Celtics news: Jayson Tatum wants to be the next Paul Pierce

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum wants to be the next Paul Pierce, in the sense that he wants to win a championship with the Celtics and be loved by Boston.

Boston Celtics second-year small forward Jayson Tatum wants to be the next Paul Pierce, in the sense that he wants to win a championship with the Celtics and be loved by the city of Boston.

Paul Pierce is one of the best players in Celtics franchise history. Pierce is second on Boston's all-time scoring list and won the 2008 NBA championship with Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers. The Truth was also a 10-time All-Star.

.@jaytatum0 tells @samalipour he wants his legacy to resemble The Truth's ☘️ pic.twitter.com/kzJgNsRWvT

— ESPN (@espn) December 21, 2018

Jayson Tatum had a great rookie season and he has all the makings of being a perennial All-Star in the NBA. The 20-year-old is averaging 16.7 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this season while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from beyond the arc and 84.4 percent from the free-throw line.

Tatum is already labeled by some as a professional scorer. He's got a nasty hesi pull up jumper and can score from the paint and perimeter. Unless the Celtics include Tatum in a trade package for someone like Anthony Davis, the swingman should spend his entire NBA career with Boston because he has superstar potential.

The Celtics and Toronto Raptors are the two favorites to win the Eastern Conference this season. Jayson Tatum almost went to the NBA Finals in his rookie year. If he gets there this season, don't expect him to shy away from the bright lights.