Celtics Reportedly Targeted Future NBA Star After Drafting Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum fulfilled his destiny, co-guiding the Boston Celtics alongside Jaylen Brown with an NBA title after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Tatum came to the Celtics as the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. At the time, he joined the core with Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving.

In an alternate universe, however, Tatum would not have been the only impact star joining the Celtics from that draft class.

ESPN’s Zach Lowe revealed in a recent column that Boston also tried to make a deal to land guard Donovan Mitchell. The Louisville product would have added to an already talented core.

“On the night they drafted Tatum No. 3 in 2017, Boston tried to acquire a second lottery pick in hopes of selecting Donovan Mitchell, league sources said,” Lowe wrote. “After the draft, they engaged Utah in talks for Mitchell — which Utah rebuffed, sources said.”

Mitchell instead went on to play for the Utah Jazz as the No. 13 overall pick before continuing his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Celtics built a new core around Tatum and Brown as Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday delivered Banner 18 to Boston.