This was supposed to be a growth year for Jayson Tatum. He was 4th or 5th in the pecking order. He had four months to prepare for his role. Firing quality catch-and-shoot jumpers, attacking closeouts, and swinging the ball. Then occasionally calling upon those patented one-on-one moves at the end of shot clocks. Those were supposed to be his primary offensive objections.
Now, Gordon Hayward’s leg injury modifies Tatum’s responsibilities. The rookie finds himself as arguably the top wing scorer on the team, and will be heavily relied upon to generate his offense. He’s sure to be utilized in more of a featured offensive role, and the maturation process may be faster than anyone expected.