Celtics’ star Jaylen Brown opens up about potential knee injury concern

The Boston Celtics came up short in the postseason, despite a dominant regular season that had fans expecting a deep playoff run. Hopes of bringing another championship to Boston were crushed by an early exit. To make matters worse, Jayson Tatum went down with a serious injury, and Jaylen Brown partially tore his right meniscus during the playoffs. Now, speculation about surgery is gaining momentum. Brown recently addressed the situation and provided an update on his condition.

“l got a lot of doctors I gotta get evaluated with — see the potential for surgery versus no surgery, wait to speak to the (Celtics) organization…For now, it’s just rest and recovery. I’m taking a step back from a long season. Mentally, it was a lot of stuff going on,” affirmed Brown as reported by Noa Dalzell.

Although he has not confirmed a final decision, optimism continues to build within the Celtics organization. Celtics executive Brad Stevens offered a positive update: “The knee is in a good place, structurally…So I think he felt comfortable getting out there and going after it, and, hopefully, he’ll feel better after being off of it for a couple of weeks here.”

Given that outlook, fans remain hopeful Brown avoids surgery. That procedure could sideline him for a long stretch and affect his status for the start of the 2025–26 season. However, surgery could improve his long-term availability during next year. For that reason, several NBA insiders believe he might choose the operation, especially since he has not ruled it out in recent statements.

Boston Celtics may have found a solution to reinforce their roster for the 2025-26 season

Improving the roster is not the only priority heading into the 2025-26 season as the team also faces significant payroll concerns. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reports that the franchise’s projected payroll could soar to $460 million next season, putting them in a tight spot as they look to remain competitive following Jayson Tatum’s serious injury.

Still, there may be a path forward. According to NBA insider Brian Robb, the team could explore a potential workaround to add reinforcements on offense. “If a player is seriously injured, his team can apply for the disabled-player exception to replace him. An NBA-designed physician would have to determine that the player is ‘substantially more like than not’ to be out through June 15 next season for it to be granted.”

By making that move, the Celtics could avoid taking into account Jayson Tatum’s $54.1 million salary, giving them greater cap flexibility to reshape the roster. Despite ongoing speculation, the team has not confirmed any changes for the 2025–26 season.

However, one thing remains certain: the front office wants to keep Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston. For that reason, the team could consider strategic moves to manage payroll. This may include parting ways with key veterans like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.