Coming off a near-perfect NBA season for the Celtics, many would have expected Jayson Tatum to clock serious minutes for the USA Olympic squad. Instead, reality has been rather harsh. The former #3 draft pick was a DNP in the first game against Serbia, and he hasn’t gotten as much playing time as he might have hoped.
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This result has shocked the Celtics faithful, be it fans or players. Tatum’s championship-winning teammate Payton Pritchard also expressed his disbelief at how little Tatum has played in Paris.
On the Point Forward podcast, Pritchard claimed he understood what Tatum was going through. When asked how he felt about Tatum being benched, the guard said,
“I actually wanted to text him (Tatum) but, just cos, I’ve actually been in situations like that. I’m not saying at all it’s at his level, but it’s a humbling experience.”
His choice of words was very interesting because Tatum said the same thing when interviewed after the opening game.
“Win a championship, new contract, cover of 2k and then you sit a whole game. Cover of Sports Illustrated. Definitely a humbling experience.”
However, it hasn’t been all doom and gloom for the Celtics forward. Tatum averages 19.9 minutes per game this Olympics, with 6.3 points and 6 rebounds. His contributions off the bench, while not game-changing, have been solid, and have helped Team USA make it to the finals.
Steve Kerr’s decision to bench him has been seen as controversial, and there have been arguments from people who both support and oppose his decision. Most of the arguments that call for Tatum to play, however, hinge on the fact that he deserves a starting spot solely because he’s an NBA Champion.
These arguments fail to take into account how the competitors for Tatum’s position are two of the greatest players in the modern age- LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
Fans online claim that Steve Kerr giving Tatum limited minutes is part of some huge anti-Celtics conspiracy, and that the Warriors HC is trying to drive a wedge between him and his Celtics teammates Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, both of whom have seen consistent minutes in Paris.
While most of this online talk is just that, one particular person feels there may be some truth to this, and he hasn’t shied away from making his thoughts known.
Paul Pierce claims Tatum’s benching is “Celtics hate”
Pierce, who won the Celtics’ last chip before 2024, has been extremely vocal in his support for his former team. He believes that Kerr benching Tatum wasn’t based on “matchups” as the coach claimed. Instead, he thinks this benching was insulting to Tatum, who is one of the 5 best players on the planet after making yet another All-NBA First Team.
On Undisputed Pierce said,
“I don’t think this was humbling. This was more like a slap in the face. Think about this: After the game, Kerr was like, what was the word he used? He felt bad. Felt like an idiot, and then you try and sit (Joel) Embiid in the next game to kind of justify it. Like, ‘Look, I sat the MVP.’ Nah, that ain’t what this was.”
"I don't think it was humbling. This was more like a slap in the face."
@paulpierce34 takes issue with Jayson Tatum's benching vs. Serbia pic.twitter.com/cTemwgS34z— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) August 2, 2024
Pierce’s words are to be taken with a pinch of salt. The unfortunate truth, whether Celtics fans wish to believe it or not, is that on a team with James and Durant, Tatum falls down the pecking order. Irrespective of his championship, Tatum simply cannot match the level of experience that the other two bring.
Now that the team has reached the gold medal game, Kerr’s decisions seem to have paid off. Tatum logged yet another DNP in a close semi-final against Serbia, where James registered a triple-double, and Durant iced the game with two clutch buckets at the death.
In a team full of superstars, it was always going to be the case that someone didn’t log as many minutes as others, and it seems unfortunate that this time it had to be Tatum. However, with Team USA in the final and competing for gold against hosts France, it seems like Tatum has a chance to secure yet another piece of hardware this summer, solidifying his case as a player not to be taken lightly next season.
