Jayson Tatum Reacts to Boston Celtics' Trade With Memphis Grizzlies

As part of the trade that sent Xavier Tillman from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Boston Celtics, forward Lamar Stevens was sent from Boston to Memphis. Speaking with reporters, Celtics star Jayson Tatum shared his true feelings on Stevens being gone, and the void it leaves in the locker room.

"Losing a key guy to our team," Tatum said, via Jared Weiss of The Athletic. "Maybe he didn't play as much, but his personality and how hard he worked, he was a great teammate and everybody loved Lamar. To wake up from my nap today and see he was traded was tough. The locker room did feel a little empty today seeing he's not here."

Jayson Tatum on Lamar Stevens being traded to Memphis: "Losing a key guy to our team. Maybe he didn't play as much, but his personality and how hard he worked, he was a great teammate and everybody loved Lamar. To wake up from my nap today and see he was traded was tough. The…
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) February 8, 2024

This is the part of trades that is not always considered. While Stevens did not play much for Boston, he was still a beloved teammate, which makes deals like this hard. That said, this is not the first time Tatum and Boston's core has seen a beloved teammate get traded, and they all understand it is part of the business.

From a basketball perspective, this move makes sense for Boston. Tillman is a versatile forward who can really help strengthen Boston's front court depth. Al Horford is getting older, and Kristaps Porzingis has some injury concerns, so the Celtics can never have too much depth up front.

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