Boston Celtics fans are not the only ones excited about Jayson Tatum’s rookie season
Sports Illustrated has recently given out their NBA rookie Superlatives, and neither of the first two picks were picked as the most likely to succeed. Instead, it is the Boston Celtics‘ number one prospect, Jayson Tatum, that they are looking to have the most successful rookie season.
Now, there are a couple of ways of looking at this. In terms of volume and overall production, both Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball should be able to stuff the stats sheet, running the show for a bottom dwelling unestablished young team.
Tatum, on the other hand, is going to have to earn every bit of his role. He could fall in and out of the rotation, and he will not be able to unleash everything.
So, the success we are talking about here is not overall production or largest impact on the court. Instead, it should be looked at as the way they grow and a player, and how their skills are developed.
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In that case, Tatum is an obvious choice. Both Fultz and Ball are going to be in a position where they are expected to make everyone around them better. Tatum is in a perfect situation to make him better.
Tatum will not have the freedom nor the responsibilities of other top rookies, but it is hard to envision him having a disappointing season with what is around him.
Tatum does not have to be a ball handler, he does not have to be an elite defender. All Tatum needs to do is exactly what made him such a great prospects, score at the NBA level.
If left by himself, Tatum should be able to do some damage in isolation. Where we will see the best success is how he uses the ball movement, taking advantage of an offense that does as much as anyone generating open looks.
Stevens will also be there looking at how he can adjust his offense (on the second unit) to compliment Tatum’s ability. Both Ball and Fultz will be thrust into every and any situation, and they will have to deal with it, making it a lot easier to have failures.
On a team that cannot afford to have liabilities and failings on the court, Stevens will not put Tatum in a position that does not help him tremendously. It may take time for Stevens to identify exactly how to use him, but as the season goes on, everyone will be more comfortable, and Tatum will be playing in a system and playing a role that is designed specifically to suit what he is capable of doing at this point in his career.
In the end, these are all rookies. None of them are going to have a completely clean season. The difference is going to be that Fultz and Ball are going to have to fight through those failures on a relatively isolated island.
Tatum, on the other hand, has a tremendous team and a tremendous coach around him that will do everything to help get through the inevitable short comings.
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Again, it is hard to imagine Tatum getting the role that will give him the numbers to earn that rookie of the year award. The difference, however, is that Tatum is in a significantly better position to come out of his rookie season as the most developed and NBA ready player of his class.