Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum excited to play with Kyrie Irving
By Nam Tran
Boston Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum is glad he wasn’t traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and is excited to play with Kyrie Irving.
Tuesday night, the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers pulled off the biggest deal thus far this NBA offseason when Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a 2018 first-round pick were dealt to the Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving.
During the early talks of this deal, Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum was one of the main players the Cavaliers wanted. But now that the trade is complete, Tatum is glad that he gets to stay in Boston.
Speaking to ESPN’s Chris Forsberg, Tatum said that the trade was a “shock” to him as it was to everyone else. He added that he was really surprised when he saw his name come up in trade rumors.
"“I was just as surprised as everyone else [about the deal]. I saw my name come up, and I didn’t know if I was going to get traded. … It’s all new to me. I haven’t played an NBA game yet; I just came from college. I don’t know how to handle all the trade talks. I was just like, ‘Wow,’ [when I] saw my name come up.”"
Tatum, who was picked third overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, also said that he is excited to play with Irving. Tatum said that although he is not sure if Irving is what the Celtics need right now to evolve, he feels that Irving is a “superstar” and will be a lot of fun to play with.
Next: 5 takeaways from the Kyrie Irving – Isaiah Thomas trade
So far this summer, the Celtics have made the most blockbuster moves out of all the other NBA teams. Early in July, they snagged one-time All-Star Gordon Hayward from the Utah Jazz, and now they have dealt for a champion in Irving. The team looks to have improved with the changes to their roster, but will it be enough to lead them to their 18th NBA title?