New-look Boston Celtics no longer the Eastern favorites
By Adam Taylor
Storyline No. 3: Two Jays time
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum seem to have been around forever now. It’s hard to believe they are still 22 and 21 years old, respectively. Regularly cited as the future of this Boston Celtics team, the time has now come for them to live up to the hype.
No longer are they playing on a team with a ball-dominant guard such as Kyrie Irving or with an ever calming presence like Al Horford. They have tasted both success and defeat in the playoffs in their young NBA careers and both are returning from an ill-fated stint at the FIBA World Cup with Team USA.
Brown is entering a contract year and as such has it all to play for. He will also want to earn his starting spot back. To do this he will need to show improvement. Tatum, on the other hand, is still a year away from his first foray into free agency, but the narrative remains the same — your time is now.
After Danny Ainge reportedly refused to part with either of his young stars during trade talks revolving around Anthony Davis, it should be clear clearly understand how highly the front office views this pair.
As with all young players, they have both shown inconsistencies in their game which need to be eradicated, whether that be Tatum lighting it up from 3 one minute to shooting contest long-range 2s the next, or Brown locking down his man only to lose him on multiple defensive rotations in the plays that follow.
These are two young players with future expectations already resting firmly on their shoulders. With each passing year they become more prominent in the team’s trajectory.
On a roster as young as this, there is no place to hide now. Heck, Jaylen is now the team’s second-longest tenured player. Both he and Tatum will be influential on both the court and in the locker room. Should they fail to capitalize on this opportunity, then the front office may decide to look into trades for Brown to solidify their frontcourt.
They have an opportunity to make this team their own for the foreseeable future, providing Boston with a ready-made Big Three when including Kemba Walker.