Not long after a report surfaced that the Boston Celtics had offered Jaylen Brown in a package to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for disgruntled star forward Kevin Durant, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum made it clear that he’s happy with the team’s roster as currently constructed.
“I played with [Durant] during the Olympics,” Tatum said while speaking to media members at the premiere of the Showtime documentary ‘Point Gods.’ “Obviously, he’s a great player, but that’s not my decision. I love our team. I love the guys that we got.
“We got two new pieces [in Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari],” he added. “I love our team. I just go out there and play with my teammates. I don’t put that [general manager] hat on to make decisions.”
Tatum also questioned the veracity of the report, pointing out the fact that similar reports have been incorrect in the past.
“I don’t know if that report is true or not… I don’t believe everything I see on TV,” Tatum said. “I’ve seen some [expletive] on me that was a lie. You never really know what’s true or what’s not true.”
You can see Tatum’s full comments below:
Given the fact that Tatum made these comments publicly, it’s possible that they don’t reflect how he truly feels about the situation. After all, he’s unlikely to say, “Yeah, I want the team to trade away Jaylen Brown,” even if he actually does. But at the same time, Tatum has reason to be happy with Boston’s roster as currently constructed.
The team was only two wins away from winning a championship last month, and they’ve improved on paper over the offseason with the additions of Brodgon and Gallinari. It’s genuinely possible that Tatum doesn’t want to see the roster altered in a major way after the success they had last season.
Ultimately though, the decision is out of Tatum’s hands. If Boston’s front office wants him badly enough and is willing to meet the exceedingly steep asking price, then perhaps Durant will begin next season in a Celtics uniform.