Report: Tatum elected to not have offseason surgery on left wrist
Report: Tatum elected to not have offseason surgery on left wrist originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Jayson Tatum elected to not undergo surgery on his left wrist this offseason, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported live on Friday's episode of NBA Today.
Tatum's left wrist, which had been an issue for the Boston Celtics forward since the 2021 season, was looked at by multiple specialists, with the end result being a cortisone shot, per Shelburne.
Shelburne added that Tatum told her his wrist "feels really good" going into the new season.
With the loss of Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, Tatum may be put into a more "point-forward" role moving forward. While this isn't anything new to the four-time All-Star, he should be given more opportunities to bring the ball up and be the "quarterback" of the Celtics' offense. A good ball facilitator means being able to use both hands efficiently, so the wrist injury is something to keep an eye on.
Health seems to be a clear priority for Celtics roster. With Robert Williams, Al Horford, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown, and newly acquired big Kristaps Porzingis missing at least 15 games or more due to injury last season, Tatum and the Celtics need to find an efficient way to stay healthy all the way through June, with the goal being a healthy roster heading into the NBA Finals.
We will get a first look at the 2023-24 Celtics team when they all get together for media day on Monday, Oct. 2.
