Jayson Tatum reportedly delay left wrist surgical procedure, opting to get cortisone shot as an alternative

Celtics

The Celtics star thought he was going to want surgical procedure on his non-shooting wrist getting into the offseason.

Jayson Tatum’s left wrist was closely taped at factors final season. (AP Picture/Charles Krupa)

Jayson Tatum has been coping with a left wrist ailment since not less than the 2022 playoffs. He took a measure to deal with that this offseason, however didn’t go beneath the knife.

The Celtics star opted to forego surgical procedure on his left wrist over the offseason, receiving a cortisone shot as an alternative, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported.

“He went into the offseason considering he would possibly want surgical procedure on his non-shooting wrist,” Shelburne stated on “NBA As we speak.” “He went to a bunch of specialists and primarily determined, ‘I’m not gonna get the surgical procedure, I don’t want it,’ received a cortisone shot — he stated it feels actually good.”

Tatum initially suffered the harm someday within the 2021-22 season, however didn’t specify when. Nonetheless, he shared that he actually bothered the harm through the Celtics’ Jap Convention semifinals sequence towards the Bucks later that season.

“It was small, nevertheless it was nonetheless like a non-displaced chip,” Tatum told Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks in an interview in August 2022. “So like I chipped a bone nevertheless it didn’t go away the floor, nevertheless it had proven that the bone had grew over it so it healed, however I used to be nonetheless in ache as a result of I saved getting hit or falling on it. So I suppose I performed with considerably of a fracture for like two months.

“Then within the playoffs, there was a play towards Milwaukee in Recreation 3. I dunked it, Giannis [Antetokounmpo] chased me down and fouled me and I fell into the group. That was essentially the most painful it’s been since that day that I harm it.”

Tatum stated he obtained a cortisone shot following that sport and was required to put on a brace at shoot-arounds through the the rest of that postseason.

The problems with Tatum’s non-shooting wrist carried into this previous season. Boston notably managed the scenario all through the season, although Tatum nonetheless performed 74 video games. However he had his wrist closely taped up at moments through the season, signifying he was nonetheless enjoying by means of an harm.

It’s unknown how extreme Tatum’s left wrist harm was, although. He struggled at factors within the latter half of the season, taking a minor step again in scoring after scoring 31.1 factors per sport by means of the top of January.

Tatum’s left wrist is likely to be coping with a bit bit extra stress this upcoming season. He seems in line for a heavier ball-handling position following the commerce of Marcus Good.

That isn’t a priority for Tatum, although.

“Now that he’s going to be having extra of a ball-handling position as a result of Marcus Good isn’t there anymore, he stated, ‘I principally did this all final 12 months through the playoffs. I’m very comfy in that position initiating the offense,’” Shelburne stated.

The upcoming season is, in fact, an enormous one for Tatum and the Celtics. Boston will look to lastly recover from the hump and win a title after getting shut every of the final two seasons.

As well as, Tatum is in line to obtain a significant payday subsequent offseason. He can earn a supermax extension that may seemingly give him the most important contract in NBA historical past as early estimates predict that his subsequent max could be price over $330 million.

Tatum and the Celtics formally start the 2023-24 season this week with coaching camp opening on Tuesday.