Although the Boston Celtics are without Jayson Tatum this season as he fights back from an Achilles injury, the team is firmly in the mix of the Eastern Conference playoff race. So much so that the front office made a trade to improve the roster by acquiring center Nikola Vucevic. On Tuesday, Tatum shared his opinion about the big trade.
While talking with media members, the soon-to-be 28-year-old forward expressed how excited he and his teammates are to have Vucevic on the roster, according to Noa Dalzell of the Celtics Blog. Tatum seems to believe it's a good fit, as Vucevic brings a unique style of play to Boston's front court.
“Vooch is a hell of a player,” said Tatum. “Obviously, I've competed against him for the last 8 years, and [I'm] excited about the things that he brings to this team, different dynamics. We're all excited to have him.”
Vucevic, who is 35 years old, has been a reliable center in the NBA since joining the league in 2011. He's the type of center that will improve the Celtics' scoring in the paint, along with consistent rebounding. However, his defensive skills are about average with the rest of the centers in the league.
Through 50 games played so far this season (two with the Celtics), Nikola Vucevic is averaging 16.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per contest while shooting 50.2% from the floor and 36.9% from beyond the three-point line.
He should be a major help for the Celtics for the rest of this season, as the club hopes to reach the playoffs and go on another potential championship run. However, Vucevic is in the final season of his three-year, $60 million contract and is due to enter free agency next offseason.
