Cleveland Cavaliers: Ranking the NBA’s best young cores
By Tony Pesta
6. Boston Celtics
Potential All-Stars: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
It might not have been their choice, but the Boston Celtics are now going all-in on their young core of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. With the abrupt departure of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, the fate of this storied franchise now lies on the development of these two young stars.
The recently acquired star, Kemba Walker, will play a huge role in how far this team goes. But at 29 years of age, Walker will not be carrying the torch for Boston. It will have to be one of either Tatum or Brown.
It feels like decades since we watched Tatum ball out in the Eastern Conference Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. A chest-thumping dunk over the “king” of the NBA was an incredible way for Tatum to kick off his career, even if it resulted in a seven-game defeat.
Averaging 17.9 points per game against the best player in the league, Tatum seemed destined for instant success in the NBA.
As we know, this run from Tatum didn’t last long. Last season, he arguably took a step back, averaging an inefficient 15.7 points per game.
Perhaps it was due to his role being decreased with the return of Irving and Gordon Hayward, but his questionable shot selection and reluctance to attack the rim certainly played a role as well. Regardless, Tatum once again has to prove himself this season.
In the case of Brown, he has steadily been a great player on both ends of the floor. He has consistently improved each season and his athleticism helps him defend nearly every position. Brown has some ways to go before becoming a shot creator, but his offensive game is promising.
The 2019 NBA Draft might not have been perfect for the Celtics, but they did acquire an intriguing prospect in Carsen Edwards. In a Stephen Curry-like performance, Edwards broke the NCAA record for most 3-pointers through the first four tournament games.
His deep shooting gives him the potential to be a big-time producer at the NBA level.
Cavaliers takeaways:
The Boston Celtics put themselves in this position by stockpiling assets all decade long. Cleveland has already begun doing this, but they should continue to load up on future prospects.