J. Kyle Mann

Take as much time as you possibly could need, would be my advice to Jason Tatum.

In the meantime, the Celtics are still one of the best teams in the league.

They're still one of the best teams in the East.

I think they have every reason, in addition to the Cavs, in addition to the Pistons, to think...

Why not us?

You know, in adding Vooch, yeah, it's not going to be a completely seamless integration as you talked about, JB.

Some games are going to be better for him than others, but gives them a type of player they just didn't have at all before.

And so as they learn how to properly incorporate him and benefit from some of the rebounding and all the downstream effects that come from that, I just think they're going to be pretty formidable for basically anybody to bounce up against in the playoffs.

And that's true with or without Tatum, though obviously a lot of things get easier if he's able to go.

I feel a little different because of the Wolves.

And some of that is just like Minnesota making the kind of trade they needed to make, which is to get another guard, another bench player, just like have a firmer top eight, top nine for a playoff scenario.

And I would assume it gives them that.

Gives them a version of a player they already have, like he and Dante DiVincenzo share a lot in terms of their DNA and what they bring on the court.

But having another guy with that kind of energy, with that kind of shooting, with that kind of defense...

I think really makes them tough.

And Minnesota is in an interesting place because like from a macro perspective, a lot of their like big picture indicators, like their point differential and stuff are like pretty good, like pretty promising as far as where they stand relative to the rest of the league.

Their habits on the court aren't always great.

And so it's like the roster is good.

The habits are like come and go, which to me says mostly if the talent is there and you trust it and I trust it, other people may feel differently.

It's just like they are positioned well to be one of those teams that like if they lock in at the right time could give anybody a run for their money in a playoff series.