At the beginning of the Boston Celtics’ season, many wondered if it was time to split up Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
It’s a concept Tatum can’t quite wrap his head around.
Boston was a .500 team to begin the season and there were a slew of questions regarding its chemistry after players were calling one another out, players-only meetings were being held and the Celtics just couldn’t seem to get it together on the court.
Brown missed a few games due to injury and Tatum struggled at times, but the All-Star forward never saw that as a reason to trade either player.
“The best thing for his career, and mine, is being on the same team,” Tatum said on “The Old Man and the Three” podcast, as transcribed by MassLive. “Relatively the same age and position and pushing each other. Just every day, in the games and in practice. Working out together. I think that’s been very beneficial for both of us.
“I think what people don’t understand is, alright, if you want to break us up, the grass is not always greener. There’s not a lot of guys in the NBA like JB. Or if you want to get rid of me — not to toot my own horn — but I know I’m one of the best players. I couldn’t imagine why you wouldn’t want two of the best players that are under 25 on your team.”
It probably would be wise for the Celtics, who have caught fire of late, to stick with Brown and Tatum and build around them if they want to return to the NBA Finals.
