOSER Than Expected?

Summary

Locked On Celtics Podcast Summary

Episode: Jayson Tatum DROPS Major Return Timeline Hint | Is His RETURN CLOSER Than Expected?
Date: January 28, 2026
Host: John Karalis, with guest Tom Westerholm

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Overview

In this episode, John Karalis is joined by Tom Westerholm to dissect the latest hints from Jayson Tatum about his return from injury, specifically his timeline for coming back and his candid concerns about fitting into a Celtics team that has evolved in his absence. The hosts also compare Tatum's situation to Tyrese Halliburton’s recovery, discuss what Tatum’s reintegration could mean for team chemistry, particularly with Jaylen Brown, and emphasize the challenges and stakes ahead for the Celtics.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Jayson Tatum’s Return Timeline: Major Hint Revealed

• [03:00-06:24]
  • Tatum recently appeared on "The Pivot" podcast and discussed his injury and potential return.
  • He mentioned the Celtics would have played "50 or 60 games" without him—interpreted as a major clue to his return date.
  • Chris Forsberg calculated that home Games 52 (Miami) and 53 (Feb 8 vs. Knicks) align with this timeline, suggesting those dates could be Tatum’s likely targets.
  • Quote (JC, 05:22):

    “He said they would have played like 50 some odd games without me… Earliest in that range at home is that February 6th. Latest is game 69, March 18th versus the Warriors. Also a fun one to come back on.”

2. Tatum’s Awareness and Media Savviness

• [07:45-08:51]
  • Both hosts agree Tatum is highly calculated in public statements, rarely making accidental slips.
  • Tom notes Tatum’s tendency for theatrical gestures, suggesting he intentionally drops "breadcrumbs" to stoke anticipation.
  • Quote (TW, 07:45):

    “He doesn’t do things by accident. He knows exactly what’s gonna happen if he’s hooping in front of reporters... he’s putting breadcrumbs out there.”

3. Comparing Achillies Recoveries: Tyrese Halliburton’s Example

• [13:20-16:02]
  • Halliburton, who is 5 weeks behind Tatum in his Achilles recovery, is playing full-court 4-on-4, hinting that Tatum’s return could be imminent.
  • The hosts break down the recovery stages as explained by Brad Stevens ( Celtics President), emphasizing how compressed the latter stages actually might be.
  • Quote (JC, 16:02):

    “The difference between week 31 and week 36… that's a month. And, like you said, Tatum’s not stupid. He’s not doing things by accident… if Halliburton is playing full court, four-on-four, then what is Tatum doing?”

4. Ideal Comeback Window & Roster Planning

• [18:43-20:54]
  • The ideal return: February 8 vs. the Knicks—big home afternoon game with playoff implications.
  • This timing leads into two days off, then a soft landing (Chicago), All-Star break, and then a Western road trip, which could help manage Tatum’s minutes and restrictions.
  • Quote (JC, 18:43):

    “This is perfect. I’m circling that… I might just buy tickets so I can scalp them and make some money.”

5. Tatum’s Concerns About Fitting In

• [26:32-29:18]

  • Tatum has openly questioned how to integrate into a team that has crafted a strong identity without him.
  • He expressed daily contemplation about whether to return now or wait, acknowledging team chemistry, Jaylen Brown’s rise, and possible challenges.
  • Quote (JC, 27:19):

    “There's a thought in my head, you know, how does that work? How does that look with me integrating myself off an injury in 50 or 60 games into the season… Do I come back, or should I wait?”

• Quote (TW, 28:41):

  “I don’t think he was actually in doubt about, like, am I coming back? Sitting there and saying, hey, I'm thinking, like, should I even come back? Is a nod to, like, Jalen, you're doing a good job.”

6. The Jaylen Brown Factor: Evolving Roles

• [31:00-34:52]
  • The Celtics can’t return to the old Tatum-Brown dynamic; the team has changed, and so have their respective games and responsibilities.
  • Jaylen Brown has flourished and the team has coalesced around him, which Tatum must now navigate.
  • The hosts suggest Tatum might return on the second unit to ease his way back and not disrupt Brown’s momentum.
  • Quote (JC, 34:52):

    “The Jalen and Jason dynamic is going to have to be figured out at some point. Jason does have to acknowledge, like, man, Jalen has balled out… where it was Jason clear number one, Jalen clear number two—I think that's changed.”

7. Adjustments Ahead – Not Just Plug-and-Play

• [36:39-38:04]
  • Both argue the adjustment period will be real and should be expected; the integration won’t be entirely smooth, but it's necessary.
  • Tatum’s versatility and skill make him adaptable, but roles and egos will need recalibration on both sides.
  • Quote (TW, 38:04):

    “Nobody here... is saying that they can’t figure it out. It’s just that there will have to be a period in which they do… and that’s why you get as much time as you can between Tatum returning and the playoffs.”

8. What’s at Stake: Legacy and Championships

• [38:42-40:01]
  • The hosts wax poetic on the potential for dual-legacies; that titles and statues are on the line if Tatum and Brown can work it out and lead Boston to another championship.
  • Quote (JC, 39:42):

    “Multiple in Boston. Are you kidding me? You join the pantheon of the best of the best. You get talked about… you enter the mythology.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John Karalis [05:22]:

  “He said they would have played like 50 some odd games without me… Earliest in that range at home is that February 6th. Latest is game 69, March 18th versus the Warriors. Also a fun one to come back on.”

• Tom Westerholm [07:45]:

  “He doesn’t do things by accident. He knows exactly what’s gonna happen if he’s hooping in front of reporters... he’s putting breadcrumbs out there.”

• John Karalis [16:02]:

  “The difference between week 31 and week 36… that’s a month. And, like you said, Tatum’s not stupid. He’s not doing things by accident…”

• John Karalis [27:19]:

  “There's a thought in my head, you know, how does that work?... Do I come back, or should I wait? It's something that I honestly recently, in like, the last two weeks, just kind of contemplated every single day.”

• Tom Westerholm [38:04]:

  “Nobody here... is saying that they can’t figure it out. It’s just that there will have to be a period in which they do…”

• John Karalis [39:42]:

  “Multiple [titles] in Boston. Are you kidding me? You join the pantheon of the best of the best. You get talked about… you enter the mythology.”

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Timeline of Important Segments

• [03:00] — Tatum's candid timeline on The Pivot discussed.
• [05:20] — Calculating game numbers & home game significance.
• [07:45] — Tatum’s media tactics and narrative-building.
• [13:20] — Tyrese Halliburton’s recovery as a comparison for Tatum’s stage.
• [18:43] — Ideal timing for Tatum’s return, playoff ramp-up.
• [27:19] — Tatum’s public doubts about when and how to fit in.
• [32:46] — Potential for bench role and adjustment period for Tatum.
• [38:42] — Legacy implications if Tatum and Brown successfully reunite on the court.

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Conclusion

This episode makes it clear that Jayson Tatum’s return appears imminent—possibly as soon as the Celtics’ 53rd game on February 8th—based on the hints he’s dropped and comparisons to his peers’ recoveries. Both hosts stress the real, unavoidable adjustment period ahead as he rejoins a team that’s changed around a resurgent Jaylen Brown. The chemistry, sacrifices, and new roles will write the next chapter in both players' legacies and may well determine the Celtics’ championship hopes.

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If you haven't listened: This episode is a must for anyone eager to understand the nuances of superstar injury returns, team chemistry, and how the modern NBA handles both player narratives and big-picture ambitions. The conversation is candid, insightful, and layered with both basketball expertise and Celtics-specific passion.

Transcript

[Tom Westerholm]

Foreign.

[John Corrales]

Podcast Network your team every day. This is Nick Gangstead of the Lockdown Mavericks Podcast. This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card. I love that I can earn up to 3% daily cash back on every purchase with my Apple Card, which can be automatically sent to my High Yield Savings account through Apple Card right in the Wallet app with my iPhone. I can use Apple Card with Apple Pay basically everywhere I go. You can apply for Apple Card too, right in the Wallet app on your iPhone. Subject to credit approval. Savings is available to Apple Card owners subject to eligibility Savings and Apple Card by Goldman Sachs Bank USA Salt Lake City Branch Member FDIC terms and [e-mail] We've been the trusted experts since 1960 because nobody knows tires better than we do. And with over 90 tire brands, we have an abundance of options in stock for your vehicle. Buy and Drive [e-mail] Let's get you taken care of. New Year Same extra value meals at McDonald's, so now get two snack wraps plus fries and a medium soft drink for just $8 for limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska and California and for delivery now. On the Locked on Celtics podcast, Jason Tatum might have revealed his timeline for a return and why he's concerned about returning at all. Locked On Celtics Pod, Home of the Winners.

[Tom Westerholm]

Hey there.

[John Corrales]

Welcome back to the Lockdown Celtics PO Podcast right here in the Lockdown Podcast Network. It's your team every day. Your team is the Boston Celtics. And every day, Monday through Friday, I'm talking about them right here for free Bonus podcast when they play in the weekend, like Friday night they play the Sacramento Kings. So I get a bonus podcast for you there. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Watch the show on YouTube, get into the comment section. Share your thoughts about everything we're about to say on this podcast. Today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. It is the last call for football on FanDuel. If you FanDuel if you're a new customer, bet just five bucks and you get 200 in bonus bets if you win. If you're new to the show, I'm John Corrales. I'm a beat writer for Boston Sports Journal. I'm no, I'm a beat writer for si. Wow, that's just reflexes there and I'm leaving that in. I used to be a Boston Sports Journal. Now I work for Sports Illustrated. I cover the Celtics on their Celtics on SI page. I have been doing a version of this job for about 20 years in this podcast for 10 plus. I've written a couple of books about this team. Yeesh. It's so funny. Let me just introduce Tom Westerholm here, because Tom's with me today. Hi.

[Tom Westerholm]

I'm the. I'm the. I'm the beat writer for MassLive.com for the.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, it's. You just go into. It's so automatic. Some of the things you don't realize. You know, it's funny. I don't think people understand. Like, there's, like, a half of my brain that's talking and another half of my brain that's thinking about other things concurrently. And sometimes I'm talking and doing an intro. I'm like, man, I'm nailing this. You ever seen the scene in It's Always Sunny when they try out for the Eagles and Dennis is running down is like, oh, man, I should have popped my shirt off. He's just thinking, like, I am really nailing this. This is. And then he just popped in the. In the head. That was me. I just got popped in the head by a football. Yeah. Okay. So anyway, fun start to the show. This whole show is about Jason Tatum. I just did a Q and A mailbag podcast that included Jason Tatum, and now he was on a podcast, the Pivot, that he spent an hour talking about all sorts of things. We're going to focus on his injury, his return. Later on, he expressed. He himself has expressed a concern about fitting in, which is funny, Tom, because I got a whole lot of crap from people where I was like, I hope Tatum is paying attention to what's going on, because he's gonna have to fit in. He's gonna have to probably take, like, a certain step back in certain situations, and people are like, what are you talking about?

[Tom Westerholm]

People are mad at you, dog.

[John Corrales]

They were big bad at me online. And now here he is. We'll talk about this in the third segment where he's like. He's saying, I. I've been questioning whether I should come back at all. So, yeah, like, not forever, but just right, right, right. Yeah, we're going to talk about Tyrese Halliburton, too, because he was also on a podcast, the one with LeBron mind the game, talking about his return and where he is four weeks. Four weeks behind Jason Tatum and what he's doing and what we haven't seen Tatum do yet. But let's just start with this. We got to start with the timeline of where Tatum is, because on this podcast, he's talking about this Concern that he has. And he said they would have played like 50 some odd games without me. And later on he says, how does that look with me integrating myself off an injury and them playing 50 or 60 or them being 50 or 60 games into a season? You're like, wait a second. Yeah, 50 or 60 games into a season, that's like, soon. That's happening like very soon. And Chris Forsberg did the math, so I'm going to just copy off of his paper. That's how I got through school. So I'm going to copy off the smart kid. Home games. He said. He said he wanted to play at home.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yep.

[John Corrales]

And he said 50. Between 50 and 60 games. He's just giving you kind of the timeline. Game 52 at home, Miami. Game 53, February 8, against the New York Knicks. I've been saying, perfect, perfect symmetry for him to come back. You heard it against the Knicks. You come back against the Knicks. It's an afternoon game at home. You're gonna have kids there. It's going to be crazy. It's a rival. They're second and third. They're jockeying for position. And then Tatum comes back and that, oh, my God, what a perfect game that would be. Now you go all the way to game 69, and that's March 18th. So when he talks about 50s to 60s, the earliest in that range at home is that February 6th. The latest is game 69, March 18th versus the Warriors. Also a fun one to come back on. Yeah, Tom. I mean, did he let the cat out of the bag? I think this is. I think this is real. I think this is real.

[Tom Westerholm]

It. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think it's. It doesn't sound fake, right? Like, it sounds like he's. I think he. I think he might have given a little bit of something away also. Funny to go like 50 games. 50, 60 games, right? Like, you know, it could be like 50, 60, 70 games. Like, it could be anywhere. It could be anywhere in there, really.

[John Corrales]

One games into the season, the.

[Tom Westerholm]

The thing that always strikes me, man, I. You know, people have been talking about him coming back and. And talking about him coming back for these big games. And like, I gotta say, man, NBA players, I. Listen, it's gonna. It's gonna come as a surprise to you, to the listener, to everyone. NBA players are built different than me, man. Because, like, if it were me and I was coming back from a devastating injury, I'd be eyeballing that February 27th versus the Nets. You know, I'd be looking at something like Let me ease into this thing. Like, why. Why am I trying to come back on, like, you know, the national stage in the biggest, most perfect possible. But, like, that's. That's how Tatum is. Like, Tatum. Tatum has always kind of embraced a little bit of, like, the theater kid of, like, you know, he loves that. Like, that. That. That. That perfect moment. He seems to love, like, the. The story that he can tell about himself, which, like, fair enough, man. Like, if that's, you know, if he comes back against the Knicks, I mean, it. It certainly, you know, it's. It's perfect.

[John Corrales]

It's perfect.

[Tom Westerholm]

It's a real symmetrical. So, I mean, I just. That, like, look, he doesn't work out in front of the media if he's not feeling a certain type of way about himself. Right. Like, obviously, that was on purpose. Obviously. Like, you know, the Celtics know when the media is going to be there, and, like, you know, they. They know how to. Like, and Tatum knows how to generate a story. He knows exactly what's gonna happen if he's hooping in front of reporters. Like, he's ramping up to something. I. I mean, it's. It's just very clear that he's rap. He's. He's going on podcasts. Like, he's. He's putting breadcrumbs out there. Like, yeah, maybe. I don't know, maybe he meant to put that breadcrumb out there. I don't know. Like, you know, but he's clearly, to some degree, kind of giving these, like, little, like, hey, guys, I'm coming.

[John Corrales]

Is polished. That man is.

[Tom Westerholm]

He doesn't do things by accident.

[John Corrales]

No, look, and I don't say this in a critical way at all. Yeah, him, his mom, his inner circle.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yep.

[John Corrales]

They have all of this. They know what they're doing. They know what to say. They know, like, there aren't a lot of missteps. And this is, like, how you're supposed to be. Like, they are very careful about his image. They're very careful about how he's perceived. They want certain things out there. They know, like you said, they all know this. This is a very polished young man, very professional young man. He is, you know, to borrow the line from Jay Z, he's not just a businessman. He's a businessman. He is. It's just like the Tatum empire has to be carefully crafted, manicured, all of that stuff. So you don't just say 50. And not only that, he said, like, if or when I come back this season, they would have played 50 some odd games without me, right? And then blah, blah, blah, blah, sentence, sentence, sentence, sentence, and then back.

[Tom Westerholm]

How does that look?

[John Corrales]

Integrating myself off an injury, 50, 60 games in a season? If I say something here and I'm like, ooh, I shouldn't have said that, I immediately, like I said before, half my brain is talking, half my brain is listening and thinking. And if the half my brain is very, Homer Simpson is like, oh, that's it, I'm out of here. And he's like, slam. That's. Tatum is very well aware of what he said the first time. And then he came back at the end of that paragraph, you know, 30 seconds later and was like, said it again. So 50 to 60 games is, I think, a very real kind of timeline. And it's interesting because we'll take a break here. What Tyrese Halliburton just said today kind of makes you think, like, oh, wait a second. I think Tatum is actually closer to returning. We'll talk about that when I come back. You know, I carry a lot of responsibility in my household. If something happened to me, there would be serious consequences. We have a mortgage, we get tuition, we got everyday bills. Those aren't going anywhere if something happens to me. And I know that's an overwhelming feeling, but I'm taking steps to protect my family by getting life insurance through Ethos. Ethos makes getting life insurance fast, easy, and 100% online. You can get a quote in seconds, apply in minutes, and get same day coverage. There's no medical exam. You just answer a few simple health questions. You can get up to $3 million in coverage. Some policies are as low as $30 a month. And as of March 2025, Business Insider named Ethos the number one no medical exam instant life insurance provider. Ethos has 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with over 3,000 reviews. Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos now by going to ethos.comlockdown MBA in as little as 10 minutes, you can get your free quote and up to $3 million in coverage at ethos.comlockdown mba. That's ethos.com/lockedonnba ethos.comlockdown mba application times and rates may vary. This is Jake from Lock Dawn.

[Tom Westerholm]

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[John Corrales]

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[Tom Westerholm]

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[John Corrales]

Now, that's a button I'm supposed to hit. All right, thanks for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. Yeah, sometimes the technology works. It doesn't work. I do appreciate you guys being here. Every Monday through Friday, Number one Celtics podcast. Number one sports podcast network. Thank you for being every dayers and joining us Every Monday through Friday. Tyrese Halliburton was on the LeBron podcast, the mind the Game podcast. Obviously, he's recovering from the same injury. He's five weeks behind. So Tatum is at 36 weeks. And they just recorded this recently, this podcast, because they referenced Joe Missoula's I failed medical school, which was an answer to my question in. That was in Detroit. That was in Detroit.

[Tom Westerholm]

That was right after the.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, so that's a very recent game. So Tatum's at, like, 36 weeks. And now Tyrese Halliburton said he's at 31. Here's the thing. He says he's playing four on four, full court. He says his body feels fine. Now. Brad Stevens said, hey, we're going to go through strength. We got to go through scripted small groups. Scripted large groups. Unscripted small groups. Unscripted large groups. I don't know if you. You categorize 4 on 4 as scripted or is big or small, but Tyrese Halliburton said he was playing against the, you know, low minutes guys, the end of bench guys. Benedict Matheran, who's coming back from an injury and talked about Matheran coming down and, like, pulling a hesitation move and all of that stuff, and he said, no, bring it on. I want to. I want to see where I'm at. So that is unscripted, I believe. Tell me if I'm wrong. This looks unscripted.

[Tom Westerholm]

Sounds unscripted. Yeah.

[John Corrales]

Large group. 4 and 4 is a large group, man.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

If you're playing full court, that's a large group.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, at least I think Brad. Right. I, I. Brad might have been just, you know, just. Just kind of listing everything. He also may have been doing a little bit of sleight of hand. Right, right. Because it's like, you know, if I. If I'm. If I'm getting my son to school in the morning and I'm telling my wife, like, all the stuff that I did this morning, I'm like, I woke him up, I got him to get put Some clothes on. I got him to brush his teeth. I gave him breakfast. I packed his bag. What I'm really talking about is a span of, like, 20, 25 minutes where I did, like, a few things. You know what I mean? And, like, I don't. I don't know. I don't know how this all works because I'm not a doctor. I'm not a sports, you know, medicine guy. But, like, it's also possible that, like, Brad was, like, just listing stuff that all kind of happens over a relatively short period of time. Right? Like, I'm not. You know, he lists all of these. Check. He's got to check off this one and this one and this one. But, like, some of that stuff might have just been like, okay, Tuesday, he's going to check this one. Wednesday, he's going to check this one. Thursday, he's going to check this one. You know what I mean? Like, so I. I mean, I respect what Brad. I don't know if Brad was trying to do a little bit of sleight of hand there, of, like, listen, don't get too worked up. Like, he may have been doing that and just kind of like, look at all this stuff. Like, Jason's got a. Like, Jason's got to pack his lunchbox. Jason's gotta. You know, Jason's got to get his shoes on. There's a lot of stuff that he's got to do before he gets out the door.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, right, right, right. And that might be true. And that's. That's the thing, when I was asked the question the other day is like, you don't know if that's going to take a day, a week, a month.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, it's.

[John Corrales]

It's up to that person's body. You have to do it. I assume that you do it. They ask you, do you feel good? They probably take a fair amount of imaging to look. Okay, let's go. You've just done this. Let's go. Take the mri. MRI now just to see are there any hotspots. How does it look? Great. Then after, you know, you do it again. Maybe there's another imaging image taken or whatever. I assume they're going to be super, super careful. But if to me, the difference between week 31 and week 36, I mean, that's a month. That's a month. And if, like you said before, Tatum's not stupid. He's not doing things by accident. He's putting that stuff out there. What are. What do we see? What are we not seeing? Like, this is the stuff that we see, what are we not seeing? And to hear Halliburton say, hey, I'm a month behind this guy, but I'm doing full court four on four. Well, if you're doing full court four on four, then what is Tatum doing? And each person's body is different, no doubt about it. So it's entirely possible that Halliburton is ahead of Tatum all of a sudden. Maybe. Who knows? But I have a hard time believing that he is a month behind Tatum and he's that far. Even if we say for the sake of argument he's ahead of Tatum right now, he's not that far ahead. He can't. He can't have blown past them and lapped them in a month. It's still Achilles recovery. So I can't say because no one on the Celtic side is going to talk and reveal this. And everybody is very buttoned up. Joe's never going to say anything. Joe failed medical school, right. Brad's never going to say anything. Brad is the master of, like, smiling off, shucks, and lying to your face. Like, that's, That's. He's got that part down. Tatum is going to craft the build up perfectly because they, they know the script. But I don't know, Tom, you tell me if you think differently. I look at this, I hear Halliburton say this. I'm like, man, this is where we are. We might be weeks away. We might be weeks away from Tatum coming back like this. This could be happening soon. And especially if it happens in that Knicks game, you get two days off, then you get the Chicago Bulls, then you get the All Star break, then you go out West.

[Tom Westerholm]

Like you.

[John Corrales]

This is perfect. I, man, I'm circling that. I'm buying tickets to that. I don't have to buy tickets, but. But maybe I will. Maybe I will just buy tickets so I can scalp them and make some money on that day to come back, for Tatum to come back.

[Tom Westerholm]

There you go. I mean, listen. Yeah, Tatum comes back, he gets. I mean, Celtics go to California, you know, the warriors on the 19th, Lakers on the 22nd. Like, he gets to play. You know, he plays the warriors on the road. You get a couple days off in sunny California, and then you get the Lakers, and then you go to Phoenix. And we all know how much Jason Tatum likes Phoenix. He wanted to go to Phoenix when he was getting drafted. Like, you know, like the three sunny locales. I mean, he would probably. The way he's been working with the team, he'd probably go either way, even if he wasn't playing, like, he's been traveling around with everybody, and I suspect he would have that same calculus even if he was on the bench. But. But yeah, I mean, it's just it. It does line up, and it. You know, I mean, it's. It's amazing, like, not to. Not to kind of just, like, you know, look up, like, whoa, this is amazing. But, like, it is kind of amazing that Achilles recoveries have gotten to this point that, like, oh, yeah. I mean, Tyrese Halliburton was. I. They had. From what I understand, they have no plan. They had no plans to bring him back. I. Sure they have no plans at this point with, like, the draft pick that they're gonna. That they're putting themselves in position to get. Like, Tyrese Halliburton is not coming back this year. But, like, it sounds like that's more of a choice thing, right? Like. Like, there's. There's plenty of season left where if Tyrese Halliburton wanted to come back and the Pacers were like, yeah, dude, we need you. I think Tyrese Halliburton would be coming back if he's playing four on four already. And, like, yeah, I mean, he was. He was funny in that podcast, right? He's talking about, like, oh, I was cooking all the assistant coaches and everything. But, I mean, you know, like, NBA assistant coaches are no joke. Like, if he's cooking those guys and feeling really like, oh, I'm ready for the NBA. Like, he has made a ton of progress. He's getting a lot closer. Like, it just comes down to trusting yourself when you go up against Benedict Matheran. And, like, you know, now he did say that.

[John Corrales]

That Matheran dusted him. Yes. Matheran hit. Hit him with the hesi and was at the rim, and he was still at the three point line. So he did say, I still have a ways to go. But that, to me, like, lines up with, oh, yeah, you have a ways to go. You're a month behind Jayson Tatum. Chances are that Tatum has done this already. And, like, in a month at that point, it's March, right? And you're in the middle of March. And, like, if Tatum comes back here, if this does happen on February 8th, so let's just say March 8th for the Pacers, for. For them, they might say, it doesn't make any sense for us. I still hold the opinion of if a guy's ready to play and he can come back, like, shake off the rust, it would make sense. My argument doesn't change because it's a different team. If he has three weeks of regular season to come back and shake off the rust and learn like relearn some things and kind of see where he is, he should absolutely do it. Take your time and listen. If Tatum comes back against the Knicks, he minutes restriction, 15 minutes, whatever it is, two days off, Chicago minutes restriction, all star break, Golden State two days off. After that, Lakers, you don't play, you pick one of the Phoenix or Denver game. You know, let him play golf in Phoenix, clearly play the game.

[Tom Westerholm]

You're not playing at altitude like you're playing the Phoenix game. But yeah, yeah, well.

[John Corrales]

Or I say like give it, take the two days off, whatever it is, however they want to do it. Just he's gonna miss games, right? So give him every, however many other days off, whatever. And to me, like, I'm not even worried about like Tatum coming back and having it be a playoff push. I'm worried about Tatum coming back and just, hey, how long does it take for you to become Jason Tatum again or learn what it takes to become Jason Tatum again and then start next season as Jayson Tatum? But he is concerned about fitting in. He is concerned about, like, what am I coming back to? And I think this is, this is an important element of the discussion. It has to be had. No matter how much people might disagree, this has to be had because times are different. We're going to have this conversation when we come back. Today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. It's last call for football on FanDuel. One final Sunday, one last kickoff. Patriots and Seahawks final chance to get in on the action before the season comes to a close. Super Bowl 60. And FanDuel's making sure you are right in the middle of it all with a special offer just in time for the biggest game of the year. So whether you're backing the favorite, riding with the underdog, building one last same game parlay. This is the game that everybody's been waiting for. So check it out. It's a perfect way to cap off the season and make sure the super bowl is even more exciting from kickoff to final whistle. So here's the deal. New customer bet 5 bucks and you get $200 in bonus bets if you win. So make it count because after the super bowl football season is over. Last call for football and FanDuel, an official sportsbook partner of Super Bowl 60. When you sign up, it's going to ask you set a limit, set a budget, do that, whatever your disposable income is whatever you can afford to lose. That's what you set as your limit in case you go cold. So check it out. Visit FanDuel.com to get started. Today's show is also brought to you by TurboTax. Tax season does not have to take over your life. You this year TurboTax is making easier than ever to hand things off and move on with your day. With TurboTax Full Service, you can have your taxes done for you by a trusted local expert, start to finish without the stress or guesswork. So instead of spending hours trying to figure out the forms, which is annoying, you can meet with a local TurboTax expert in person or you can connect online. They handle everything. Are you self employed? You can hand them those forms you got W2s. Hand them those forms too. They will work to get you every deduction. You can upload documents, go about your day and get updates right on the TurboTax app. Massive time saver and it gives you real peace of mind knowing an expert is handling it. So for a limited time you can get your taxes done by a local TurboTax expert for just 150 all in. If TurboTax experts don't file didn't file your for you last year. Just filed by February 28th. Take taxes off your plate and get back to your life. Visit turbotax.com local to book your appointments today. Thank you for making a lockdown Celtics your first listen Every Day the NBA trade deadline is basically here and we want to give you a free month of our new every day or club to help you get ready. If you need a group chat to keep up with the chaos, join ours. Every day or club gets you access to group chat on Discord just for Celtics fans, plus national chats where you can hang out with fans from across the league. You can also get ad free versions of the show. If you sign up by the Trade deadline on February 5th, you can use the code DEADLINE to get your first month free. Tap the link in the show notes for more. So Tom, as I said before, I get a lot of crap for suggesting that Tatum is going to have to adjust because people say, well, how much does he need to adjust? He's already on selfish. He's not a selfish player. He's going to be fine. This the Celtics will be fine. At the same time, they have to adjust. And Jason Tatum knows that because he talked about There's a thought in my head, you know, how does that work? How does that look with me integrating myself off an injury in 50 or 60 games into the season obviously could be some challenges. And the, you know, it's a thought like, damn, do I come back or should I wait? It's something that I honestly recently, in like, the last two weeks or so, just kind of contemplated every single day. So he's saying this team has its identity. Jalen Brown is doing his thing. He's, you know, very successful. Jaylen Brown has talked about how much he loves being successful at that, you know, in that role. What is.

[Tom Westerholm]

Taylor Brown has talked very pointedly about how much he likes being in this role. Guys.

[John Corrales]

Yes, he. He's talked about. He continues to talk about the sacrifice, and he knows he's gonna have to sacrifice again. Jason Tatum knows he's gonna have to sacrifice maybe a little bit more. But however it looks, whatever it looks like, it is going to have to be an adjustment. They are not going back to 2024. Jason and Jalen, they're not going back to 2025. Jason and Jalen, they are now in 2026. Different set of circumstances, different set of physical abilities right now. Tatum's coming back. He's not going to be himself. No, he's not going to come. He's not going to come back and be the number one option this season. So that. That alone is going to have to be an adjustment next season. Jalen's going to want some more responsibility. He's not just going to do some of the things that he did before. Jason has to understand that. Jalen has to understand he's not going to be the number one option. It's going to be an adjustment this season. Whenever Tatum comes back and next season moving forward, you can't just go back. You can't unsee the things that you've seen. You can't undo the things that have been done. It's like in any relationship, you have things that happen to you, and you have to evolve the relationship to fit the new set of circumstances. And I don't think for some reason that's controversial for people. I think this is a matter of fact comment.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's like, it's obviously complicated, right? Because, like, on it and on its face, it being complicated is why Jason Tatum, I assume, had to give this so much thought or at least, you know, had to give lip service to giving this so much. When he says that, I'm like, come on, man. You weren't really like. Like, I think what he's. I think what he's doing there is acknowledging there's a lot that's going right for this team, and I'm not trying to disrupt it. And I think he's trying to find his own way of, of saying that rather than. Because, Because I don't think I, I don't, I don't think he was actually in doubt about, like, am I coming back?

[John Corrales]

Like, sitting there and saying, hey, I'm thinking, like, should I even come back? Is a nod to, like, jalen, you're doing a good job.

[Tom Westerholm]

Look how great this all is.

[John Corrales]

Look how everything's going. So that is true. There is. That is definitely true.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, but I think, look, I mean, it's, it's, it is so unbelievably complicated to try to unravel all of this stuff, right? Because, like, on the one hand, Jayson Tatum has always, like, he's the better player. Like, healthy Jason Tatum was the better player. I'm sorry. That's just, that's, that's what it is. Like, he was the better player. And, but, and, like, now we're not getting healthy Jason Tatum back this season. So, like, that's complicated. Jason Tatum has to find a version of himself that helps this year's team while also getting himself ready to be next year Jason Tatum, because for Tatum, next year, Jason Tatum is more important, but also, like, you can't do that and disrupt what they're doing this year because, like, there's a chance that this year's team goes to the Finals. Like, that's really complicated. Like, it, like, the idea, like, yes, Jalen Brown has been awesome and has proven everybody right, who always said, like, you know, Jaylen Brown would be so much more if he didn't have Jason Tatum next to him. That has all been proven true, right? Like, he has made those sacrifices. He is right about that. I, I, I still stand by the fact that I think that Jason Tatum was clearly the better player of the two when they're both healthy. I don't think the Celtics made any mistakes previously. I, I mean, they won a championship. Like, right. You know, like, that was, I think, the right dynamic, but now that dynamic has to shift because of every, like you said, everything that we've seen, the dynamic has to change a bit. And, like, look, Tatum is an unbelievably, like, there's so much he can do on a basketball court. And I, I think that is one of the biggest reasons why I think, like, hey, this could go really well. Like, if, if you, like, Tatum's a really good shooter, right? Tatum is a really great rebounder. There are things that he can do right away that it's like if, if he's back on the floor, these are things that are going to help the Celtics in the short term as he gets ready for the long term. But I think imagining that this is all going to be easy and smooth and like, you know, you know, no problems, I mean, that is. That feels a little like little wishful thinking to me. Like there's, there are going to be challenges here and there's going to be, I think, a really big adjustment period. I think that's one of the biggest reasons, like, hey, get him back at game 52 if you can. Because the more season that you can try to figure out what this dynamic looks like, the better it's. It. It is because it is an adjustment. It is. I'm sorry, it just is going to be that 100.

[John Corrales]

100. So, yeah, that, that. The. You know, I never really considered the Jason and Jalen dynamic as part of Jason's return because I never, never really thought that Jason was going to be himself anyway. So it wouldn't. It's just Jalen's gonna still do. Everybody's gonna still do what they do. It's just Jason's gonna come in and, and, and do some stuff and you know, maybe he comes off the bench and maybe that's just the, the best way for the first month or so that he just comes off the bench and Jaylen, Jason don't even play with each other necessarily.

[Tom Westerholm]

Be a very helpful way of doing it. Yeah, like just wemby him.

[John Corrales]

No, seriously, I think, I think we might, we might go, you know, February and March where Tatum and Brown share the floor for like a single digit percent of the time just because of the minutes restriction. And the best way to let Jason kind of recover, let him go up against second units, Let him, you know, you're. You're working him with guys that are, you know, on the bench that are trying to figure out roles. You're not, you know, how he fits with Derrick White, you know, how he can fit with Jaylen Brown. Even though there's an adjustment, you know, that they're going to figure it out. The, the Luca Garzas, the Minot, Walsh, Ugo, those guys that you're like, okay, which of these guys stay and go in, in trade talks and all that stuff? Let's, let's figure that stuff out with Tatum coming off the bench. And if he plays 15 minutes in the second and, you know, fourth quarters and Jalen comes in and finishes the Game off. Great. That's. That part is, is fine. But the Jalen and Jason dynamic is going to have to be figured out at some point. Like Jason I think does have to acknowledge like, man, Jalen has balled out since, you know, and has carried things on his own. Jalen, I think understands you can only do so much by yourself. And I, you know, I looked at his mid range numbers. They've. They've kind of fallen off the cliff in January. There's. January's where slumps happen a lot of times anyway. But I think Jalen has to understand like, man, it would be great to have some help here. It's just where, where it was. Jason clear number one, Jalen Claire number two. I think now Jalen especially is like, I'm not a clear number two anymore.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

And he's, he's just going to want more of that responsibility and you're going to have to give him more of that responsibility or else you do run the risk of this not working with them too. Like you, Even if we say Jason is clearly the better player and you can't, I don't think you can go right back to that old dynamic. You, you have to, you have to adjust because Jalen has a whole year of proof of like, hey, I just did it. I don't have to prove it anymore. So I'm not going to go sit by the, by the wayside and just let somebody else come in and do like that. Whether that's right or wrong. Yeah, you think there's going to be some element and like Jalen's going to have to figure that out too because he can't do that.

[Tom Westerholm]

You can't.

[John Corrales]

You have to understand that there's a championship at stake potentially. Like, you can't come in there next season and be like, hey, I just did a whole season at number one. I'm, I'm not doing this. I'm not going back to like, you have to give up some of what you just did this season, but Jason's gonna have to meet you half, you know, whatever percentage of the way. Is it halfway? Is it some percent? Yeah, he's going to have to. Jalen's gonna have to step back some, but it's not going to be like it was before because they need each other to win a championship. Unless you just trade Jaylen Brown, which that's, that's another discussion. But they don't want to do that. They don't want to do. They shouldn't have to do that. It shouldn't get to that point, they just have to figure each other out in this new circumstance so they can go win a championship and be legends in this city. Just legends.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah. Yeah. And. And I don't think it's controversial to say. I don't think it's controversial to say, one, that that adjustment period will have to happen, but also two, that these guys, nobody here, nobody, at least in this space here is saying that they can't figure it out. It's just that there will have to be a period in which they do. And I think that's. That's the really important distinction here. And that's. And that's why, that's why you get as much time as you can between Tatum returning and the playoffs, because that, that adjustment period is going to be there and you just. Like, they can do it. I think they probably will. Like, I think they both now understand. I think Jalen understands how hard it is to be number one by yourself. I, I think Tatum now has, you know, like he said, 50, 60 games of proof of how great his costar is. And not for nothing, all the players who've been around, all these new guys and all these, these, these new roles that people have had, they've all coalesced around Jaylen Brown. Like, that is something that Jason Tatum is going to have to adjust to as well. Like this dynamic now. All those players that you played with last year, Tatum, like a bunch of those guys are gone. Like, this is a new thing and they have coalesced around Jaylen Brown. And that's not to say that everybody can't also then coalesce around Jason Tatum. It will just take time. So, you know, that's the key to it.

[John Corrales]

Just expect it. Just expect it to take time. Just expect it to not maybe always go great, that there's going to be like some ups and downs, but it has to happen. There's just. There is an adjustment for the both of them that has to happen. And it, it should happen. I expect it to happen because they both know what's at stake. They know what statues, Statues, like, win another championship. If you can win one more, then you're in this. You've passed kg. You've passed Paul Pierce.

[Tom Westerholm]

You pass Paul Pierce ears. Yeah.

[John Corrales]

You know what I mean? Like, that's.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yes.

[John Corrales]

This is like, more than anything, if, if any friction comes up between them, which I again do not expect, but have to acknowledge the possibility, but I don't expect it gonna be clear, but someone should, like, grab them by the shoulders and shake them and be like, do you understand what's at stake here? You have an opportunity to, like, you're going into the hall of Fame. Jason's going into the hall of Fame. Jalen is going into the hall of Fame. They are going to be. They are hall of Fame players. They will finish their careers with all the requisite numbers. Multiple titles is such a rare club to be in. You're already in a rare club by winning one multiple. That's so. That's incredibly difficult.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yes.

[John Corrales]

Multiple in Boston. Are you kidding me? You join the pantheon of the best of the best. You get talked about. You get the. You enter the mythology.

[Tom Westerholm]

You. This becomes David Ortiz, Jason Tatum, Jalen Brown.

[John Corrales]

Yes.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

Yes. So that part, all of the stuff that Jason is talking about, the concern and all the stuff I've been talking like, that's right there for them. They. But they just have to figure it out. Not a problem. Not a problem. I expect all the requisite hate on Twitter because that's what happens on Twitter. So whatever. Follow me on Blue Sky. That's a bunch of John Corrales.

[Tom Westerholm]

John post on Blue sky sometimes.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, I post. I post on both for now. Yeah. I swear I want to get away from Twitter, but the problem is, like, all the brands are there, all the teams are there, all the. The methods of communication, the PR accounts are all there. Like, I have to be there to see all these. So I just like, oh, I guess. I guess I'm going to tweet, so. All right, I guess I'm gonna end the show. Tom. Appreciate you, man.

[Tom Westerholm]

Appreciate you, man.

[John Corrales]

I do appreciate you. The listener, the viewer, watching us Monday through Friday, listening to us Monday through Friday, I feel like, I don't know, sometimes I feel like they'll explain myself to an nth degree. So that's what the last five minutes of this podcast were. Thank you for sticking around for it, though. If you're new, I'd love to have you become an every day or join me every Monday through Friday. Really would love to have you there. Also, bonus podcast on the weekend, becoming every day or join the everyday or club locked on celtics.supercast.com 5 bucks a month, 50 bucks for the year. And if you hop in before the deadline, use the code deadline, you get an extra month free. It's five bucks, so check that out. Then share the podcast. Tell everybody they should be listening to and watching the Lockdown Celtics podcast. Here on the Lockdown Podcast network is your team. Every day the tournament is on and fanatics merch is 30% off with pays A fast online checkout offered by banks and credit unions. Snag all your team gear jerseys, caps, bomber jackets, even fuzzy rhinestone slippers with pays. Your actual card numbers aren't shared with merchants, so you can lock in your gear with added security and rock those.

[Tom Westerholm]

Fuzzy slippers with confidence.

[John Corrales]

Use Payze with code PAYZPERKS for 30% off at Fanatics until March 31, 2026. Turn terms [e-mail] pays what should you invest in and how often? Making investing decisions is easier with Fidelity. With their step by step experience, you can find investments based on your goals and comfort level. And if you'd like, you can decide how much and how often to invest with recurring investments that happen automatically. Ready to make your next investing decision? Head to fidelity.com trading Investing involves risk, including risk of loss. Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC member NYSE SIPC New Year same extra value meals at McDonald's, so now get two snack wraps plus fries and a medium soft drink for just $8 for a limited time only. Prices and participation may vary. Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska, and California, and for delivery.