Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum hints at Cs adding Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony

Boston Celtics All-NBA First-Team forward Jayson Tatum has been dropping hints all over his numerous social media accounts about what he’d like to see his employer do as the offseason concludes and training camp and the preseason loom.

A week and a half ago, Tatum liked a tweet from a fan who mentioned buying a Carmelo Anthony signed jersey. That wouldn’t mean as much if Melo wasn’t actively linked to the Celtics at that point in time.

While that talk has died down, Tatum’s Snapchat story may have deliberately fired that right back up. On Friday afternoon, the same day the Los Angeles Lakers re-signed Dennis Schroder after the German guard left L.A. in 2021 free agency to sign with Boston–later being traded to the Houston Rockets–Tatum shared a picture of himself, Westbrook, and Anthony working out together.

Does this mean that the Cs will ditch their current strategy of adding some of their Exhibit 10 signees to the roster ahead of the 2022-23 season? That much isn’t clear. Tatum seems to want that to happen, unless he’s simply supporting two future NBA Hall of Famers whose futures with Boston’s rival are unclear:

The Boston Celtics have more of a need for Carmelo Anthony than Russell Westbrook but don’t need either

At this point, the team that signs Russell Westbrook after he is almost certainly traded from the Los Angeles Lakers will be getting someone with a chip on his shoulder but a recent history of serious shooting struggles.

It doesn’t make sense for the Boston Celtics to be that team given their already loaded backcourt. Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens may end up having to trade one of Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Derrick White, or Payton Pritchard to clear up their floor general rotation.

As for Carmelo Anthony, his hypothetical role is looking like it’s going to go to Sam Hauser in the wake of Danilo Gallinari’s ACL tear. Melo offers a different attitude but similar attributes to Gallinari, but would have far more gravity than the second-year Hauser on the offensive side of the ball. From a ninth man in the rotation, Anthony’s usage may have been excessive.

Crazier things have happened, but Westbrook and Melo joining the Celtics is an NBA 2K pipe-dream and Jayson Tatum fantasy more than it is a legitimate rumor.