Getty Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum
Former Boston Celtics wing Marcus Morris Sr. thinks very highly of his former teammates and star duo Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. During his appearance on the September 14 episode of “All the Smoke” podcast, Morris revealed how high his expectations are for Tatum and Brown.
“Yeah, I like ’em”, Morris said. “I think it happens, yeah. I think like a couple more pieces away, but I mean, I’m a fan of Tatum. I’m a fan of Brown, too.”
Morris was teammates with Tatum and Brown from 2017 to 2019, where he helped the Celtics come within one win of making the NBA Finals in 2018. Morris got to see firsthand how promising the duo of Tatum and Brown truly were when they played together before leaving for the New York Knicks the following offseason.
Morris was also teammates with Marcus Smart during that time. Morris added that he was not a fan of the Celtics trading Smart.
“I didn’t like that,” Morris said. “He is Boston. He bled out there. He was doing everything.”
Mike Muscala Praises Celtics Organization & Fans
Though he only played 20 games for the Celtics before being traded to the Washington Wizards, former Celtics big man Mike Muscala did not hold back when asked about how he enjoyed his time in Boston.
“I had a great time,” Muscala told CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning in a September 14 interview. “It was one of my favorite experiences playing basketball. It was a great city, I speak so highly of the city and of the team when people ask what it was like. The fans were amazing. They love their basketball, and they were very supportive. I just really enjoyed getting to know the city, getting to learn about the history of the area, having some friends and family come out and visit, and playing at the Garden, man, it was awesome. A lot of really fun memories.”
Muscala was acquired at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Justin Jackson. Muscala’s time may have been brief, but he proved that he was a capable stretch big, shooting 38.5% from three when he played in Boston.
Payton Pritchard Getting Ready for New Opportunity
With a bigger role coming his way in the 2023-24 season, Payton Pritchard told The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach that he knows that he’s going to have to show that he deserves said role knowing what the team’s goals are.
“If I get the opportunity to play, I’ve got to show what I’m capable of and that I can help win at a high level,” Pritchard told Himmelsbach in a September 16 story. “So I’m just looking forward to the opportunity of showcasing that. At the end of the day, I’m a winner and am obviously going to help Jaylen (Brown) and Jayson (Tatum) because those are the two that are pushing us, but we’ve all got to help them get over the hump, and ultimately win a championship.”
Pritchard also acknowledged that his role will probably differ on a night-to-night basis based on the conversations he’s had with Joe Mazzulla.
“I think it looks different every night,” Pritchard said. “Obviously, I have the ability to shoot and space the floor, but also this year, being able to take pressure off, and if I have to handle and bring it up and showcase more of the passing side of things, I can do that. But I’ve talked to Joe, and it’s going to be a lot of different things.”