Boston Celtics: 5 goals for Jayson Tatum’s rookie season

2. Embrace playmaking ability

Jayson Tatum isn’t necessarily a bad passer, it’s just that he is always looking to shoot. With his ability to score, particularly in the midrange, that isn’t a bad thing. He had the ball in his hands quite frequently at Duke, and he should be able to improve on his meager 2.1 assists per game.

Tatum is great at scoring in post-up situations, similar to Carmelo Anthony. He isn’t a catch-and-shoot guy, so he needs the ball in his hands in order to score effectively. The modern NBA is moving away from ball-stoppers like Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady. We are now seeing players posting up in order to make plays for open teammates, like Draymond Green and LeBron James.

Tatum’s value on offense would skyrocket if he could become a more proficient passer. Al Horford is great at passing out of post-up situations, and he leads all centers in assists per game. Tatum could become the same dual-threat player offensively that Horford is in the post if he improves his passing.