Suns wanted Tatum with 4th pick. Ainge: “that was never happening”

[CelticsElite]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

[celts10]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

I don't remember what the exact plan for Tatum was. Were they going to develop him slowly? I know the injuries to Morris and Hayward at the time forced them to throw him into the fire early on at the start of his rookie season.

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm imagining a Tatum-Booker-Ayton team as a playoff team.

Too bad he's wearing Green for life.

[saltlover]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

I don't remember what the exact plan for Tatum was. Were they going to develop him slowly? I know the injuries to Morris and Hayward at the time forced them to throw him into the fire early on at the start of his rookie season.

He started his first game, and always was likely to start over Morris.  Remember they traded Crowder in August, who was probably his biggest competition for a starting role.

[RodyTur10]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

I don't remember what the exact plan for Tatum was. Were they going to develop him slowly? I know the injuries to Morris and Hayward at the time forced them to throw him into the fire early on at the start of his rookie season.

He started his first game, and always was likely to start over Morris. Remember they traded Crowder in August, who was probably his biggest competition for a starting role.

Wasn't Brown supposed to replace Crowder? Then they signed Hayward and it wasn't really looking like Tatum would be a starter from the get-go. I remember that a lot of NBA fans thought the Celtics had a lockjam at SF and that they didn't understand why Ainge drafted Tatum when he was planning to sign Hayward anyway.

Some people on this forum then wondered whether Tatum could play PF and most of us agreed that he wasn't fysically strong enough (yet) to play that position and that he probably had to play primarily as a back-up for Hayward.

[KGs Knee]

Interesting that both Tatum and Jackson preferred to avoid the Celtics and were hoping for the Suns.  I'm not sure it would have mattered for Tatum, he was bound to be a star regardless, but it's very possible things could have went differently for Jackson.

[gouki88]

Interesting that both Tatum and Jackson preferred to avoid the Celtics and were hoping for the Suns.  I'm not sure it would have mattered for Tatum, he was bound to be a star regardless, but it's very possible things could have went differently for Jackson.

Can’t say I’m sad to see Jackson regress every year

[SparzWizard]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

I don't remember what the exact plan for Tatum was. Were they going to develop him slowly? I know the injuries to Morris and Hayward at the time forced them to throw him into the fire early on at the start of his rookie season.

He started his first game, and always was likely to start over Morris. Remember they traded Crowder in August, who was probably his biggest competition for a starting role.

Wasn't Brown supposed to replace Crowder? Then they signed Hayward and it wasn't really looking like Tatum would be a starter from the get-go. I remember that a lot of NBA fans thought the Celtics had a lockjam at SF and that they didn't understand why Ainge drafted Tatum when he was planning to sign Hayward anyway.

Some people on this forum then wondered whether Tatum could play PF and most of us agreed that he wasn't fysically strong enough (yet) to play that position and that he probably had to play primarily as a back-up for Hayward.

The original starting 5 was supposed to be...

Smart/Brown/Hayward/Tatum/Horford

And then IT4 got flipped for Kyrie Irving so it became Irving/Brown/Hayward/Tatum/Horford. Then Hayward went down so then it became Irving/Brown/Tatum/Horford/Theis

Lol how injuries affected the state of that roster.

[Somebody]

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/danny-ainge-jayson-tatum-was-never-gonna-end-phoenix-2017-draft


Also interestingly it says tatum was reluctant to be drafted by celtics because of a perceived lack of playing time. Guess that perception wasn’t right lol

I don't remember what the exact plan for Tatum was. Were they going to develop him slowly? I know the injuries to Morris and Hayward at the time forced them to throw him into the fire early on at the start of his rookie season.

He started his first game, and always was likely to start over Morris. Remember they traded Crowder in August, who was probably his biggest competition for a starting role.

Wasn't Brown supposed to replace Crowder? Then they signed Hayward and it wasn't really looking like Tatum would be a starter from the get-go. I remember that a lot of NBA fans thought the Celtics had a lockjam at SF and that they didn't understand why Ainge drafted Tatum when he was planning to sign Hayward anyway.

Some people on this forum then wondered whether Tatum could play PF and most of us agreed that he wasn't fysically strong enough (yet) to play that position and that he probably had to play primarily as a back-up for Hayward.

The original starting 5 was supposed to be...

Smart/Brown/Hayward/Tatum/Horford

And then IT4 got flipped for Kyrie Irving so it became Irving/Brown/Hayward/Tatum/Horford. Then Hayward went down so then it became Irving/Brown/Tatum/Horford/Theis

Lol how injuries affected the state of that roster.

And then Theis went down after tearing his meniscus against Indy, so the starting lineup became Irving/Brown/Tatum/Horford/Baynes before Kryknee had his knee issue flare up