Jayson Tatum shoots down extension concerns with a refreshing perspective ahead of NBA restart

There were more questions swirling around Jayson Tatum perhaps any other Celtic in the months of leadup to the Orlando restart. One report out of New York (which was shot down by BSJ) suggested Tatum was considering sitting out the remainder of the NBA season so he wouldn’t risk his looming max contract extension offer this summer from the Celtics.

In his first public comments in months on Tuesday, Tatum admitted he had doubts about taking part in the restart but that his future extension was not one of the reasons why. In fact, it appears the false report from the New York Daily News served as a kind of motivator for the third-year forward to speak up about his situation.

“I saw that there were reports out there that said I wasn’t going to play because of my contract,” Tatum explained. “And then I saw reports that said that was a lie. I never talked to anybody about that, or said I was or wasn’t going to play because of my contract. I knew that if I didn’t play without people hearing why I wasn’t going to play, I knew they would assume I didn’t want to play because I didn’t want to risk losing out on that contract and that would be insensitive, especially during this time when so many people have to file for unemployment, for me to be worried about X amount of dollars. So that didn’t have anything to do or sway if I was going to play or not. For me, the main concern was just being away from my son. That’s what was most important to me, and if I was or wasn’t going to play.”

While Tatum is already high on the list of favorites for more Celtics fans, this kind of perspective was refreshing from an athlete of his stature. Tatum has every right in the world to be worried about risking tens of millions of dollars by playing in Orlando this summer. His push along with other young stars to protect future earnings in case of serious injury via an insurance policy by the NBA is a worthy crusade given the circumstances. With that said, him keeping all of that in perspective with what millions of other Americans are going through as unemployment remains in the high teens shows a degree of genuineness that makes the 22-year-old a player with a maturity beyond his years, something he shares with fellow young teammate Jaylen Brown.

Instead, Tatum’s main reservations are the same ways that any young father would have in his shoes: The prospect of leaving a 2-year-old at home for months is something any parent wouldn’t be excited about heading into a job. Tatum had his doubts about playing when combining the missed family time with a multitude of other pressing realities of the world right now.

“I was very unsure,” Tatum said of his decision to opt-in. “I don’t really think I made a decision until probably a few days ago. There’s a multitude of reasons why I wasn’t comfortable; still not excited about it, not thrilled. Obviously, what we’re fighting for, against racism and social injustice and equality, obviously the virus is still very well and alive and continues to rise in Florida.”

Even after electing to take part, he still holds plenty of respect for those who decided to pass on the experience, citing injury, family issues or other factors

“I understand guys like Davis Bertans that decided to sit out because he has dealt with injuries, and he was looking to get paid this summer,” he said. “I mean, it makes sense. Everybody has their own reasons for not playing, and I don’t fault anybody. It’s a tough decision to go through.”

Ultimately, it’s going to be tough to find any player that is excited about spending three months in a bubble, even if families are allowed in mid-September. For as much as some of these guys likely miss playing basketball and want to compete for a title, no one wants to be isolated from family and friends for that window of time. It’s a reality of the situation however and something that Tatum is eager to battle through in the coming weeks as he goes to work for his teammates and the organization.

"Guys have been working,” Tatum said. “Obviously, if we’re going to go down there, we might as well try to win a championship. That’s our goal and our focus. Obviously, everybody is in the same boat, nobody has played with each other around the league, so I think we’re all kinda starting at like the same level, ground zero. And whoever can normalize it the quickest and not make excuses, and just go out there and play basketball, I think that could be the most successful team. We going down there and trying to win.

Keeping that mindset in place is going to be a tough challenge but something that veterans like Marcus Smart are going to try to ensure everyone is bought into as well.

“The mindset going into this for some guys, especially young guys, might be a little difficult,” Smart said Tuesday. “Especially when you've got rookies coming here and it's the first time in the league and then bam, we gotta be gone for three months, quarantined, trapped without our family members. We don't know how people are going to react. We don't know what's going to happen. But this is where mental health and having a strong mindset comes in. Because you have to be mentally strong for this.”

The Celtics had built a strong sense of camaraderie and chemistry together over the first 65 games of this regular season, a strong shift from the group we saw last season (Can you imagine that group being stuck in the Orlando bubble together?). Instead, Tatum is looking forward to rebuilding those connections with teammates under less than ideal circumstances.

"That’s one thing I am excited about, just seeing everybody again,” Tatum said. “Guys got new haircuts, guys look different. So just being able to see guys again, see them back in the gym, knowing that we’re going to be able to go out there and compete with each other again, that makes it worth it. I did miss those guys, good group to be around and enjoy seeing and competing with. So I think that’s what I’m excited for, just being around those guys again and sharing the floor."