Jayson Tatum Considered Leaving Celtics After Veteran Was Signed

Tatum thought about leaving the organization.

Eva Geitheim | Nov 5, 2024

Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

In this story:

Boston Celtics

Shortly after the Boston Celtics drafted forward Jayson Tatum No. 3 overall out of Duke in the 2017 NBA Draft, they signed forward All-Star Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $128 million contract. The signing made Tatum question if he would get the chance to start or have a role on the team.

“I get drafted and Gordon Hayward signs with the Celtics and I call my agent and tell him, “I have to get traded,” said Tatum on the Club 520 Podcast.

Hayward was coming off the first NBA All-Star appearance of his career when the Celtics signed him, and had just averaged a career-high 21.9 points per game. Tatum was getting started as a rookie, but his agent told him to relax.

“I’m in summer league before I ever play a game and I’m like yo, and my agent was like ‘just relax.’ You have to chill," Tatum said. "I’m like, I am trying to play, I didn’t get drafted to come off the bench and not start. He's like, 'yo, you're in a great organization. They're gonna teach you how to play.”

Tatum's agent was right. Tatum would go on to start all 80 of the games he played in during his rookie season, and averaged 30.5 minutes per game. As a rookie, he averaged 13.9 points per game and made the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Hayward ultimately missed the majority of the season after fracturing his tibia and dislocating his ankle during the Celtics' season opener. When Hayward did return the following season, he started 18 of the 72 games he played in. The following season, Hayward did start 52 games. After three seasons with the Celtics, Hayward spent four seasons with the Charlotte Hornets before he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Since Tatum joined the Celtics, he has started every game he has played in over his NBA career. He has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA, and has made the NBA All-Star Game five separate times. Last season, Tatum became an NBA champion for the first time when the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

It's safe to say that Tatum landing in Boston was a blessing in disguise.