Jayson Tatum was cleared on the Thursday, Sep 24 injury report, moving off the day-to-day tag he had carried since Sep 6 for a left knee and leg issue. The clearance leaves him available for Boston's season opener at Cleveland on Oct. 8.
What happened
Tatum first appeared on the injury report on Sunday, Sep 6 as day-to-day with a knee and leg issue on his left side. On Thursday, Sep 24 at 3:40 PM ET, the official injury report updated his status to cleared, removing the day-to-day designation. No further detail was given on the injury, and no expected return date is listed since he is no longer marked out or questionable. The 2026-27 season has not started, so the clearance comes before any games have been missed.
What it means for the Celtics
Boston opens its 2026-27 season on the road at the Cavaliers on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:00 PM ET. Last season Tatum averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 32.6 minutes across 16 games, and his clearance means the Celtics head into that opener with their leading option available rather than needing others to fill the void. In games last season when he was out, the workload shifted toward Jaylen Brown (34.4 min, 28.7 pts) and Derrick White (34.1 min, 16.5 pts), with Payton Pritchard (32.3 min, 17.0 pts) also seeing an expanded role. The 2026-27 record is 0-0, with no regular-season games played yet.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Tatum's cleared status holds through the rest of Boston's preseason schedule and into the Oct. 8 opener at Cleveland. No expected return timeline was announced, since he is no longer listed with a status that requires one. No other Celtics players appear on the current injury report. The season opener is the next point of confirmation for his availability.
Is Jayson Tatum playing at Cavaliers on Oct. 8?
He was cleared on the injury report as of Thursday, Sep 24, after being listed day-to-day since Sep 6. Boston's season opener at Cleveland is Oct. 8 at 7:00 PM ET.
When will Jayson Tatum be back?
A specific return date has not been announced. He moved from day-to-day to cleared on the Sep 24 injury report, and the 2026-27 season has not yet started.