Jayson Tatum and the MVP race.

Tatum deserves to be in the MVP race.

Winslow Townson/Getty Images

Introductory thoughts: This isn’t the stuff I usually write. But I want to keep trying new things. If you like this type of opinion piece, let me know. If it didn’t hit the mark, that’s cool too, let me know :) I want to make sure I’m covering things you want to see.

Jayson Tatum is the Boston Celtics’ best player. According to their record, the Celtics are the best team in the NBA. On paper, it makes sense that the best player on the best team should be considered a front-runner in the MVP race. It sounds and seems to be a logical train of thought. After all, success matters. Right?

Once the All-Star break is out of the way, MVP talk is going to heat up and heat up quickly. The league has an incredible amount of talent right now. There are multiple players in multiple positions who all have an argument for a spot in this race.

For Celtics fans, it feels like we universally accepted that Tatum’s chances of winning MVP this season were non-existent. It's not because he isn’t deserving or is having a bad season. Rather, he has sacrificed so that his teammates can thrive.

Sacrifice has been a buzzword throughout the Celtics this season. There isn’t a member of the top-8 rotation who hasn’t shared their thoughts on the selflessness of the team since opening night.

Yet, despite his sacrifice, Tatum is still floating around the MVP conversation. In his latest MVP rankings, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps has the St. Louis native sitting sixth in the MVP race. The players in front of him are:

1. Nikola Jokic

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

4. Luka Doncic

5. Kawhi Leonard

6. Jayson Tatum

On the surface, these results feel fair. Jokic is the best player in the world. SGA, Giannis and Luka are clear-cut primary options on their team and don’t have the amount of talent around them that Tatum and Leonard do. Kawhi, well, he’s Kawhi.

So, Tatum being sixth is fair. But it’s also bullshit.

I’m not about to sit here and make some fake claim that Tatum is better than Jokic. I don’t believe it. You wouldn’t believe it. And you would probably hit the unsubscribe button without reading any further. No. Jokic is the better player.

If you want to argue that SGA, Luka, Giannis, and Kawhi are better players. Have at it. There’s a legitimate case in each of those scenarios.

I’m not here to have that type of discussion. It’s not how I view basketball. It’s not the content I want to create.

What I do want to say, though, is that Tatum is in arguably the most difficult position of everyone in the top six. He has to balance his own production with that of his teammates. Jaylen Brown is an All-Star; he needs his touches. His developments as a featured scorer and the playmaking jump he’s taken (in making successful first-read passes) ensure that the ball has to be in his hands at times.

Jrue Holiday and Derrick White form the most versatile backcourt in the league. They need their touches, too. So does Kristaps Porzingis. So does Payton Pritchard. Al Horford and Sam Hauser are fine without the ball in their hands for the most part.

That’s a lot of mouths to feed. It’s a lot of people to keep involved on a game-by-game basis. But that’s the beauty of this Celtics team. Everybody is playing for each other. The only goal that matters is hanging a banner in the TD Garden.

If SGA, Luka, Kawhi, or Giannis were in the position Tatum is this season, and their numbers had taken a dip, would they be outside the top-five in MVP voting? I doubt it. For some reason, their names rank higher on the “sexy-name-o’meter.”

When you take a step back and look at things, you can see that Tatum is leading a team full of All-Star talents. He’s having a career year in terms of efficiency. He’s defending at a high level. His playmaking has taken yet another leap. And, most importantly, the Celtics are winning at an incredible clip.

Isn’t that what an MVP is? The most valuable player? Isn’t value defined as what they mean to their team in the context of what the team needs? Or are we basing value on boxscore numbers and how many views their most viral plays garnered on social media?

Stephen A. Smith had a similar argument in today’s episode of First Take.

“I got Jayson Tatum as the leading candidate for league MVP now that Joel Embiid is out,” Smith said. “I’m sorry, does winning matter? Does being the best player on the best team matter? I’d say it does. I’m looking at a brotha that was averaging 30 last year. He’s now averaging 27…Jayson Tatum even has a teammate that’s getting paid more than him at $300 million in Jaylen Brown. Oh, by the way, in case you want to look, career high of 56% on two-point shots. Shooting 37% in the paint and non-restricted area. Shooting 44% from mid-range…

The brotha is something special. 6’9’’. Can take you inside. Can take you outside. Can post you up. Can face the basket and pull up. Can hit you threes. Can hit you free-throws. The brotha is a juggernaut. He is the best player on the Boston Celtics. He is the best player on the best team in the NBA.”

I’m sure that Tatum would prefer a championship ring to an MVP trophy. If it’s one or the other, based on everything he’s ever said during press conferences, the championship would take precedence. Obviously, I can’t claim to know that for certain, but it’s a logical delineation based on all available information.

Of course, I feel the same way. I would love to see Tatum earn some league-wide recognition with an MVP trophy. His growth as an all-around talent and as a leader both deserve some form of praise. However, a championship has to be the goal. This Celtics team is going to continue rising in cost. There’s an expiration date on the current roster. It’s here for a good time, not a long time. Then, Tatum and the fanbase will likely need to navigate a re-tool.

Tatum is 25. He has at least another five or six years to challenge for an MVP. He’s likely not even in his prime yet.

Still, I saw some discussions surrounding his candidacy and wanted to write about it. So, I thought, where better than our little clover-shaped corner of the internet?

A side note

I’m still figuring out what post-game content will look like in this newsletter. Once I have it figured out, I need to figure out how to create the time to write it. The days after a game are most most intensive days in terms of workload. While the newsletter is completely free, I have to prioritize paid work. As it grows and begins to become paywalled, that will obviously change.

Tomorrow, I will be looking at Boston’s “Horns” actions from yesterday’s win over Brooklyn. The Celtics ran a bunch of variations, and I found it really interesting, so thought it would be fun to dive in.

As usual. Thank you for rocking with me, and welcome to all the new faces who have signed up this week. I appreciate you.