The Boston Celtics are the reigning NBA champions and are in a good position to repeat. Through nearly two weeks of the 2024-25 season, the Celtics are 6-1. They have the best offensive rating (123.4) and average the most points per game (123.7). Additionally, they are doing all of this without Kristaps Porzingis, who is expected to remain out until at least December due to a leg injury. The Celtics are primed to be the NBA’s next dynasty, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. However, it is easy to forget that they were not always this dominant in recent years. Additionally, it appears that one of Boston’s biggest stars wanted out before his career even began.
During an appearance on Jeff Teague‘s podcast, Club 520 podcast (YouTube link), Tatum admitted that he wanted the Celtics to trade him in 2017. Per Tatum, this was due to him not expecting much playing time, especially once the team signed Gordon Hayward.
“I get drafted, and Gordon Hayward signed with the Celtics. I called my agent, like, ‘yo, I gotta get traded.” “I’m in Summer League before I ever play a game. He like ‘relax, just wait it out,'” Tatum said.
“I’m trying to play. I didn’t get drafted to come off the bench and not start. He was like ‘yo, you’re in a great organization, they gone teach you how to play the right way…This was before [Kyrie Irving] even came, but then when Ky came, it was cool because we traded a lot of people for Ky.”
Jayson Tatum Admits He Nearly Requested Trade From Boston Celtics in 2017
Jayson Tatum’s Celtics Legacy
Fortunately for Tatum and the Celtics, the team never traded him. Now in his eighth season with the team, the Duke alum is already establishing himself as one of the franchise’s all-time greats. So far, he is a five-time All-Star, a four-time All-NBA selection, a one-time Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and a one-time champion. Furthermore, he led the Celtics to another NBA Finals appearance in 2022, as well as five total conference finals appearances. Not once during his time in Boston have the Celtics missed the playoffs. The 26-year-old is also regularly in MVP talks. Though he has yet to win the award, he has finished in the top 15 in voting four times and finished sixth or better three times.
Tatum’s Celtics career is still young. He signed a five-year, $314 million extension this summer. This will keep him under contract through the 2029-30 season.
The Last Word
Tatum is one of the NBA’s best players and should remain one for the foreseeable future. As long as he remains in Boston, there is a legitimate chance he has multiple rings by the time his career is over. To think that there was a chance none of this would have happened is interesting. During the podcast, Tatum said he initially wanted to go to the Phoenix Suns. The Suns had the fourth pick and were a young team led by Devin Booker. Ultimately, they ended up with Josh Jackson, who has not played in the NBA since 2022. If Tatum ended up in Phoenix, or anywhere else for that matter, the landscape of the NBA would look completely different.
