Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum had an impressive rookie year capped off with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals. With him as the primary option on offense, the Green Gang forced Game 7 against the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers. They almost won that series but collapsed in the final minutes of the contest.
A lot of people believe that Tatum was bound for even greater things in his second season, even while playing alongside Kyrie Irving who was returning from injury. However, with the All-Star guard becoming the focal point of the offense, Tatum's production took a hit. It was clear that both players weren't able to bring the best out of each other.
Eventually, Irving got tired of his young teammates and is now reportedly leaving the Celtics. There are rumors that the younger guys on the team didn't like Irving as a leader, and according to Jeff Goodman of The Watch Stadium, Kyrie treated Tatum the way he was treated by LeBron James when they were with the Cavs.
š½ļø "Kyrie treated Tatum the way LeBron treated Kyrie." @GoodmanHoops explains why he would've given up anything other than Tatum in a trade for Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/9vszpyQ9Gh
ā Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 17, 2019
After the Cavs won their first-ever NBA championship back in 2016, Irving requested a trade because he felt like he can lead his own team. Moreover, he didn't like the idea of LeBron giving him the ātough love.' Kyrie was then traded to the Celtics and was given an opportunity to become the cornerstone of the franchise, but his two-year stint in Boston has been a disappointment.
Now that Irving is likely out of the Celtics, Tatum can continue growing and improving as a player. Maybe he can still pick up from where he left off back in the 2018 playoffs.
Tatum has all the makings of a franchise player. It's time for him to show just that.
Follow Us
Subscribe