ESPN article re 2017 draft and potential for Lakers to select Tatum

[President Red]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43520876/how-jayson-tatum-2017-nba-draft-fuels-boston-celtics-los-angeles-lakers-rivalry

The best part might be the closing comment by Ainge (presumably Danny, but the article is ambiguous and mentions Austin, as well) regarding the rivalry. 

[Donoghus]

Great find. Thanks for sharing.

Entertaining bit here. Thanks for the incompetence, LA.

Wechsler said Pelinka also mentioned he had other workouts set at the end of the week for players L.A. was evaluating with their other pick at the end of the first round, No. 28 -- or else he would fly to St. Louis to see Tatum there.

Wechsler didn't bite. "Magic had already told me he wasn't taking him," Wechsler said. "And Rob's here saying, 'I can't reschedule because I got the 28th pick coming in.' That's what was off-putting in that whole thing."

[jpotter33]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

[blink]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43520876/how-jayson-tatum-2017-nba-draft-fuels-boston-celtics-los-angeles-lakers-rivalry

The best part might be the closing comment by Ainge (presumably Danny, but the article is ambiguous and mentions Austin, as well) regarding the rivalry.

yeah the dig at the lakers # of titles was great.....

[radiohead]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

Embiid/Tatum would have been a juggernaut. How do you stop that tandem. Modern day Shaq/Kobe?

[Phantom255x]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

Embiid/Tatum would have been a juggernaut. How do you stop that tandem. Modern day Shaq/Kobe?

Simple. Injuries to Embiid's knee 

[blink]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

Embiid/Tatum would have been a juggernaut. How do you stop that tandem. Modern day Shaq/Kobe?

Simple. Injuries to Embiid's knee 

yup jt playing by himself most of the time sice embiid is always injured.

[slightly biased bias fan]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

Embiid/Tatum would have been a juggernaut. How do you stop that tandem. Modern day Shaq/Kobe?

It would not have been possible.

People have forgotten that Danny Ainge had the first pick in the draft and was always going to select Tatum (especially after the Fultz workout). The only reason Ainge traded down was because he had leverage over the Lakers & 76ers both wanting Fultz.

This what if narrative has been spun by the media.

[slightly biased bias fan]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

I may be wrong, but I think Hanlen & Tatum had some apprehensions about joining the Celtics because they saw Hayward, Morris, Brown & Smart as obstacles in Tatum getting consistent minutes, which makes sense.

Before the 2017 NBA draft, the 76ers had no established players other than Embiid (who Hanlen knew was going to be a star).

[aefgogreen]

good read - I didn't realize they had an agreement in place that Philly would not draft Tatum.  It makes sense though.  And I'm glad it was a given that the Lakers didn't want him.

[green_bballers13]

This was the other big nugget from the article:

(Hanlen, who also trains Joel Embiid, also considers another alternate history: "I begged the Sixers to draft Jayson because I knew that pairing Jayson and Joel up ... I really thought that they would be the biggest tandem in the NBA.")

Things worked out perfectly for us to get JT.

Embiid/Tatum would have been a juggernaut. How do you stop that tandem. Modern day Shaq/Kobe?

The major difference is that Embiid doesn't play a lot of basketball. Unfortunately his body hasn't been able to keep up with the demands of the game.