Tatum feels 'at ease' leading the reformed Celtics after Brown's trade

BOSTON The one constant in Jayson Tatum's rise as the star of Boston Celtics was having Jaylen Brown as a teammate. This partnership ended in the off-season when the Celtics board decided to send Brown, MVP from the 2000-01 Finals,[8][9] to Philadelphia 76ers .

Background: The duo that built the title of 2024

Throughout the trajectory, Tatum and Brown's off-court relationship closeness or lack thereof has been a topic of conversation throughout their time together.

On Monday's press day, Tatum summed up the end of the cycle: "The entrepreneurial side of [the league] comes into play at some point. And I've seen that in almost 10 years in the league. For me, it is about gratitude for what we have accomplished and what it means to this city and to this organization. The highs and lows of our career have made us grow and learn and become the players we are today. So be grateful for those nine years".

Unfolding: the exchange that separated Brown from Tatum

The final choice was to keep Tatum and send Brown to a division rival. Philadelphia 76ers suddenly became an Eastern Conference candidate after also signing LeBron James in the offseason.

This left Tatum, a six-time All-Star and five-time all-NBA player, in the spotlight as the unquestioned leader of the Celtics.

New moment: Tatum healthy and Celtics with new identity

Tatum said he was ready to take on the challenge of leading a new version of the team, which received Paul George back in exchange and added pitcher Mitchell Robinson and point guard

"Leadership involves a lot of different things. Consciousness is the biggest one: self-awareness, group consciousness. And understanding that everyone has roles and we're just all in this together. So it varies from person to person".

Coach Joe Mazzulla stated that the style of the team will not necessarily change without Brown. "I don't think it is necessarily the phrase 'without Jaylen.' Every year there are new players, old players, and the same ones who come back expand their game and look different. So it's not so much how does a team go without one person or another but rather what is our roster and how do we harness the strengths and talent we have".

The body and timing: 16 months after surgery

He completed the 16-month mark since surgery on his Achilles tendon and said he was ready after losing Game 7 of the first matchday playoff series against Philadelphia 76ers last season.

"I feel great that I've had this off-season period to get stronger, more explosive and work my body as a whole. Obviously, I feel much better than I did at this time last year, and I am excited and grateful for it".

George and the new role: supporting Tatum on all fronts

If anyone knows what it's like to try and get back on the court after a serious injury, that someone is George.[citation needed] He sat out almost all of season 2014-2015 while at Indiana Pacers after suffering an exposed fracture in his right leg in a Team USA collective.

George reiterated that he sees his role this season as filling in any gaps on the court. "Obviously JT is the guy", he said. "I'm here to support him on all fronts. I have always prided myself on being able to do more than one thing, take on whatever function was needed and still produce at a high level. That's how I see being here".

Where the story is now

The Celtics begin the new stage with Tatum as a central reference, Brown now as rival at Philadelphia 76ers , George back in the lineup and an adjusted team to try to maintain competitiveness by reducing the salary weight associated with the two contracts of US$ 300 million.

== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man
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