NBA Rumors: Amid Anthony Davis Trade Rumors, Jayson Tatum Still Hoping To Play ‘Whole Career’ With Celtics
When Anthony Davis officially demanded a trade, the Boston Celtics urged the New Orleans Pelicans to wait for the summer of 2019 to make a deal so that they could join the bidding. The Celtics were unable to trade for Davis before the February NBA trade deadline, since the “Derrick Rose Rule” stated that a team can only have one player who signed the Designated Player Rookie Scale Extension. Luckily for the Celtics, the Pelicans granted their request and let the deadline pass with Davis still on their roster.
When the 2018-19 NBA season is over, the Celtics are expected to become aggressive in pursuing Anthony Davis. The Celtics haven’t given the Pelicans a specific trade package, but after New Orleans passed on the Lakers’ offer of Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and Ivica Zubac, most people expect Jayson Tatum to be part of the deal if Boston is really serious about acquiring Davis.
Jayson Tatum is aware that his name has been surfacing in various trade rumors. In a recent interview with ESPN’s Sage Steele on Saturday at the NBA’s All-Star Weekend, Tatum said that he will only try to control what he can control, but if he will be the one to decide, he wants to finish his NBA career with the Celtics.
“You start to understand that this is a business,” Tatum said, according to NESN. “I play basketball and I’ve just got to control what I can control, and I love being on the Celtics. I want to play there my whole career.”
Jayson Tatum, Joe Harris, Hamidou Diallo win titles at All-Star Saturday https://t.co/F6L2lMz8Qg
— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) February 17, 2019
From the time he was selected as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Jayson Tatum has already prepared himself for anything that he could happen in his NBA career. Tatum said that he won’t hold any grudge against the Celtics if ever they decide to include him in the trade package to acquire Anthony Davis from the Pelicans next summer.
“I don’t take it personal,” Tatum said. “I understood coming into the NBA that it’s a business and they have to make the best decision for them, whatever that may be. Especially right now in a contract, I can’t control anything.”
As of now, Jayson Tatum is focused on helping the Celtics achieve their main goal in the 2018-19 NBA season. The Celtics headed into the All-Star break as the No. 4 team in the Eastern Conference with a 37-21 record. If the Celtics fail to at least enter the NBA Finals, it is highly likely that Tatum’s name will once again pop up in trade rumors in the 2019 NBA offseason.
