I agree that the Boston Celtics are putting a lot of pressure on Jayson Tatum right now. There's no backup plan if he is having an off game or isn't on the court (a.k.a. Jaylen Brown), and this is his first full season after his Achilles injury.
But I'm also not worried about any of that.
Tatum is now in a great position to succeed and level up his game. He's now the clear No. 1 option in a system that's built around him and his strengths, and everybody on the team knows that. And his injury situation shouldn't really be much of a talking point. He gradually improved the more he played in the 16 games he appeared in last season, and he was mostly fantastic in the playoffs (23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals on 47.5/36.5/78.1% shooting splits in six games).
There is no reason to think Tatum won't be Tatum this season, if not even better, and Celtics fans should be excited to see how things look with him on the court.
Jayson Tatum should be in line for a career year with the Celtics
The Duke alum was already one of the best players in the NBA because of his ability to do everything at a high level. He can shoot (albeit a little inconsistently), score, and defend among the best of them, and he showed incredible improvements as a rebounder and playmaker last season. Now that he's going to have the ball in his hands a lot more without Brown, this will be a great opportunity for Tatum to further improve.
Tatum will have more on-ball responsibility, which is a great thing for the Celtics. They are a better team when he has the ball in his hands because of his gravity and ability to make his teammates better.
Boston has also given him the opportunity to become a more complete offensive centerpiece. The team's entire system is going to flow through Tatum, and it's going to run so much more smoothly this season.
I also feel like the Celtics did a good job of building a great roster around him that can complement his game and get the most out of him.
Say what you will about the Brown trade, but moving on from him removes the awkward 1A-1B and constant "taking turns" dynamic, and Paul George is a great fit because of his catch-and-shoot and connector ability. Plus, Derrick White should be in for a bounceback season with a lesser workload, Payton Pritchard can turn it up another level if he enters the starting lineup, and the Celtics are going to be monstrous on the offensive boards with Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta manning the center room.
The Celtics are fully betting on a prime Tatum to lead them to the promised land this season. Whether he actually can or not remains to be seen, but he is putting him in the ultimate position to play the best basketball of his career. And despite all the pressure he's facing, I believe he will live up to the hype. Tatum is a great basketball player who now has full control of the offense, and that should terrify the rest of the league.
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