Jayson Tatum

[kalenclayton]

Jayson Tatum kinda looks like a better shooting, slightly less athletic Rudy Gay. He also looks like he is more willing to pass than Rudy. If that is the player he turns in to, then we will have a problem on our hands. Does anyone else see this?

That's exactly what I see and I think he'll follow a pretty similar career trajectory to Rudy - putting up good scoring numbers on a bunch of bad teams, because he can get buckets, but he's not a player you can ever build around or really feature if you're going to be a playoff team.

I can understand what you mean, but I disagree. Rudy gets a lot of his value from defense and rebounding. He also lives in the mid-post. Gay slows the game down. Tatum likes to drive in the open court, dish in transition, he likes to abuse mismatches by driving from the post and he likes the area right before the restriction line. He also has a better feel for the game in general. Gay plays by himself and Tatum is more of a team player IMO.

Well, if you are right, then we should be seeing the Rudy Gay that we always wanted.

[doordoor123]

That's exactly what I see and I think he'll follow a pretty similar career trajectory to Rudy - putting up good scoring numbers on a bunch of bad teams, because he can get buckets, but he's not a player you can ever build around or really feature if you're going to be a playoff team.

I can understand what you mean, but I disagree. Rudy gets a lot of his value from defense and rebounding. He also lives in the mid-post. Gay slows the game down. Tatum likes to drive in the open court, dish in transition, he likes to abuse mismatches by driving from the post and he likes the area right before the restriction line. He also has a better feel for the game in general. Gay plays by himself and Tatum is more of a team player IMO.

Well, if you are right, then we should be seeing the Rudy Gay that we always wanted.

I know this is going to sound weird, but I think Tatum is going to be a lot like a SF version of Paul Millsap.

[kalenclayton]

I can understand what you mean, but I disagree. Rudy gets a lot of his value from defense and rebounding. He also lives in the mid-post. Gay slows the game down. Tatum likes to drive in the open court, dish in transition, he likes to abuse mismatches by driving from the post and he likes the area right before the restriction line. He also has a better feel for the game in general. Gay plays by himself and Tatum is more of a team player IMO.

Well, if you are right, then we should be seeing the Rudy Gay that we always wanted.

I know this is going to sound weird, but I think Tatum is going to be a lot like a SF version of Paul Millsap.

Are you saying that he will essentially be a jack-of-most-trades with an emerging elite skill? Or are you saying that his game may actually mimic Millsap in a way, but he will be a SF?

[doordoor123]

Well, if you are right, then we should be seeing the Rudy Gay that we always wanted.

I know this is going to sound weird, but I think Tatum is going to be a lot like a SF version of Paul Millsap.

Are you saying that he will essentially be a jack-of-most-trades with an emerging elite skill? Or are you saying that his game may actually mimic Millsap in a way, but he will be a SF?

Millsap has a play-style that can easily adjust to SF, but he doesn't have the foot speed to play the position. Tatum can't shoot right now and he isn't the rebounder Millsap is, but Tatum can handle the ball a bit better and he's quicker. Both are good passers that could run P&R on both sides of the ball, but like the high post and both like to drive. If you run Tatum the same way I think he could develop into an SF version of Millsap, except Tatum could probably handle transition better and carry the ball up court.

Now that I think about it, I really like Tatum on a fast-pace team. He could make a team like the Suns look really good offensively.

[kalenclayton]

I know this is going to sound weird, but I think Tatum is going to be a lot like a SF version of Paul Millsap.

Are you saying that he will essentially be a jack-of-most-trades with an emerging elite skill? Or are you saying that his game may actually mimic Millsap in a way, but he will be a SF?

Millsap has a play-style that can easily adjust to SF, but he doesn't have the foot speed to play the position. Tatum can't shoot right now and he isn't the rebounder Millsap is, but Tatum can handle the ball a bit better and he's quicker. Both are good passers that could run P&R on both sides of the ball, but like the high post and both like to drive. If you run Tatum the same way I think he could develop into an SF version of Millsap, except Tatum could probably handle transition better and carry the ball up court.

Now that I think about it, I really like Tatum on a fast-pace team. He could make a team like the Suns look really good offensively.

It sounds like you've watched him quite a bit. This makes me want him on the Kings more than I already did. If the Kings somehow land him at the 6-8 spot, then pick up a pace pusher like Fox or Ntilikina with their 2nd first rounder, they could have a seriously fun (and long) team. WCS is pretty darn good at setting solid directional screens and is great at rolling. Having him play the PnR with Tatum and Fox would be a delight.

[CptCrunch]

I know this is going to sound weird, but I think Tatum is going to be a lot like a SF version of Paul Millsap.

Are you saying that he will essentially be a jack-of-most-trades with an emerging elite skill? Or are you saying that his game may actually mimic Millsap in a way, but he will be a SF?

Millsap has a play-style that can easily adjust to SF, but he doesn't have the foot speed to play the position. Tatum can't shoot right now and he isn't the rebounder Millsap is, but Tatum can handle the ball a bit better and he's quicker. Both are good passers that could run P&R on both sides of the ball, but like the high post and both like to drive. If you run Tatum the same way I think he could develop into an SF version of Millsap, except Tatum could probably handle transition better and carry the ball up court.

Now that I think about it, I really like Tatum on a fast-pace team. He could make a team like the Suns look really good offensively.

Tatum's two best attributes are his shot and rebounding rate. He has no 3 pt range, but he is one of the best shooting wings in the league, both from a 2pt jumper and FT perspective. In addition, his rebounding rate compared to the SF position is very elite. I blame his lack of 3 pt range from coaches playing him as PF in high school and college. He is one of those large SF who will eventually play 4 in the league later in his career.

Tatum is not really Millsaps. He is more Melo reincarnated. If he can jack a little less shot and become a bit better at distributing, he'll make heck of a player.

[doordoor123]

Are you saying that he will essentially be a jack-of-most-trades with an emerging elite skill? Or are you saying that his game may actually mimic Millsap in a way, but he will be a SF?

Millsap has a play-style that can easily adjust to SF, but he doesn't have the foot speed to play the position. Tatum can't shoot right now and he isn't the rebounder Millsap is, but Tatum can handle the ball a bit better and he's quicker. Both are good passers that could run P&R on both sides of the ball, but like the high post and both like to drive. If you run Tatum the same way I think he could develop into an SF version of Millsap, except Tatum could probably handle transition better and carry the ball up court.

Now that I think about it, I really like Tatum on a fast-pace team. He could make a team like the Suns look really good offensively.

Tatum's two best attributes are his shot and rebounding rate. He has no 3 pt range, but he is one of the best shooting wings in the league, both from a 2pt jumper and FT perspective. In addition, his rebounding rate compared to the SF position is very elite. I blame his lack of 3 pt range from coaches playing him as PF in high school and college. He is one of those large SF who will eventually play 4 in the league later in his career.

Tatum is not really Millsaps. He is more Melo reincarnated. If he can jack a little less shot and become a bit better at distributing, he'll make heck of a player.

I just think his rebounding will drop in NBA. I think he's more of a 6rpg kind of guy rather than 9 or 10 (which I expect from Millsap). And when I say shot, I mean his 3pt shot, which is flat. Melo is an old school player like Gay that slows the game down and is more about him than the team. Still see SF Millsap.

[Village Idiot]

Tatum's two best attributes are his shot and rebounding rate. He has no 3 pt range, but he is one of the best shooting wings in the league, both from a 2pt jumper and FT perspective. In addition, his rebounding rate compared to the SF position is very elite. I blame his lack of 3 pt range from coaches playing him as PF in high school and college. He is one of those large SF who will eventually play 4 in the league later in his career.

Tatum is not really Millsaps. He is more Melo reincarnated. If he can jack a little less shot and become a bit better at distributing, he'll make heck of a player.

I can't believe I had to did four pages down to find the thread on Tatum. Why doesn't this guy get the hype? Is it because he's so composed and has such a developed game for his age? Is he not perceived to have any remaining upside?

In my opinion there are two guys in this draft with greater than a 50% probability to make an All-NBA team during their careers. Fultz and Tatum.

I like the Melo comparison a lot BTW. I also see a lot Batum in his game both offensively and defensively. I would actually trade CJ McCollum for him if he's there at 3, I like him that much.

[EricAnderson]

He's probably going to the Suns..him
And Booker aren't s great fit imo.both need the Ball both are poor defenders

[Duke4life831]

He's probably going to the Suns..him
And Booker aren't s great fit imo.both need the Ball both are poor defenders

Tatum is a poor defender?

[blazeyo]

Tatum is going to be the best player in the draft. He is going to fill his out frame and be even more explosive at the next level.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

If you give Tatum the ball in the elbow, free throw line area, there's a good chance he's going to score or get to the line. He seems like he's pretty good from the triple threat position. There's some Allan Houston in his game, just not sure if he'll become the 3pt shooter that Houston was, but I think he's got a chance to develop that part of his game, given his FT % on nearly 5 FTAs/g.

[bwgood77]

He's probably going to the Suns..him
And Booker aren't s great fit imo.both need the Ball both are poor defenders

Tatum is a poor defender?

How do you like his fit on the Suns?

[EvanZ]

Tatum is going to be the best player in the draft. He is going to fill his out frame and be even more explosive at the next level.

His handle is not elite. To the extent it improves, that will determine his ultimate ceiling.

[KF10]

Tatum will be a very good mid/elbow scorer in the NBA. His footwork looks real good for his age. My problem is his ability to do things away from the ball -- 3PT shooting. The kid needs to have a damn good jumper to justify his expected (high) usage rate. Also, I don't believe he will be as effective in the NBA like he was in college. The guy played as a 4 at Duke and abused college 4's. Put him at 3 and ask yourself can he replicate his production against NBA 3's? IMO, I don't think he can (well, not now anyways). I think he's more of a 4 than a 3 when he gets into the NBA.

[EvanZ]

Tatum will be a very good mid/elbow scorer in the NBA.

This isn't a thing anymore. Don't people realize that? Nobody is looking for these types of players.

[KF10]

Tatum will be a very good mid/elbow scorer in the NBA.

This isn't a thing anymore. Don't people realize that? Nobody is looking for these types of players.

A midrange game isn't as valued now like it was before in the past but it is still a good skill-set to have. For Tatum's case, he needs to improve his handles and look to create for others more often. He is not near the ball-stopping/offense killing like Melo is right now and I do see signs of Tatum improving in the "team ball" aspect style of ball if he really wants to take his game to the next level. He isn't horribly flawed the way people make it out to be but yeah, he's gotta smother out some kinks in his game. I think he is a definite top-5 pick. 6th is his absolute floor. Beyond that, it is a massive steal for anyone drafting in those draft ranges, imo.

[reanimator]

His biggest hurdle is his fluidity/shake/creativity as a handler and I don't see that changing. Average feel as a passer. He'll be ok defending either forward spot though he doesn't have Isaac's ability to defend smalls for burst nor rim protect. Ultimately, I think his ceiling is tied to how well he shoots the ball from distance. Don't think he is the level of prospect that Pierce or Melo were.

[sixerswillrule]

Tatum will be a very good mid/elbow scorer in the NBA.

This isn't a thing anymore. Don't people realize that? Nobody is looking for these types of players.

Kawhi?

[EvanZ]

Tatum will be a very good mid/elbow scorer in the NBA.

This isn't a thing anymore. Don't people realize that? Nobody is looking for these types of players.

Kawhi?

He's one of the best 3pt shooters in the league. So no.