Jayson Tatum says he loves the Boston Celtics team as is amid Kevin Durant trade rumors.
There was not much news on the Kevin Durant trade front in recent weeks, but there was news that dropped earlier this week, courtesy of ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. While the NBA insider noted that the Celtics were not closer to acquiring Durant than other teams, their ability to include Jaylen Brown “does help make the team formidable in its pursuit.”
Celtics star Jayson Tatum was in attendance for the premiere of Showtime’s “Point Gods” documentary, and was asked what the Celtics trading for Durant. Tatum says that while it is not his decision to make, he expresses his belief that he likes the team as it is.
You can listen to Tatum’s comments in the video below, courtesy of the New York Post’s Jared Schwartz.
Jayson Tatum on Kevin Durant trade rumors: ‘I love our team’
“I played with [Durant] during the Olympics,” Tatum said, h/t ESPN. “Obviously, he’s a great player, but that’s not my decision. I love our team. I love the guys that we got.”
Tatum was part of the USA men’s basketball team alongside Durant in the 2020 Summer Olympics. The team won the Gold medal after defeating Team France.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Nets actually turned down a trade offer from the Celtics that included Brown, Derrick White, and a draft pick going to Brooklyn. In kind, the Nets asked the Celtics for Brown, Marcus Smart, draft picks “and potentially one more rotation player.”
This past season, the Celtics went through a gauntlet on the Eastern Conference side of the NBA Playoff bracket. They defeated the Durant-Kyrie Irving Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. Despite making a huge statement in Game 1 to take an early 1-0 series lead, the Celtics lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Durant’s status entering the 2022-23 season will be followed heavily by the basketball world. Will he remain with the Nets? Or will he be on another team, such as the Celtics?