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Can Jayson Tatum win the 2025 MVP award?

Can Jayson Tatum win the 2025 MVP award while helping the Boston Celtics defend their NBA championship?

Jayson Tatum is heading into the new NBA season with a point to prove. The Boston Celtics star endured a difficult summer with Team USA, including being benched for two games against Serbia. As such, it’s fair to expect a dominant season from the St. Louis native, who will undoubtedly have his sights set on defending Boston’s NBA championship.

In recent years, Tatum has become an all-around talent. His style of play impacts games on multiple levels, making him one of the toughest covers in the league. According to Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley, that diverse skill set could help Tatum finally secure an MVP award.

“Tatum will never have the best counting numbers of the candidate—his situation and skillset wouldn’t support that—but if can maintain his volume (26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists this past season) while nudging his efficiency just a smidge (47.1/37.6/83.3), he could have a realistic shot at MVP,” Buckely wrote. “If his numbers are within striking distance of the other top candidates while his team success puts theirs to shame, he could sway enough voters to his side to take home the hardware.”

The Celtics are widely expected to be the best team in the league again. They have retained all of their championship core outside of Oshae Brissett. That type of continuity, when coupled with high-end talent and elite depth, should ensure Tatum is leading the line for the most dangerous team in the world.

As such, Tatum should have a realistic shot at winning his first MVP award while also contending for his second NBA championship and fourth consecutive All-NBA First Team selection. It could be a big year for number zero.

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Carmelo Anthony disagrees with Jayson Tatum’s treatment by Steve Kerr

Carmelo Anthony doesn’t believe Team USA treated Jayson Tatum fairly at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Steve Kerr risked the wrath of Boston Celtics fans everywhere when he chose to sit Jayson Tatum for both of Team USA’s games against Serbia during the 2024 Paris Olympics. He also miscast Tatum’s role within the rotation, leading to some uncharacteristically poor performances from the recently-crowned NBA champion.

During a recent episode of his “7 PM In Brooklyn” podcast, Carmelo Anthony admitted that he wasn’t impressed with how Kerr treated Tatum throughout the tournament. The former New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets star accepted that Tatum was low in the rotation but believes Kerr failed to verbalize that role to the St. Louis native.

“I understand why Jayson Tatum may have not played. I don’t agree with how they went about it,” Anthony said. “…You have 40 minutes in the game, I’m cool with you saying he’s not going to play, just be honest, this is where we have a lack of communication, because we’ve been in Vegas this whole time, talk to me, you already know where you see me at on this depth chart. Talk with me private, let me get myself together, mentally and emotionally.”

Despite his struggles in Paris, Tatum still left with the second Olympic gold medal of his career. However, it’s fair to assume that he will be driven to prove himself once the new NBA season begins. After all, his reputation certainly took a hit due to his treatment by Kerr and the coaching staff.

It will be interesting to see how Tatum approaches the upcoming season and what direction he takes to remind everyone that he’s still one of the 10 best players on the planet. 

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Can the Boston Celtics three-peat as NBA champions?

Or should they keep their sights on Banner 19 for now?

For many years, the discourse surrounding the Boston Celtics was when they would finally break their newest title drought to win the long-coveted Banner 18. But then the storied ball club managed to do exactly that, hanging that NBA-record 18th banner after the Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.

The dust had hardly settled before Boston fans were already starting to clamor for a 19th banner for the Celtics, but some people are looking even further ahead. Analysts are starting to wonder whether it might be possible for the Celtics to win three titles in a row, a feat that has not been done for some time now.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, were among them. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about the possibility.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

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Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk recreate history

The championship winning duo recreated their viral high school photo during an appearance for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jayson Tatum and Matthew Tkachuk have been friends since they attended Chaminade College Preparatory School in St. Louis. Both of the St. Louis natives have reached the pinnacle of their respective sports in recent years. Tkachuk is a standout performer for the Florida Panthers, while the Boston Celtics forward has become one of the best basketball players on the planet.

On Sunday, Aug. 18, Tatum and Tkachuk were invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitches for the St. Louis Cardinals. During their time together, the pair decided to recreate a viral photo from their high school days that often circulates on social media.

Tatum and Tkachuk won their first championships in their respective sports last season. Interestingly, they achieved that feat just one week apart, with Tatum being the first to draw blood.

Both stars will undoubtedly be looking to repeat their success in the upcoming season and will likely be driving each other forward behind the scenes.

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Guerschon Yabusele signs deal with Philadelphia 76ers

The former Boston Celtics forward has signed a minimum deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Guerschon Yabusele is heading back to the NBA. Unfortunately for Boston Celtics fans, the dancing bear will be joining the Philadelphia 76ers. Yabusele has earned another shot in the league courtesy of some stellar performances during the 2024 Paris Olympics where he shone as a featured member of France’s offense, helping them secure a silver medal.

Yabusele had a $2.5 million release clause with Real Madrid. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Sixers could pay up to $850,000 of his release clause, with Yabusele and Madrid forced to reach an agreement on the remaining value. Nevertheless, the veteran forward will be in Philadelphia on a veteran minimum.

“Yabusele is resolving his $2.5 million contract buyout with Real Madrid as he nears a return to the NBA,” Charanai reported. “To resolve his buyout with Real Madrid, Philadelphia would pay a maximum of $850,000, per league rules. The rest of the amount, roughly $1.6 million, would be resolved by Yabusele and Real Madrid.”

During the Olympics, Yabusele had joked with Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he wanted to return to Boston. However, the Sixers were in need of some depth at the forward position, and his performances likely caught the eye.
Yabusele also impressed in Europe last season, averaging 10 points and five rebounds per game in the EuroLeague and 9.3 points and three rebounds while knocking down 39.4% in the Liga ACB. As such, Celtics fans will likely have to work through mixed emotions when Boston faces the Sixers on Christmas Day.
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Tatum’s Olympic struggles rest with Steve Kerr trusting his guys

Steve Kerr stuck with players he trusts and has familiarity with, leaving Jayson Tatum on the outside of the rotation.

Steve Kerr was criticized for sitting Jayson Tatum in both of Team USA’s games against Serbia during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Boston Celtics star also struggled in a marginalized role for Kerr’s team, as he was often tasked with standing in the corner and spacing the floor.

According to an NBA executive who spoke with Heavy On Sport’s Steve Bulpett under the condition of anonymity, Kerr’s choices were likely down to him sticking with players he has worked with previously or valued within his brand of basketball. The executive pointed to Kevin Durant and Steph Curry as prime examples.

“We pick a coach to coach the team, and it’s all about who he wants to play,” The executive said. “You know, players have to prove to the coach that they deserve to play, period…And, by the way, two of the players that were the primary players — [Steph] Curry and [Kevin] Durant, have won multiple championships for the head coach. So I think that if Joe Mazzulla was the head coach, then maybe Jayson Tatum’s playing the whole game.”

Kerr ultimately led Team USA to a gold medal. As such, his decision-making has been justified to the wider basketball fanbase. Nevertheless, his utilization of Tatum remains a questionable aspect of his time in Paris.

Tatum will get an opportunity to earn some payback against Kerr when the Celtics face the Golden State Warriors on November 6.

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Sam Hauser wants to repay Boston’s faith after contract extension

Sam Hauser wants to help the Celtics win another NBA championship next season.

Brad Stevens signed Sam Hauser in 2021 after the sharpshooter had gone undrafted despite a strong season for Virginia. Hauser was originally signed on a two-way deal but quickly earned himself a full-scale contract with the Boston Celtics and has quickly established himself as an important part of the team’s rotation.

Hauser averaged 9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game last season, as he helped the Celtics secure the 18th championship in franchise history. As such, it makes sense that Stevens signed the sharpshooter to a four-year $45 million contract extension earlier this summer, all of which is fully guaranteed. When speaking at a recent meet-and-greet at Dynasty Sports in Peabody, Hauser showed gratitude for the opportunities the Celtics have provided him.

“It’s really cool,” Hauser said. “I just played for the love of the game, and this is sometimes just the benefit of that. Pretty special that they gave me an opportunity early on when nobody else did, and I just tried to run with it. They believed in me, and I’m just glad I could be here and be with this team and have another chance to win it all.”

Joe Mazzulla’s roster is built around perimeter play. Hauser’s movement shooting makes the second unit a dangerous prospect for NBA defenses. He has also proven himself to be an above-average defender, which fits with the team’s identity as a stringent defensive unit.

Boston will enter the new NBA season with the goal of securing back-to-back championships. Having Hauser locked down for the long-term will allow him to play without pressure and make an impact when required. The undrafted shooter is now an NBA champion, and could repay the Celtics by helping them to another banner next year.

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Celtics cap issues could correct itself within two years

The Boston Celtics cap issues could correct themselves over the next two years.

The Boston Celtics are a second-apron luxury tax team. Since taking over as the team’s president of basketball operations, Brad Stevens has assembled one of the most talented and deepest rosters in the NBA. However, that level of talent and depth has come with a significant cost. Stevens has also spent the summer securing the long-term future of the core rotation.

According to The Athletic’s Jared Weiss, Boston’s current status as a second apron team could course correct itself within the next two years, as the apron could grow on a yearly basis. Due to the Celtics having all of their talent locked down, it’s possible their payroll will grow at a slower rate than the second apron and eventually see them duck under it completely.

“The second apron could grow year-to-year at a rate that would allow Boston to get under it for the 2026-27 season without even sacrificing a starter,” Weiss wrote. “The Celtics plausibly could stay out of the second apron from there on and fix their draft-pick issues. That would allow them to start trading core players to get younger and extend the window to win with Jayson Tatum and/or Brown.”

Eventually, the Celtics will need to make some roster moves. Jrue Holiday is nearing his mid-30s, and Al Horford is firmly in the final stage of his career. Ducking under the second apron would allow Stevens to re-tool the roster and keep the Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference for years to come.

Whether Boston can duck the second apron will remain to be seen, but it would certainly help them establish a dynasty if they could.

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Boston Celtics projected to take Sam Hauser-esque forward in 2025 NBA draft

We would be very happy with such a selection at this (likely) late spot in the draft.

With training camp still some ways off in the future for the looming 2024-25 NBA season, fans of the Boston Celtics are, by and large, not thinking about the 2025 NBA draft very much. But there is an entire industry built around projecting what all 30 teams in the league will do when that summer’s big day finally rolls around.

And among the best out there at doing this sort of work in Bleacher Report league analyst Jonathan Wasserman, who recently put together a new, post-2024 Paris Olympics mock draft. In it, he has a player in mind for the Celtics to take with a first round selection seen as likely to fall at No. 30 in the first round of the draft.

And we couldn’t be more excited for a key member of the University of Connecticut’s last two NCAA title squads to be the selection the B/R expert has in mind for Boston. Yes, we are talking about forward Alex Karaban, how did you know? “Karaban is going for three consecutive national titles and first-round interest after NBA combine feedback likely pushed him to return to UConn,” writes Wasserman.

The Husky forward is cut from similar cloth as Sam Hauser, which is probably why “there will continue to be some skepticism over his athletic limitations and lack of physicality inside to play the 4.”

“However, Karaban’s 147 made 3-pointers through two seasons is his main selling point, but he also shows off-ball scoring feel and defensive IQ/toughness.”

Sounds very familiar, speaking of Hauser — and we would be very happy with such a selection at this late spot in the draft.

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How did the Celtics Olympic trio hold up in the gold medal game?

How did each member of the Boston Celtics Olympians perform during the 2024 Paris Olympics?

The Boston Celtics had three members of their roster on Team USA’s gold-medal-winning Olympic team. Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White all played a part in Steve Kerr’s team securing a gold medal. During the United States 98-87 win over France, both Tatum and Holiday were part of the rotation. White received a DNP-CD.

During the tournament, some controversy surrounded Tatum being benched for both games against Serbia, one to open the tournament and one in the semi-finals. Nevertheless, all three members of Boston’s championship-winning rotation had a role to play in the USA’s unbeaten run to another gold medal at the Olympic games.

Shortly after Team USA had secured their victory, Bobby Manning and Noa Dalzell went live in a special episode of CLNS Media’s “The Garden Report” to share their thoughts on the game, the impact Boston’s trio had on the tournament, and which players on the USA roster stood out.

You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded video above.

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