Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
It makes sense for Davis to be happy where he is. After all, he recently signed a $122 million mega-deal and had DeMarcus Cousins join him to form arguably the best frontcourt in the game. Even after a disappointing 2016-17 campaign, there is still reason to have hope for a successful future in The Big Easy.
But speculation of a historic trade involving Davis took over the offseason. One team particularly attached to the 24-year-old big man in trade rumors has been the Celtics.
In fact, even one of the kids at Davis’ basketball camp took the Davis-to-the-Celtics rumors seriously, asking him if he was indeed Boston bound.
Davis was asked about some of the weirdest questions campers had for him, and he said one stuck out above them all.
“I get asked all types of random stuff,” he said with smile. “The craziest (question) was if I was going to Boston.”
With so many Gordon Hayward and Kyrie rumors flying around this summer, I guess I wasn’t paying attention to all of the Davis to the Celtics buzz. Seriously, this was nothing more than a few pundits saying “pay attention to what happens this season in New Orleans. If things go south quickly, Boston is set to strike.” Um yes. No team in the league is more prepared to offer up a bounty for a disgruntled superstar, but Davis isn’t one of those right now.
However…
There’s an alternate theory here that proves Davis is definitely Boston bound. Davis was asked this question by one of the campers at his basketball camp– the first one he’s ever hosted in NOLA. Do you think he’s going to crush the hearts of a 12-year old by telling him the truth? That his long-term plan is to come to Boston in the Leastern Conference to make the Finals and battle the Warriors? Anthony Davis loves the kids. He would never tell them the truth. I will. Sorry, NOLA kids, he isn’t staying on the Pels for long.
There are players with glitzier games and bigger shoe contracts, but few are more versatile than Jayson Tatum, who flashed the full range of his talents at Summer League. He’s been called Paul George Lite before, but the comparison feels more apt now. Obviously that projection hinges on how he develops. In Boston, though, he will have the luxury of being brought along slowly. Celtics president Danny Ainge coveted Tatum so much that one has to believe his future in Boston will be a bright one.
The opinions of a collection of writers mean nothing more than positive press for the Celtics’ first round pick, but it’s clear that Tatum made an impact during summer league. He has future all-star written all over him, and seems like one of the more “sure-things” from this draft class. One thing is for certain, Tatum will succeed from a win-loss perspective far more so than his top-ten drafted peers. Tatum is going to get a chance to play in the playoffs, in games that actually matter. He has the right coach, the right organization and the right game to be one of, if not the most successful player in this draft class.
And finally, a picture is worth 1,000 words
One of the best modern NBA photographs is this one, which was taken by John Angelillo near the very end of a Celtics-Knicks game on December 15, 2010:
UPI
There is a saying, and I’m sure you’re familiar with it because everyone is familiar with it, and it’s actually so clichéd that I’m almost embarrassed to even write it out: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” I mention it right now because let’s do that: Let’s do exactly 1,000 words about this photo, starting now:
We’re not the only ones who write about basketball year-round that are feeling the August swoon– what the hell do we write about when the NBA is in its hibernation season? Shea Serrano broke down the above photo (one of my favorites from the Big-3 era) as only he can. Worth a read and a laugh.
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