Karalis: Reactions to Jayson Tatum on his wrist, a photo with Kevin Durant, and losing in the Finals

Jayson Tatum sat down with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks for an interview this weekend where he revealed a few things about the loss in the Finals, his wrist injury, and working out with Kevin Durant. Here’s some of what he said, and some reaction to the comments. Plus, some bonus thoughts on other random Celtics goings on.

Tatum on losing in the Finals

“Those three, four days afterward I was miserable. I really, really was. And it took some time to kind of get out of that funk and just kind of enjoy my life, enjoy being around my son and my family … 

“It's just tough. I feel like sometimes I come off so laid back that I don't know if people understand how much I invest into this game, how much I care, how hard I worked, because I'm not like the loudest or may show everything. But it was just so tough because I literally gave everything that I had, and to feel like I ran out, that I didn't have anything left to give, and we were so close -- I didn't have an appetite, I didn't want to talk to anybody, I didn't want to go anywhere. I just was, like, in my house for like three, four days straight.”

John’s Take: I’ve seen Tatum after dozens of losses and, as he said, he always comes off as laid back. He always seems to understand there's another day to fight in the NBA, and the second a game is over, there's no real time to celebrate wins or get down about losses because there's another game right around the corner. 

But there was no game around the corner this time around. And not only coming within two wins of a championship, but having a lead in the NBA Finals but then being unable to close the deal, has to be a killer. When he sat at that podium after Game 6, you could see how much it crushed him. He was a different person. 

We should all be happy he had this reaction, because if it was me, I’d remember that depression and try to figure out every possible way I could to avoid it in the future. That dark week should be replaying in his head over and over, and he should have spent a lot of time trying to answer the questions of why this came to pass. He should have had an honest moment with himself about how responsible he was, and how he could be better next time. 

This should be the fuel for the internal improvement that Boston needs to get back to the Finals. Getting Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari is nice, but the real push for prolonged greatness will come from the internal improvement of all of Boston’s veteran players. As much as the Celtics need the help off the bench, versatility, and depth, it’ll be Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Robert Williams taking steps forward that will keep this team at the top of the NBA.

Tatum on his wrist injury

“I had a non displaced fracture in my wrist, and it was small, but it was a non displaced chip. So, like, I chipped the bone but it didn't like leave the surface. But it had shown that the bone had grown over, so it healed but it was still pain. I was still in pain because I kept getting hit or falling on it, so I guess I played with somewhat of a fracture for like two months.

“And then in the playoffs, there was a play against Milwaukee in Game 3. I dunked it, Giannis (Antetokounmpo) chased me down, and he fouled me and I fell into the crowd. And that was the most painful it's been since that day that I hurt it. And I ended up getting a cortisone shot in my wrist that night, and you can see it. I've lost color in my hand because it kills the fat cells and there’s not a lot of fat in my hand. So I've lost color right there. 

“But after each game, I would have to wear a brace to shoot around, and I would take it off before the camera saw me. Then pregame, taking my nap, I had to put it back on just to make sure it was stable.”

John’s Take: Just to be clear here, we all knew about it. He was asked a few times about the wrist during the season and the playoffs. 

I asked him about the wrist after Game 2 of the Bucks series when he came out with a wrap on it and he said “nah, this is just a great tape job, wrap. My famous trainer Nick (Sang) wrapped my hand up. He’s a little excessive so that’s why I look like that. But I’m all right. I just fell. Keep the swelling down.”

Then after Game 3 when he hurt again, he said “that's something I've been dealing with for probably like two months now. So it wasn't anything abnormal.  When I fall on it, it  bothers me, but nothing that I haven't been dealing with last couple months, so it’s alright.”

And after a follow up, he said, “I fell on it probably, like, two months ago. Some rest would have done it well. It's healed but just kind of sensitive still, because obviously we've been playing every other day and it keeps getting hit and I keep falling on it. But just wrap it up, put a pad on it, and play.”

The reason I bring this up is just to clarify that yes, of course we all knew Tatum was dealing with a wrist thing. Tatum and the team never reported the fracture, even though Tatum is clearly talking about a scan that revealed the bone had been fractured and healed over. We asked him about it and he basically blew it off. 

I personally don’t care about teams playing games with the injury report, but the league does. I’m not sure if this will rise to the level of a punishable offense, but the league is in bed with the gambling industry, and the one thing gamblers hate is withholding injury information that can guide their betting lines. 

Teams have been fined before for stuff like this, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see something come out of this admission. 

Tatum on working out with Kevin Durant

“It goes back to your earlier question, ‘what do you give up being Jayson Tatum?’ It’s like they exaggerate everything I do, right? I've known KD since I was in high school, we were on the USA team together, we spent five weeks together last year from Vegas to Tokyo, we won a gold medal. We have a bond, like, this is my brother. And it's like, I'm not too proud to say KD’s one of the best players ever, so if one of the best players wants to work out with you. and I could learn some things from him, why would I say no? And it's just, if you worry too much about what other people think or are going to say, you’re going to drive yourself crazy. And it's crazy -- that I can't work out with somebody,  working out together, trying to get better.”

John’s Take: Two things: First, I agree with Tatum and I think that by now, in 2022, we should all have moved past whatever old concepts of sports hatred we’re still holding onto. 

If Larry Bird and Magic Johnson could become friends (which they did, and it happened during their playing days), then anyone in the league can be friends. 

Times have changed. The league has changed. Guys come up through the AAU circuit. Young potential future stars end up at camps where they interact with some of the game’s greats. They develop relationships with each other. They have endorsements together where they get to know each other (like Larry and Magic did). There are all sorts of ways for players to become friends, so even though Durant is going through his drama and the Celtics have been linked to it, there's zero reason to look at it as anything but two friends working out together. 

Secondly, we all (myself included) need to stop giving the idiots chirping on social media too much credence. I’m sure this question is in response to all the replies on social media over the photo. People are just looking for attention, and this notion that “everybody” had an issue with the photo gives too much power to too few people. 

I’m guilty of it too. I see Twitter reaction and decide to smash out 1,000 words in response because I think the record needs to be set straight. I do admit that sometimes that has a counterintuitive effect because people see my response first, and the go back to see what the fuss is about. 

The bottom line: social media is a cesspool of the worst humanity has to offer and should generally be ignored … but I can’t because it’s also where people find content and I need to be a salesman pushing my wares in a giant internet content bazaar. 

Tatum hits the floor for a Pro Am

Remember the guide I put out about not reading too much into things like this. This was a bunch of NBA dudes playing at All-Star speed. 

The good news is he doesn’t have a wrap on the left wrist, so that's encouraging.

A new Durant suitor emerges:

According to Shams Charania:

“Recently, a new team has shown interest in Durant: the Memphis Grizzlies, league sources tell The Athletic. Fresh off a 56-win season, the Grizzlies have made new inquiries to the Nets about Durant, those sources added. Memphis has five first-round draft picks available (four unprotected selections of its own and one protected via Golden State in 2024) to theoretically utilize in a trade as well as young players like Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, Ziaire Williams, Brandon Clarke, Kennedy Chandler and David Roddy.”

Jackson and Bane aren’t really on the table, according to the report, but this just feels like Brooklyn stoking the flames again. The Boston rumors didn’t shake anyone good free, now it feels like Brooklyn is going another route with its rumors to try pushing things along. 

I like Durant in Memphis more than I do in Boston because he’s the veteran leadership a young team like the Grizzlies could use. Consolidating young talent into a veteran like Durant and pushing the Grizzlies into the top tier of contender for a couple of seasons makes much more sense. 

I’m still not 100% sold on these rumors, but at least there's some logic behind them. Mostly, though, I feel like the Nets are trying like hell to push this thing along because they might be heading for an impasse when camp opens. 

Celtics bring Denzel Valentine to camp

They tried this last year and it didn’t work out. He bounced around the league a bit before ending up in the G League. I doubt this year will be much different.