00:00You keep mentioning Tatum in this.
00:02Do you think that this move signals to you that Tatum is coming back this year?
00:06Yeah, look, I've never wavered on it,
00:08and I totally get that he's kind of pondering it and his fit.
00:13And, you know, I certainly think as you get closer,
00:15you start thinking about, you know, is my body going to hold up?
00:17And heaven forbid you injure yourself again.
00:19Like a million things run through your head.
00:22But I don't think you work that hard without the goal of getting back out there.
00:27And I think he's just navigating that process of like how it's going to work,
00:31getting back out there.
00:33Same thing.
00:34I think he showed a lot of self-awareness, not wanting to rock the boat
00:37and knowing that it's going to cause some things to change a little bit.
00:41But, yeah, I just suspect he's going to be out there.
00:44And, you know, at first I always thought,
00:47and I'm sure I told you this, guys, before,
00:49I thought it was like around his birthday, March, steady circle.
00:51And then I thought maybe he was sliding into February
00:53because he seems so far ahead of schedule.
00:55And we'll see where it lands.
00:56But I'd be really surprised if he ultimately elects to sit it out
01:01because I think he knows the best version of this team includes him,
01:05and they'll figure it out.
01:06And it's been nice to hear the Celtics kind of within the last week from Joe
01:09to even Jalen last night kind of reaffirm, like, they want him there.
01:14They know he's the best version of this team is with him.
01:18And I think it'll eventually get there.
01:20So what about all the reporting last week which says that he was having second thoughts?
01:24Again, I think some of that might have –
01:28and, again, I'm reading leaves here, tea leaves here.
01:31And I think there's some truth to it in terms of, again,
01:35you're getting to the point where you've got to make a decision.
01:37Are you doing this?
01:39And a little bit of self-doubt creeps in.
01:42Like, is my Achilles going to hold up?
01:43Am I ready to deal with the rigors of NBA basketball every night?
01:48Am I ready to jump into the grind and be ready for a playoff series?
01:53Can I be the Jason Tatum that people are going to expect?
01:57But I don't think – I just think he's got to –
01:59it's something he's just got to kind of work through and process.
02:03And I just think that's a – you know, maybe something he's mulling over,
02:07but I don't think it's enough to deter him to getting on the floor.
Comments