I just will as shocked as not taking Fultz , if they pass on Tatum ......not because Im so high on him ........just because he always seemed to have Brad Stevens " type Big " written across his chest .
Jayson Tatum clocked in at 205 lbs last year. I think it's pretty safe to say he'll never really be a big except in some situational 2 minutes a night.
I dont understand the reasoning for this assumption.
Dwight Howard and Anthony Davis were twigs when they came in to the league. Look at them a year or two later.
I can understand this argument in the case of Josh Jackson since he has a frail and narrow frame that doesn't seem like it could support much weight...but Tatum has a solid frame and he is pretty lean. I could see him building it to 225 - 230 in a couple of years without tooc much trouble, and having a Jimmy Butler type physique.
Dwight Howard was 240 lbs when he came out. Anthony Davis was 225 lbs. Less than their current listed weights but hardly twigs.
Even if Tatums goes up to 225 lbs, that's still SF size. It's 10 lbs less than Paul Pierce's playing weight.
Anthony Davis was 225 at 6'10"/6'11". Tatum is 205 at 6'8". Not really a big difference there.
Paul George had the exact height / weight / wingspan as Tatum on draft day, and he's now proven he can play the PF spot quite effectively.
Josh Smith was only 6'9" / 210 lbs when he came in to the NBA, and if anything he was very effective when he played the PF spot - and that was before the a small ball obsession really took hold.
Thadeus Young was 6'8" / 210 and mostly plays PF.
And yes, I know George and Smith were more athletic - but athleticism isn't that important at the PF spot compared to other positions.
Tatum will be fine.