How do you rank Tatum against other Celtics legends?

[Roy H.]

I'll keep it open-ended and leave the question at that.

[Donoghus]

From a pure basketball skill set, he's better than Pierce but I'm not ranking him over Pierce yet.   I've said it before, he has the highest ceiling since Bird.

He has the potential to retire as a top 5 Boston Celtic ever.

Will he get there? No idea but I hope so because that means more championships.

[Kernewek]

From a pure basketball skill set, he's better than Pierce but I'm not ranking him over Pierce yet.   I've said it before, he has the highest ceiling since Bird.

He has the potential to retire as a top 5 Boston Celtic ever.

Will he get there? No idea but I hope so because that means more championships.

This feels right. On a purely 'vibes-based' basis, I think it goes something like this:

The absolute top of the mountain: Pierce, KG, McHale, Bird, Cowens, Russell. Guys like that.

The next rung: Tatum, Allen, Rondo, Parish, Ced, DJ, Heinsohn, Cousy, &c.

My 'very deep' thought process, looking at our championship squads.

From the last championship/contending core:
I would put him in line with, say, Ray & Rondo, and a wee bit behind Pierce and KG.

From The Bird-cores: He's behind McHale, Bird, and Walton (only if we're including Walton's peak - his time in Portland). On the level with Parish, Cedric Maxwell & DJ.

From the 70's he's behind Cowens and... that's it.

I'm certainly not rating him against Bill but I would take Tatum over anyone else on the Russell Dynasty C's.

[Celtics2021]

He’s behind Pierce because he doesn’t have a title and Pierce does, but he’s ahead of Pierce’s pace.  Paul didn’t win his lone title until year 10, and everything else Tatum has done throughout his career to date is ahead of where Pierce was at the same level of experience and/or age.  Once he wins a title he’s ahead of Pierce, unless he leaves shortly after such that he doesn’t have the longevity. 

If he gets multiple titles he absolutely is a top 5 Celtic of all time.  Even with just one he arguably would be.

[Celtic]

I think you have to put Bird and Russell top, they're top ten players of all time and are unassailable.

Then comes Pierce, KG, Cowens, Mchale, Cousy, Havlicek

He's on that third level with a lot of Hall of Famers. He has the absolute potential and likelihood to be on the second tier. To make the top level, he'd have to be one of the greatest basketball players ever.

[moiso]

He's in the top tier with Bird, Havlicek, Russell, Pierce, and Cowens.  KG wasn't here long enough to make this list.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

From a pure basketball skill set, he's better than Pierce but I'm not ranking him over Pierce yet.   I've said it before, he has the highest ceiling since Bird.

He has the potential to retire as a top 5 Boston Celtic ever.

Will he get there? No idea but I hope so because that means more championships.

This feels right. On a purely 'vibes-based' basis, I think it goes something like this:

The absolute top of the mountain: Pierce, KG, McHale, Bird, Cowens, Russell. Guys like that.

The next rung: Tatum, Allen, Rondo, Parish, Ced, DJ, Heinsohn, Cousy, &c.

My 'very deep' thought process, looking at our championship squads.

From the last championship/contending core:
I would put him in line with, say, Ray & Rondo, and a wee bit behind Pierce and KG.

From The Bird-cores: He's behind McHale, Bird, and Walton (only if we're including Walton's peak - his time in Portland). On the level with Parish, Cedric Maxwell & DJ.

From the 70's he's behind Cowens and... that's it.

I'm certainly not rating him against Bill but I would take Tatum over anyone else on the Russell Dynasty C's.

No mention of Havlicek—where do you place him?

[johnnygreen]

Tommy Heinsohn says hi.

[Atzar]

In this organization, I think players need to put banners in the rafters before they can be considered among the legends.  Maybe a perennial MVP candidate/winner would be an exception, but Tatum is a bit beneath that threshold too. 

So I don't think he's there yet.  But he's young, good, and in a great position to make his mark over the next few seasons.  We'll see.

[Goldstar88]

Talent wise, he’s top tier.  Combination of his skillset, size , and athleticism Tatum is better than probably anyone. If we are talking about accolades he’s at the bottom, since he hasn’t won. Not sure it’s fair to compare him to those guys in terms of accomplishments since he’s 25 and those players are all retired. Will be interesting to look at things in 10-15 years, though.

[johnnygreen]

I think I recall (internally) asking where Tatum was on some of the Celtics list in the best starting 5 of all time thread. I forget, did anyone list him?

I think all of us desperately want to include him with the other Celtics legends, but he has a bad habit of falling short in the playoffs. Unfortunately, this is where those Celtics legends became legends. Not because of regular season success, but by what they did in the playoffs and winning titles.

Just look at the recent IST. Does anyone really think Bird or Russell wouldn't have taken that seriously? I highly doubt Bird would have disappeared in the 4th quarter in that Indiana game.

The thing that separated Bird and Russell wasn't their desire to win, but their hatred to lose. I don't think Tatum hates losing.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

He's in the top tier with Bird, Havlicek, Russell, Pierce, and Cowens.  KG wasn't here long enough to make this list.

He was here six years—that's only one fewer than Tatum right now. Of course, Tatum's likely to be here much longer, but at this point their Celtics tenures are of comparable length. And KG was the defensive anchor of a team that won a title and went to one other NBA Finals.

[Donoghus]

He's in the top tier with Bird, Havlicek, Russell, Pierce, and Cowens.  KG wasn't here long enough to make this list.

He was here six years—that's only one fewer than Tatum right now. Of course, Tatum's likely to be here much longer, but at this point their Celtics tenures are of comparable length. And KG was the defensive anchor of a team that won a title and went to one other NBA Finals.

Whether its right or not, KG has always been perceived differently because he wasn't homegrown.

[Kernewek]

From a pure basketball skill set, he's better than Pierce but I'm not ranking him over Pierce yet.   I've said it before, he has the highest ceiling since Bird.

He has the potential to retire as a top 5 Boston Celtic ever.

Will he get there? No idea but I hope so because that means more championships.

This feels right. On a purely 'vibes-based' basis, I think it goes something like this:

The absolute top of the mountain: Pierce, KG, McHale, Bird, Cowens, Russell. Guys like that.

The next rung: Tatum, Allen, Rondo, Parish, Ced, DJ, Heinsohn, Cousy, &c.

My 'very deep' thought process, looking at our championship squads.

From the last championship/contending core:
I would put him in line with, say, Ray & Rondo, and a wee bit behind Pierce and KG.

From The Bird-cores: He's behind McHale, Bird, and Walton (only if we're including Walton's peak - his time in Portland). On the level with Parish, Cedric Maxwell & DJ.

From the 70's he's behind Cowens and... that's it.

I'm certainly not rating him against Bill but I would take Tatum over anyone else on the Russell Dynasty C's.

No mention of Havlicek—where do you place him?

Gun to my head, probably in the top echelon. I left him out because it was a dashed-off list and I struggle with Hondo. On the one hand, he's iconic, but also perhaps not a guy who's got an all-time game as much as all-time moments?

[Donoghus]

From a pure basketball skill set, he's better than Pierce but I'm not ranking him over Pierce yet.   I've said it before, he has the highest ceiling since Bird.

He has the potential to retire as a top 5 Boston Celtic ever.

Will he get there? No idea but I hope so because that means more championships.

This feels right. On a purely 'vibes-based' basis, I think it goes something like this:

The absolute top of the mountain: Pierce, KG, McHale, Bird, Cowens, Russell. Guys like that.

The next rung: Tatum, Allen, Rondo, Parish, Ced, DJ, Heinsohn, Cousy, &c.

My 'very deep' thought process, looking at our championship squads.

From the last championship/contending core:
I would put him in line with, say, Ray & Rondo, and a wee bit behind Pierce and KG.

From The Bird-cores: He's behind McHale, Bird, and Walton (only if we're including Walton's peak - his time in Portland). On the level with Parish, Cedric Maxwell & DJ.

From the 70's he's behind Cowens and... that's it.

I'm certainly not rating him against Bill but I would take Tatum over anyone else on the Russell Dynasty C's.

No mention of Havlicek—where do you place him?

Gun to my head, probably in the top echelon. I left him out because it was a dashed-off list and I struggle with Hondo. On the one hand, he's iconic, but also perhaps not a guy who's got an all-time game as much as all-time moments?

I think he's right behind Russell & Bird and above Pierce.  #5 has always been an interesting debate, IMO.