The problem is Tatum and Smart

[bcgenuis]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

[Ogaju]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

….and Brown? What exactly is his role?

[GreenlyGreeny]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

….and Brown? What exactly is his role?

Brown not accepting being number two to Tatum is the fundamental issue. Smart not accepting being number four to a future number three not yet on the team is a secondary issue.

Solution: Trade Brown and Smart for picks, rebuild around the picks, and let Tatum recruit a buddy or two in free agency that he’d like to play team ball with and who is/are willing to be beta to Tatum’s alpha.

We need to break up JT/JB and whichever one is more likely to recruit a superstar in free agency in the future, that’s the way you go (doubt JB can bring in someone like Beal, but perhaps JT can).

[Rosco917]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

….and Brown? What exactly is his role?

Browns role is to help acquire Damian Lillard, IMO.

Lillard at 31, with his shooting percentage slightly slipping this year may be ready to shoot for a ring now and a new home. Lillard has enough league respect, and NBA weight to make Tatum responsible for his low BBIQ decisions. Damian has a good 4 or 5 productive years left, he could fit into that Chris Paul mold.

Lillard
Schroder
Horford
Williams
Tatum

Smart as 6th man. 

[GreenlyGreeny]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

….and Brown? What exactly is his role?

Browns role is to help acquire Damian Lillard, IMO.

Lillard at 31, with his shooting percentage slightly slipping this year may be ready to shoot for a ring now and a new home. Lillard has enough league respect, and NBA weight to make Tatum responsible for his low BBIQ decisions. Damian has a good 4 or 5 productive years left, he could fit into that Chris Paul mold.

Lillard
Schroder
Horford
Williams
Tatum

Smart as 6th man.

Anyway we can package Smart/others/picks and make it Tatum, Lillard and McCollum? Tatum could learn a lot from those two and it could be a good enough Big 3 to win it all.

Plus, CJ was elected president of the NBAPA four months ago, so lots of cred/display for us like what CP3 brought to the Suns last year when he was NBAPA prez.

[Ogaju]

This team lacks leadership. It lacks a true alpha.

When the supposed leader of the team is a self centered player. The rest of the team follows suit. 

Tatum is immature at this point, maybe he grows into the role, probably not.  To me he was anointed and didnt work on game to get there.  He is the same player as he was when he came into the league (skills wise).  In a sense he is worse, because now he chucks up 25 shots a game no matter what. He is an entitled player, those types usually do not win, especially early in their careers.

Much of this is Stevens' fault where he deferred to his players and let them shoot regardless. That is why Smart has his awful nights.

They dont have a point guard, Smart is overrated by the Celtix faithful. He is a defensive sparkplug, he should not be starting or ever taking more then 10 shots a game unless he made 6 of those first 9.

Until those 2 players start involving their teammates, this team as constructed is going nowhere.

….and Brown? What exactly is his role?

Browns role is to help acquire Damian Lillard, IMO.

Lillard at 31, with his shooting percentage slightly slipping this year may be ready to shoot for a ring now and a new home. Lillard has enough league respect, and NBA weight to make Tatum responsible for his low BBIQ decisions. Damian has a good 4 or 5 productive years left, he could fit into that Chris Paul mold.

Lillard
Schroder
Horford
Williams
Tatum

Smart as 6th man.

How do you keep Schröder?

[showtime]

Smart and the current coach are the major problems on this team!

[Neurotic Guy]

Currently trending on the CStrong blame train:  It's Tatum's fault, Smart's fault, Brown's fault, Ime's fault.  We've recently seen Ainge's fault and Brad's fault -- though Brad seems to be getting some benefit of the doubt overall.   Does this lack of consensus have any underlying meaning?

[RJ87]

There's a lot of stuff here I just don't agree with at all. Particularly regarding Tatum not adding anything to his game. Idk how you can look at his rookie year to now and think he hasn't worked on his game at all.

As to his maturity, he's 23. I don't know a lot of 23 year olds who are completely developed. I sure wasn't when I was that age. Does he get frustrated at times, sure.

Him and Jaylen were drafted to a team where they were asked to be role players on a contenders. As this team has lost talent at a crazy rate over the years, they've had to take on larger roles. Why did people think that the transition was going to be easy? Most teams built around younger guys will struggle. But because they weren't given the keys earlier as most high draft picks are, they're learning about leadership now.

[Moranis]

I love the hyperbole that because Tatum had 25 shots in the last game he must do it every game.  He does not.  7 of the 27 games he has and he was really only a bad shooter in the first 2, game 1 against the Knicks and game 6 against the Wizards and then the one against Phoenix he certainly wasn't good (but they were also down big after his fast/hot start). 

And 4 of his 5 worst shooting games he had 16 or less shots, so he does scale it back when he is cold.