Beyond the true Celtics fans, there is a weird undercurrent of “stans” who ride harder for players than teams, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown both have plenty of them. They can be toxic for a fanbase, prioritizing individual success over team success, and it often leads to negative discourse around other players, as we see all over social media (and local and national media) when it comes to the Jays.
On the surface, the prevailing sentiment for Tatum stans has been that Brown is holding him back with too much usage and inefficiency. They’ve been out in full force this summer, blaming JB for the Celtics’ shortcomings, getting up in arms with him for calling this his favorite season, still feeling resentment over him winning Finals MVP in 2024, and looking to get him out of Boston on the first thing smoking.
Obviously, the noise has all been around a trade for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, which would almost certainly mean the Celtics parting with Brown. Tatum fans have been all over this, dying for a superstar upgrade next to Tatum, but it doesn’t sound like they’ll get their wish. Those rumors are on life support, as all parties are reporting that the Cs simply aren’t interested in Giannis, or in trading Brown.
Giannis could easily steal the spotlight from Tatum
But Tatum’s fans should actually be thrilled by this news, because it means much more potential for individual glory and accolades for Tatum. Realistically, if the Celtics were to swap JB for Giannis, the team would have a higher ceiling, and they could have a solid shot to win another ring.
However, if that were to become reality, it would likely mean that Giannis is playing at an MVP level, meaning a very high usage, monster stats, and emerging as the team’s true alpha over JT. Giannis could clean up during awards season, and unless the Celtics have a historic season, they probably aren’t going to have multiple MVP candidates or First-Team All-NBA players.
Keeping Jaylen Brown protects Tatum's legacy
For Giannis to come to town, Tatum would actually have to sacrifice some volume, production, and on-ball reps to make it work. He could have better efficiency and help the Celtics be even better, but the stats would dip, and Giannis would take a lot of the spotlight. Giannis would also be the heavy favorite to potentially win Finals MVP if the Celtics were to get that far, something that would go a long way in cementing Tatum’s resume as an all-time great (not that he needs it).
On the other hand, if Brown stays, Tatum steps back in as the team’s alpha now that he’ll be back to full strength. He’ll be starting the season ready to go, to prove he’s back to 100% and back to being an All-NBA player. He can be the true leader of the team, and if they get over the hump again, it will almost certainly be thanks to Tatum.
Fans of Tatum who want what’s best for his legacy should really want things to continue as they are, for Tatum to lead the team on another Finals run, and for him to take him all of the hardware this time around, something that feels much less likely with Giannis in tow.
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