When the Boston Celtics made the decision to trade away Jaylen Brown, they did so knowing that they’d need to build a roster around Jayson Tatum.
Paul George fits perfectly alongside Tatum, while Mitchell Robinson’s arrival should help unlock the St. Louis native’s half-court playmaking throughout the season.
Furthermore, Boston’s five-out offense gives Tatum the space he needs to be at his best, both on and off-ball. We’ve already started seeing signs of a dominant year, too. Against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, October 27, Tatum had 40 points, including a game-winning walk-off bucket to ice the game in overtime.
In a recent interview on The Hoop Genius‘ podcast, hosted by Mo Mooncey, Tatum was asked whether he’s aiming for a run at the MVP award this season.
“You know what…why not me?” Tatum replied. “This is the year.”
Tatum will need to be at his best all season in order to emerge as a genuine MVP candidate. The league is full of elite talent, with multiple players capable of winning the award. However, Tatum is among those elite talents, and if he can find a level of consistency in his performances, he will certainly be in the running for the prestigious award.
Tatum Speaks On Playing Without Jaylen Brown
During Tatum’s appearance on The Hoop Genius podcast, he also discussed the adjustments he’ll need to make now that Brown is no longer with the franchise.
“I mean, it’s just going to take time, being there without him,” Tatum said. “For nine years, he was my teammate. We shared the court together and won at the highest level. Won a championship and everything in between. It’s going to be weird at first. It’s just going to take time.”
The decision to trade Brown was a highly controversial one. He came into the summer off the back of the best season of his career so far. However, with a two-year $141 million extension potentially looming, the Celtics opted to move on from Brown, allowing themselves some additional flexibility to continue building a roster around Tatum.
Tatum Is Feeling Like He’s Back To His Best
After his game-winning shot against the Nets, Tatum was asked how his body feels 18 months after his torn Achilles.
“I’m 18 months out from when I tore my Achilles, and there are certain moments throughout a game, on and off the ball, where I’m doing a cut or exploding or just doing something that something in my mind clicks, and like ‘Oh, you know, that feeling is really starting to feel like, you know, pre-injury.’ And results, make or miss the shot, I get really excited about some of the movements that I make throughout the game,” Tatum said.
A key part of Tatum contending for an MVP award will be whether he can stay healthy. Celtics fans will certainly be hoping that is the case, and his injury issues are now a thing of the past.
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Makes Bold MVP Declaration: ‘Why Not Me?’