Celtics' Jayson Tatum on Kevin Durant trade rumors: ‘I love our team’
Boston has not won an NBA championship since 2008
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Boston Celtics were two wins away from the organization's first NBA championship since 2008 but ran out of gas against the Golden State Warriors, a rotation player or two away from being able to complete a remarkable turnaround.
And now the Celtics are looking to take the next step.
Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant reacts after scoring over Heat center Bam Adebayo during at FTX Arena in Miami on March 26, 2022. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Boston has reportedly emerged as a possible trade destination for 12-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}KEVIN DURANT TRADE RUMORS: CELTICS REPORTEDLY EMERGE AS POSSIBLE DESTINATION FOR NETS STAR
Shaking up an NBA Finals team, even when adding an all-time great, is always a risky proposition. Team chemistry is delicate, and trade rumors can fracture a locker room. But Celtics star Jayson Tatum is making sure that his teammates know he’s quite all right with the team as currently constructed.
Jayson Tatum of the Celtics talks to the media after the NBA Finals game against the Golden State Warriors on June 16, 2022, at the TD Garden in Boston. (Annette Grant/NBAE via Getty Images)
"I played with [Durant] during the Olympics," Tatum said Tuesday night. "Obviously, he's a great player, but that's not my decision. I love our team. I love the guys that we got. I don’t know if that report is true or not."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tatum was speaking with reporters prior to the premiere of "Point Gods," a Showtime documentary about New York City basketball.
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"We got two new pieces [during the offseason]," Tatum said. "I love our team. Like I said, I just go out there and play with our teammates. I don’t put that hat on to make decisions."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jayson Tatum attends "NYC Point Gods" premiere at Midnight Theatre on July 26, 2022, in New York City. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)
On Monday, ESPN reported that Boston has emerged as a possible suitor for Durant due to their ability to offer 26-year-old shooting guard Jaylen Brown. The six-year pro has shown improvement every year, becoming a fantastic finisher at the rim and more than a solid sidekick to Tatum.
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"I don’t believe everything I see on TV," Tatum told reporters Tuesday when asked about Brown reportedly being part of a Durant package.
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The question now becomes whether Boston is willing to part ways with their budding star for Durant, who will turn 34 in September prior to entering his 15th NBA season. Durant’s injury-prone past is well documented, missing the entire 2019-2020 season recovering from a torn Achilles. When healthy, Durant is still arguably the game's most unstoppable offensive force, but he played in just 55 of 82 possible games during the 2021-2022 regular season.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Durant requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets at the end of June, though Brooklyn has yet to find an offer they find suitable in order to part with their star player.