Even at just 23 years old, Celtics All-Star Jayson Tatum is a now indeed a sure-fire superstar.
In the world of the NBA, that means Tatum is more than just a player. That means Tatum is THE MAN in Boston, the guy around whom the present and future of the franchise will be built.
Whether he chooses to use his newfound clout, which includes the max-level contract extension he's already inked, remains to be seen.
In the immediacy of the season-ending loss to the star-studded Nets on Tuesday night in Brooklyn, Tatum acknowledged the weight his words could and maybe will carry in Boston this offseason and beyond.
Sure, Danny Ainge is still the President of Basketball Operations for the Celtics and the guy who'll technically make the decisions on the roster moving forward. But also be sure, Tatum can and will have a say in what goes on. And he clearly knows it.
"I'm sure that I could make suggestions," Tatum admitted via ESPN after his 32 points in the losing effort in Brooklyn.
To be fair, Tatum indicated he would not necessarily take such a step. One that plenty of guys in the NBA -- including those Tatum's Celtics just lost to in Brooklyn teammates Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving – have taken in their careers, attempting to control chances for their own success and failure.
With the futures of Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Evan Fournier and others in Boston certainly up for discussion this offseason, Tatum publicly proclaims he's not going to utilize his star power to "make suggestions" to Ainge. At least not yet.
"I kind of feel like everybody has their job, and I just think my job is to show up and play basketball, not to suggest trades or who to bring in, who to let go, things like that. That's not what I do," Tatum said.
"What's going to look different? I don't know. That's not my job description. I don't have any say or input in that. It's just, show up to work and do what I can, and go from there."
What Tatum wants to do is continue to develop as an NBA star and win more moving forward, after tasting significant success including trips to the Eastern Conference Finals early in his still-young career.
"When I started playing, it wasn't just to make the NBA," Tatum said. "It was to excel at the highest level, and be considered one of the best, be a winner, be MVP, all of those types of things.
"That's what drives me."
It remains to be seen when or if those desires drive him to utilize his superstar power to "make suggestions" regarding the Celtics roster and who he takes the court with in the 2021-2022 season and beyond.
