Ramp to Camp: What extra can Jayson Tatum add to his recreation?

Ramp to Camp: What extra can Jayson Tatum add to his recreation? initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston

Jayson Tatum has all the time been fairly good with predictions. Over the summer season he shared an essay he wrote within the fourth grade by which he primarily laid out his future as an NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist.

Throughout an look on “The Tonight Present” with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday, Tatum was requested to foretell the NBA’s subsequent Most Precious Participant.

“Can I say myself?” Tatum responded with a smile.

MVP appears like one of many few packing containers Tatum has left to verify as he ascends into the uppermost echelon of NBA elite. However what can he add to his recreation to assist attain that lofty perch?

For the ninth installment in our Ramp To Camp collection, we requested our NBC Sports activities Boston panel to choose one factor they’d wish to see from Jayson Tatum throughout the 2024-25 season.

(Take a look at the first eight installments of Ramp to Camp right here.)

Tatum, a three-time All-NBA First-Teamer, already has two top-six finishes in MVP voting (sixth in 2024; fourth in 2023). His scoring dipped final season however his playmaking developed as Tatum did much more of the little issues that helped Boston dominate the league.

There isn’t loads to quibble about. Tatum had his greatest season ending on the rim (72 p.c) and pushed his 3-point taking pictures proportion north of his profession mark (37.6 p.c final 12 months). Some will quibble together with his shot choice, and after some early success within the put up final season, we’d like to see him lean somewhat heavier into working in that spot over the course of a season.

However, for this author, it’s all about Tatum’s evolution as a playmaker.

Tatum attracts a lot consideration that it creates simple scoring probabilities for his teammates. Throughout Boston’s dominant postseason run, his potential assists per recreation spiked to 10.1. He had extra potential assists within the finals (10.8 per recreation) than Luka Doncic (9.6), and created practically 4 extra help factors per recreation than Doncic in that collection.

Tatum has solely three profession triple-doubles, however one got here early throughout Boston’s 2024 playoff run. By leaning just a bit heavier into playmaking, it appears like a triple-double might be a nightly flirtation.

Tatum’s courtroom imaginative and prescient simply retains evolving. He’ll sometimes unleash the one-hand, cross-court dart that LeBron James may ship. And keep in mind that behind-the-back feed to Al Horford in East Finals in opposition to the Pacers?

That’s peak Tatum. Perhaps even MVP Tatum.

Here’s what our panel want to see:

Let’s hit that 5 assists-per-game mark. (Tatum averaged a career-high 4.9 final season).

Everybody’s gonna say higher soar taking pictures, and I need that, too. However Tatum ought to ignore the Olympics noise and proceed rising as a facilitator. It will take the stress off him in the long term. Plus, it is what winners do.

Tom Giles, Multi-platform host

Turn into a killer within the closing moments.

Folks nationally gravitate towards guys who make clutch pictures (i.e. Jamal Murray). I would like to see Tatum have a number of of these buzzer-beater moments and am curious what that does for his nationwide notion.

Max Lederman, Multi-platform producer

Tatum could make all of the pictures, so what I would actually like him to work on is shot choice.

His area objective proportion on step-back 3s has declined in every of the final three seasons, so until he turns that round, I need him taking fewer of them this season. I would not thoughts extra midrange jumpers and I will be elated if he works in additional of these turnaround baseline jumpers he by no means appears to overlook.

Mark Hazlett, Multi-platform producer

Whereas I need the remainder of the group to depart final season behind, I need Tatum to lean IN to successful the title.

At instances, it appears like JT can press late in tight video games. Jayson, you at the moment are minted in NBA lore. The load has lifted off your broad shoulders. I believe he ranges up once more.

Extra drives to the basket.

Tatum averaged simply 6.7 free throw makes an attempt per recreation final season after trying a career-high 8.2 per recreation in 2022-23. If he makes a concerted effort to get to the rack extra in 2024-25, his improved playmaking might help generate nice appears to be like for his teammates.

Tatum was a wonderful playmaker within the playoffs, particularly within the clinching Sport 5 of the Finals when he had 11 assists. He averaged 6.3 assists per recreation within the postseason — an enchancment from his 4.9 dimes per recreation within the common season.

Tatum’s passing has improved a lot since his rookie season. It would not be a nasty thought to have him provoke the offense somewhat extra as a point-forward, particularly if he is nonetheless on the ground early within the recreation with the second unit.

Shot choice.

Tatum is at his greatest when he is attacking the rim relatively than settling for contested 3-pointers. He goes by way of phases the place he remembers that and dominates, however he must be extra constant if he hopes to be a severe contender for the MVP award.

Kevin Miller, VP, Content material

There are a number of locations the place JT might proceed to develop into extra environment friendly — catch-and-shoot 3s, mid-post baskets, and ending on the rim. I am going with the final one because the one I want to see essentially the most, purely attributable to an evolution of mindset.

I need him to consider he can end excessive of individuals, draw extra and-ones, and simply convey a “do not mess with me” mentality. It is in there and we’ll see it extra this season.