Celtics Notes: Tatum, Mazzulla, Porzingis, Commerce Precedence

Celtics star Jayson Tatum He grew up as an enormous fan of Kobe BryantSo he was excited concerning the alternative to hitch Lakers Within the 2017 draft, he writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Nevertheless, Tatum didn’t get any expertise with Los Angeles, which had the second general decide, despite the fact that he was thought of one of many high prospects after a stellar freshman season at Duke. Lakers legend Magic Johnsonwho served as group president on the time, clarified this week that they’d already began shifting ahead Julius Randle, Brandon Ingram and Larry Nance Jr on the roster and targeted on discovering assist in the backcourt.

“Sure, I believe I used to be upset on the time as a result of there was no actual curiosity.” Tatum mentioned. “From my perspective, I grew up an enormous Kobe fan and needed to play for the Lakers. That they had a variety of energy forwards and that was their thought course of on the time,” he defined. “It is not like I had any animosity towards the Magic or the Lakers.” After I was a child, I used to be on the verge of fulfilling my life’s dream, the best way I assumed it could be.

The draft was executed completely for Boston, with Tatum taken third after buying and selling from first. Tatum has already been a five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA choice, whereas Markelle Fultzwho went to Philadelphia with the highest decide, and is at present out of the league, and Lonzo BallThe Lakers, who completed second, not too long ago resumed play in Chicago after lacking greater than two full years because of a knee difficulty.

“He clearly succeeded in developing with the most effective case situation.” Tatum added. “However I really like Magic Johnson. I really like what he means to the sport. I haven’t got any laborious emotions about him. Each time I see him, it is at all times love. It is simply one thing that occurred and there is in all probability 1,000,000 tales all through the NBA that gamers needed to go to or They thought they had been going someplace. All the pieces occurred for a motive.”

There’s extra from Boston:

• coach Joe MazzolaWho was he? He was fined $35,000 ‘To go after him aggressively’ Official after Thursday’s loss to Chicago, he spoke to his gamers earlier than this morning’s shootout concerning the significance of staying in management and never overreacting to dangerous calls, Washburn provides in the identical article. “It is a lengthy 12 months, so the keys will not be simply the video games, but additionally the way you need the season to go.” Mazzola mentioned. “They’re simply little reminders, and it is at all times good to replace them.”
• Kristaps Porzingis He has been faraway from the harm report for tonight’s rematch with the Bulls, in response to Soichi Terada from MassLive. Porzingis was initially listed as questionable because of a proper heel bruise suffered Sunday in Washington.
• Assuming the massive man rotation stays wholesome, discovering veteran wing depth must be the Celtics’ precedence in any commerce earlier than the deadline, Brian Robb of MassLive Nations within the mailbag column. He notices it Jordan Walsh, Baylor Sherman and Jaden Springer They didn’t encourage confidence of their reliability through the qualifiers.