The Boston Celtics are likely gearing up for Jayson Tatum’s return from injury. Reports of an impending return have ramped up, and they’re coming from all across the media landscape. As such, the fact that Tatum will be returning to a team that has seen Jaylen Brown become a fixture in the MVP conversation has been a hot topic among fans and analysts.
Former NBA champion JR Smith recently weighed in on the conversation, noting that Boston is Brown’s team now, and from his viewpoint, always has been.
“Always been his team,” Smith said during a recent appearance on the ‘To The Baha’ podcast. “Why we gotta keep talking about it?... Jaylen Brown. He's a leader...It's always been his team...For the players, I'm pretty sure it's his team. For everybody else in the media from the outside, it's Jayson Tatum's team. That's what they want it to look like. Jaylen Brown is the leader of that team, 100%. On and off the court.”
Smith’s comments will feed into the discourse surrounding Tatum’s return. Fans have been split on whether Brown has emerged as Boston’s top star during Tatum’s injury-forced absence, and whether Tatum can get back to the level that saw him become a top-five talent in the NBA.
In truth, Boston needs both Tatum and Brown to be playing at a high level. Throughout their time on the Celtics, both players have sacrificed to help the team win. On some nights, Brown will lead the way; on others, it will be Tatum’s turn. That’s how it's always been, and that’s the method that helped land the franchise a championship in 2024.
The Celtics aren’t Brown’s team. They aren’t Tatum’s team. They’re a franchise with two of the best forwards in the world, who are both capable of leading the roster. And for that reason, the Celtics are Tatum and Brown’s team. They’ve won together. They’ve lost together. Now, they will navigate Tatum’s return and the tests that follow together. It doesn’t matter what the media or any former players have to say.
We’ve seen the two stars win as a unit for multiple years. It’s hard to envision either of them struggling to adapt back to what’s worked.
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