Is Jayson Tatum a breakout candidate? - what is his ceiling?

Those are two major questions. In my interview with Brian Scalabrine, I asked if he thought Jayson Tatum might become an NBA MVP. Scal shied away from that high expectation but did say Tatum could be All-NBA second or third team even this year.


SI's Michael Shapiro thinks Jayson could be both a breakout player this upcoming season and a future MVP. This is what he had to say:

The St. Louis native Tatum) is more than a high-volume scorer. He blended perfectly with Kyrie Irving when Uncle Drew carried ball-handling duties for much of last season, serving as an elite spot-up shooter. Tatum shot 43% from three last season, including an absurd 56% on corner threes. Even with an assumed regression next season, Tatum should still be lethal from beyond the arc. Danny Ainge has struck gold again, and now has a future MVP candidate on his hands.

Tatum came to Boston with the reputation as a shooter, and he certainly proved that. He has the potential to be an absolutely potent offensive weapon - Scalabrine called him Kevin Durant-ish. Jayson has been working with Kobe Bryant, and there are far worse choices for mentoring in the scoring arts.

During last season, Tatum's passing and rebounding improved, and this summer he has worked on his strength and handles. Breakout this season for him? Good chance of it. MVP down the road? He's got a shot at it.

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