Is Tatum a #1 option on a Championship team

[GiannisAnte34]

I'm sure this poll probably brings to question how many #1 options are there in the league at any given time and the strength of previous title teams that allowed weaker #1 options. For the sake of this thread lets focus strictly on the scenario where Tatum is on the Celtics as constructed, in the Eastern conference as it stands today. This is generally how it will be until 2026 when Tatum is in his prime, what do you see his ceiling as? Is he blossoming into a top 5 player in this league? Can he lead a team to a Championship as the #1 option?

[Statlanta]

The Celtics can win a championship but I don’t think he’s a traditional #1 option with his lack of playmaking. If they win it is because Boston’s top 8 is better than the other top 8.

The Game 7’s won this season were because somebody stepped up(Williams, White)
I thought at times Horford and Brown were as impactful this season.

[HeatIn5]

He already made the finals and is 19 years old. Come on.

[DarkAzcura]

Tatum has averaged 26/8/6 on 56.5% TS the last three playoff runs over 46 games. He made the Finals once and the ECFs twice in that span.

Yeah, I would say he is.

The Celtics can win a championship but I don’t think he’s a traditional #1 option with his lack of playmaking. If they win it is because Boston’s top 8 is better than the other top 8.

The Game 7’s won this season were because somebody stepped up(Williams, White)
I thought at times Horford and Brown were as impactful this season.

Tatum has averaged 6 APG over his last 46 playoff games going back 3 years. He’s averaged over 4 APG the last two regular seasons. That’s completely normal and fine for a superstar wing.

[coolness]

I hate the question because it has everything to do with who his teammates happen to be.

Easily a better scorer than 2004 Rip Hamilton. So is Jaylen Brown.

[skones]

If you're in the finals and you're the number one option, you're capable of being the number 1 option on a championship team. Whether it breaks that way or not isn't the determining factor.

/thread

[Lockdown504090]

i think he still has to get better with making secondary reads passing the ball, driving and finishing with his left, finishing strong through contact instead of flopping for it, and might wanna get out in transition a tad more. Id also like to see him post up smaller guys more and get higher percentage shots than right shoulder fades.

Al horford shot the hell out of the ball so it was masked, but i really dont like rob williams and horford playing together so much.

[RoyceDa59]

Yes he’s good enough.

Ideally though for a team like Boston they acquire Durant so Tatum can become sort of like the 1B Alpha and then they for sure win a few chips.

[AussieCeltic]

OP has an infatuation with the Celtics and Tatum. 1500 posts and over 250 have Celtics or Tatum in the post.

He’s clearly a number 1 on a championship team. You don’t go to game 6 of the NBA finals as the number 1 option and not be one.

[LarsV8]

Probably not in the past 10 years, but the league is lacking so much talent currently, he may well be.

[skones]

Probably not in the past 10 years, but the league is lacking so much talent currently, he may well be.

Lacking so much talent? It feels like the league has more true superstars now than in the last 20 years. There are like 9 dudes who could legitimately win MVP next year and not be a total surprise.

[Alonzo_Morning]

He already made the finals and is 19 years old. Come on.

[MagicBagley18]

The Celtics can win a championship but I don’t think he’s a traditional #1 option with his lack of playmaking. If they win it is because Boston’s top 8 is better than the other top 8.

The Game 7’s won this season were because somebody stepped up(Williams, White)
I thought at times Horford and Brown were as impactful this season.

His playmaking was probably where his game made the biggest jump this year. That aside one of those game 7s wouldn’t have even happened if he doesn’t drop 46 on the road against a generational talent and defending champs

[sfernald]

I don’t think he’s #1 material at all. But I think he can be a strong Robin for a true #1 like Durant. Hopefully they get that trade done.

[PizzaSteve]

Not yet.

[Tim Kempton]

All depends on his teammates. He needs a very high level 2/1B (which he has right now) and other strong scorers around him. He's not winning a title on the '21 Bucks in Giannis's place. He's not at that level. He's an unreliable 1 who has tremendous moments mixed with enough troublesome moments to see that he needs a very strong 1B/2 to take over at times. He's in between the Curry/Giannis upper tier and Booker/Mitchell types who you know will never get it done.

[FrodoFraggins]

Obviously not yet. The dude was exposed as the #1 in the finals.

[GiannisAnte34]

If you're in the finals and you're the number one option, you're capable of being the number 1 option on a championship team. Whether it breaks that way or not isn't the determining factor.

/thread

Devin Booker(or CP3), Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler, Dwight Howard, AI, Reggie Miller? All of these guys are #1 options on Championship teams but just didn’t have things break their way?

[GiannisAnte34]

All depends on his teammates. He needs a very high level 2/1B (which he has right now) and other strong scorers around him. He's not winning a title on the '21 Bucks in Giannis's place. He's not at that level. He's an unreliable 1 who has tremendous moments mixed with enough troublesome moments to see that he needs a very strong 1B/2 to take over at times. He's in between the Curry/Giannis upper tier and Booker/Mitchell types who you know will never get it done.

This is where I am with Tatum right now. Just like Paul Pierce needed KG to really compete.

[HoopsterJones]

I do not view him as a true #1 yet. He may get there one day.