Jeff Goodman: "Jayson Tatum Is Going To Have A Better Career Than Paul Pierce"

Jeff Goodman talks about all our young'uns:  Smart, Rozier, Brown, Tatum





bob



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Thanx Bob, another great find!

I could have used another half hour of this kind of discussion. Great insight into all four of these young men.

I really appreciated his memories of these guys in high school.

Highlight points for me:

1. Let the market dictate Smarts future with the Celtics. You just can't let him walk away for chump change. But he is just not good enuf to overpay. He's not a pg and he surely isn't a 2. Same thing I've been saying for years.

2. TRo is a keeper. His best trait is his superior rebounding. (Why is he superior on our team? Because he is the only one who makes the effort) He is a shoot first point guard. (not my fave role but useful.)

3. Jaylen is his biggest surprise. Couldn't shoot in high school or college and was mebbe 2 smart for the NBA> But Jaylen can shoot now and is improving because he is smart enuf to focus on roundball while still enjoying his other interests.

4. Tatum will be better than Pierce. I don't necessarily agree but I couldn't really dispute his reasoning.

A very good listen although too short.

I have great respect for Bob Ryan as an analyst and as a person. Fourteen years ago he wrote a story about one of the Celtics players with which I disagreed. I sent him an email challenging his view, and he responded personally with a polite, well-reasoned, and persuasive argument. Who does that?

He deserves all the success he's had since.

Nice clip. Really underscores the top young talent we now have.

No argument with Goodman, except to say it may be a bit premature to say Tatum will have a better career than Pierce.

That's not to say I don't think it's possible. I do think he could. I was totally sold on Tatum being the best in last years draft and the only pick we needed to consider for a reason. Like Goodman, I was certain this was an NBA All-Star after seeing only a couple of his college games. It was obvious; not another player on the court could keep up with him. Where I looked at Tatum differently from Goodman, was I thought last year that Tatum was clearly going to be a solid NBA defender upon arrival. His speed, positioning, and recognition on the defensive end while at Duke, were all way beyond college level.

So yes, my thinking is still that Tatum has a shot at becoming a perennial all-star. I just think a guy might need to spend a couple of years in the league before we project him over a certain HOF player.