Jayson Tatum eyes another title, as Celtics face key offseason decisions

Celtics star Jayson Tatum is thinking bigger now. A lot bigger.

After entering last season simply hoping to get healthy and contribute, Tatum is already looking ahead to what comes next. His goal for 2026-27 is clear.

“Winning another championship and holding up Finals MVP,” he said on the Glass Half Full podcast.

It’s a notable shift. Tatum helped lead Boston to a title in 2024, but it was Jaylen Brown who walked away with both Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals MVP honors. Tatum impacted that series in other ways, particularly as a playmaker and defender, though his shot never fully came around.

That part hasn’t been forgotten. Neither has the frustration from this past postseason.

Tatum missed Game 7 of the first-round loss to Philadelphia because of soreness in his left knee, cutting short what was already a challenging year that included recovery from a torn Achilles.

This summer, though, is expected to be different. No rehab timeline. No restrictions. Just a chance to train.

He admitted he even searched for answers after the Achilles injury.

“I asked the doctor, ‘If I got an MRI the day before, would you have been able to tell me I was at risk?’” Tatum said. “He was like, ‘Honestly … your tendon looks perfectly healthy.’”

In other words, nothing to prevent it. Just bad luck. Now the focus shifts back to chasing more.

At the same time, the Celtics have decisions to make. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens acknowledged the need to improve the roster, but doing so won’t be simple, per Brian Robb of MassLive.

Boston is projected to be roughly $19 million below the luxury tax line with about $181 million committed to 11 players. Staying out of the tax in multiple seasons is critical to avoiding repeater penalties, which means any upgrades could come with difficult choices.

So while Tatum is aiming for another banner and a different kind of individual recognition, the path to get there may require some careful maneuvering behind the scenes.