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Joseph Zucker is a featured Columnist for the Boston Celtics.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
The Boston Celtics confirmed that star Jayson Tatum has entered the NBA's health and safety protocols.
Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported the news.
Brad Stevens replaced Danny Ainge as the president of basketball operations and Ime Udoka took Stevens' job as head coach. The way for the transition will be led by Tatum.
He is on pace for another All-Star season. He's averaged 25.6 points and 8.6 Rebounds through 33 games.
The Celtics are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 16-17 record, and their performance is leading to questions over whether large-scale changes are required.
The promise Boston showed with back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in the last two years hasn't materialized. The Celtics appeared to be on the verge of something special when they appeared to be on the verge of something special, but getting back to the conference finals in the next year doesn't qualify as enough.
In the short term, Jaylen Brown's contributions will be a reminder of how reliant the Celtics are on him.
