So…What Should Jayson Tatum Do?
There's an argument to be made for Jayson Tatum returning this season, and for sitting out until the summer. Either way, people will talk...
It’s been a busy 24 hours!
From Jayson Tatum’s appearance on “The Pivot” to the late-night report from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
The crux of the discussion is whether Tatum is going to return this season. Not will he be medically cleared. Not will the front office and coaching staff co-sign a return.
No.
Will Tatum choose to come back mid-season or sit out until the summer?
Everything started with this comment on “The Pivot.”
“That’s something I contemplate every day,” Tatum said. “More so about the team, if or when I do come back this season, they would’ve played 50-some-odd games without me. So they have an identity this year or things that they felt have clicked for them, and it’s been successful, right, third or second team in the East up to this point. So there is a thought in my head that’s like, how does that work or how does that look with me integrating myself off an injury and 50-60 games into a season?”
It’s a fair concern.
We would all be lying if we said we hadn’t at least considered what those teething issues would look like. After all, if Tatum comes back, Jordan Walsh is probably glued to the bench. Baylor Scheierman’s minutes take a nosedive, and Hugo Gonzalez would probably see a reduction, too.
Not straight away. But as Tatum ramped up to 20-30 minutes per night…well, that playing time has got to come from somewhere.
And then there’s the Jaylen Brown of it all. I’d argue this is the most divisive topic within the fanbase — it has been for years — but it feels way worse now. More on that in a minute.
Tatum’s comment about debating whether to come back swept through the fanbase like a thick fog engulfing the shoreline. Before too long, it was the most important topic surrounding the fanbase on Wednesday.
And then, another report dropped.
“Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum told ESPN on Wednesday night that he hasn’t made a decision about whether he will return from a torn Achilles tendon this season because he ‘wants to get it right the first time, so it’s just a lot to think about.’…Earlier Wednesday, NBA TV’s “The Association” reported that Tatum was reevaluating his situation and considering sitting out the full season.”
There’s two ways you could look at this…
1. Smoke and Mirrors
Could Tatum be building to a WWE-style surprise return? Could the Celtics be managing expectations in case he’s not medically cleared? Sure, it’s possible. The younger kids would call it a “cope,” and honestly, it feels far-fetched. But you never know.
2. A Cautious Approach
This feels more likely to me.
I’ve been championing for Tatum to sit out the season since the summer. I wasn’t opposed to an in-season return, but the benefits of some additional rehab time felt like the smarter option. Blake Griffin appears to agree…
“There’s a lot of information on Achilles and all other sorts of injuries, but especially Achilles injuries, where, the longer you wait — like, yes, you may be able to play within, call it 10 months,” Griffin said during a recent interview with Daniel Donabedian of ClutchPoints. “But does 16 months give you a much better chance at not re-injuring and not injuring something else? And I think the data on that is very clear. As good and as much fun as the Celtics are to watch this season, as good as they’ve been, I don’t know that if I was advising him — I don’t know that I would be like, ‘Yeah, you got to get back this year.’”
Not only would Tatum get additional time to rehab, but he would also start next season fresh. The impact of his return wouldn’t be as pronounced, and the team could work out the kinks to begin the season, where games matter less, and identities are formed.
Tatum would be protecting himself, while also putting himself in the best opportunity to reinegrate into the on-court rotation.
If he chooses to sit out the remainder of the season, there will be a clear logic behind that choice.
Moving on to Jaylen Brown
This is another talking point. The fanbase is clearly split. And it starts with Brown’s comments in the media over the past few months.
Talks of always sacrificing.
“Yeah, I mean I’ve done that my whole career,” Brown said on Jan. 15. “I’ve played along side Jayson Tatum. So, ain’t nothing new.”
“I felt like I’ve sacrificed over the years in order for us to be a championship-caliber team. And I think now, we’re getting to see that a little bit. What exactly I was capable of, and what I was sacrificing,” Brown told reporters.
Some fans have taken these comments — and others — as a slight toward Tatum. That Brown believes he’s the better player. That Brown is vying to become Boston’s premier star, with Tatum taking a back seat.
I can see why a section of the fanbase feels that way.
I don’t necessarily agree.
There’s nothing wrong with advocating for yourself. If you don’t speak up and let the world know what you’re capable of, no one will do it for you. However, there’s a fine line that needs to be walked. And, as someone who has failed at toeing that line at points in my life, I fear Brown might be straying outside of the point he’s trying to make.
My read is Brown isn’t saying he should be the guy. He’s saying he’s always been the guy, but we never got the chance to see it before now.
The truth is, the version of Tatum we saw before his Achilles injury is a more complete player than Brown, even this version of Brown. If Tatum comes back and reaches that level again, he will once again take the keys to the offense.
Brown is an elite talent. He’s essential to the Celtics chances of winning another ring. He and Tatum have made things work for years; I see no reason for that to change, even if there might be some teething issues.
But, if Tatum knows his in-season return could derail a career year for his long-time teammate, and that his own presence won’t add to winning at the highest of levels (because he will still be ramping up), sitting out could avoid rocking the boat. I mean, think about it, we’re witnessing Brown crush it right now, a Tatum return could be perceived as a Money In The Bank moment.
At least that way, they can get on the same page throughout training camp.
However, no one knows what Brown or Tatum is thinking. We can guess. We can try to read into their media-trained comments or their talks of sacrifice. But in truth, only they know where their head is at. Brown could very well decide he wants to be the guy next season, either in Boston or elsewhere.
Or, he could be happy that he’s proven himself and go back to being a 1B.
Nate Robinson put it best when I spoke with him on Monday.
“It’s not a Batman and Robin situation,” Robinson told the Celtics Chronicle. “It’s like Superman and Batman. It’s like two alpha males hooping. You gotta not play a lesser role, but whoever is the one who has it going that night, the other person turns into, you know, the Robin, but yet they’re both Batman or Superman, if that makes sense.”
Then there’s the media. Talks of “the most exciting season in years” or the “most fun they’ve had” all play a part in creating the Tatum and Brown divide (among the fans). Just yesterday, there was a show that mocked Tatum’s concerns as being “the dumbest thing in the world.” And that it’s a “weird pitty party.”
Nothing he does will please people. And with each pushback, the noise grows.
I want both Brown and Tatum to succeed. Together. As they have done since they entered the NBA. There’s enough room for them to thrive.
What Do I Think?
I’m going to stick with my preseason guns here and say Tatum should wait until the summer. Right now, he’s in a lose-lose situation.
If he comes back and the Celtics start losing, it’s his fault for rushing back and messing up the feng shui within the rotation.
If he comes back and they continue winning, then they’ve already been doing that, and his importance to the roster gets overlooked and/or undervalued.
Of course, if Tatum makes a final decision before Feb. 5 — it doesn’t need to be made public, but is hopefully conveyed to the front office — his decision could impact what Brad Stevens looks to do at the trade deadline.
In truth, though, the need for a big man will be there in the summer. So, if the opportunity to add a long-term contributor arises in the next week, so be it, pull the trigger and get it done.
Tatum will ultimately make the decision that’s best for him and the team. Whatever path he chooses will come with its own pitfalls. Nothing is perfect.
But, if you ask me, waiting until next season is the safer bet, both for his health and for an easier ramp-up back to what is hopefully an All-NBA level.
Tatum seems comfortable just airing his thoughts. We all have doubts about stuff, and for him I am sure he has doubts about what to do, since it's not at all obvious for a variety of reasons. Doesn't mean he has changed his mind, as some of the breathless reports are suggesting. Just means it's still more complicated than picking a day in March and saying "let's go!"
Not saying you are defending this but the Tatum vs Brown 'who's better' discussion and whether you have to 'choose' who's the first guy... Isn't that a false choice?
If we had a 3rd guy who is as good as those two, say Porzingis (and when he was healthy, you could make an argument he was as good at times), why is that a problem? Isn't it better? Isn't the role of the coaching team and those two guys as leaders of this team to figure the thing out and be better?