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Boston Celtics: Complete 2017 offseason grades

By Josh Cornelissen

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward get introduced as Boston Celtics on September 1, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 1: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward get introduced as Boston Celtics on September 1, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images
Photo by Brian Babineau/Getty Images /

Drafting Jayson Tatum

It’s virtually unheard of for a team to finish first in its conference and then a few months later pick first in the NBA Draft. The Celtics came close to pulling that off thanks to a pick swap exercised with the Brooklyn Nets, holding the top pick in the draft for a month.

Less then a week before the draft, however, Boston flipped the top pick for the third overall pick and a future protected first-rounder. While this allowed the Philadelphia 76ers to draft their guy in Washington guard Markelle Fultz, the Celtics were able to still get their guy two picks later in Jayson Tatum.

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Tatum is the latest in a line of multi-purpose, skilled combo forwards to come out of Duke prepared to make an offensive impact from the jump. While many draft analysts speaking before and after liked De’Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson or even Dennis Smith Jr. above Tatum, the reality is that Jayson Tatum is special and has a higher ceiling than anyone but perhaps Smith Jr.

He has work to do on his playmaking and passing, while defensively there are more things he must learn than those he has already committed to memory. But he can score the basketball from anywhere on the court, and has an array of “moves” every bit as polished as 10-year pros.

Tatum has the offensive ceiling to be a generational offensive threat from the wing, and fits perfectly with Jaylen Brown in the wing lineup of the future. Tatum’s offensive punch makes up for for any weakness on Brown’s part on offense, and defensively Brown is much more capable in a fight than Tatum.

Perhaps not drafting Markelle Fultz was the right move, perhaps it was a mistake. But the Celtics felt — and feel — confident in their selection. The best version of Tatum is off-of-the-charts good, and he is a deserving pick among the very best rookies in the class. Getting Tatum and a future first round pick was a great move.

Grade: A

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