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2017 Orlando Magic Draft Preview: Who is Jayson Tatum?

By Philip Rossman-Reich

Mar 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball against Clemson Tigers forward Jaron Blossomgame (5) during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 8, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Jayson Tatum (0) controls the ball against Clemson Tigers forward Jaron Blossomgame (5) during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Bad

For all of Tatum’s scoring ability, how he scores is something that will raise some eyebrows around the NBA. For a team with championship aspirations, Tatum’s offensive skill set is not quite what the modern NBA calls for.

Sure, a team needs a star and someone who can create his own shot. But the days of superstars isolating on one side of the floor and looking to break down their defender in the mid-post are over. If a player does not have the 3-point shot as a major threat and uses mid-range jumpers extensively, their place in the league is questioned. Or at least their place as the central focus of a championship team.

Tatum is this kind of throwback player. He is a superstar of the early 2000s, maybe not one of the early 2010s.

That is not to say Tatum is not a willing passer — 2.1 assists per game. He is hardly a selfish player. But devolving into an isolation game is an inefficient way to play in the NBA, as necessary as that skill is.

Duke Blue Devils Basketball
Duke Blue Devils Basketball /

Duke Blue Devils Basketball

Tatum too got a lot of his scoring opportunities on mid-post post-ups against slower defenders. In college, Tatum played primarily at power forward. He worked against a lot of bigger, slower defenders. He still stood out and was solid on the glass. So he was able to hold his own.

How does he handle quicker small forwards? Or is his future at power forward? Is he in the Paul Millsap-style of power forwards?

These are big questions. Especially for the Magic, who have a tweener power forward already in Aaron Gordon. In some respects, the Magic have to ask themselves what is the difference between Tatum and Tobias Harris (a John Hammond draft day acquisition, by the way)?

That may be a question for another day.

Tatum’s big weakness may be his 3-point shooting. He was a 34.2 percent shooter from beyond the arc last year. He will have to continue to boost his 3-point shooting. With 84.9 percent shooting from the foul line, there is something to suggest he can still improve as a shooter as he moves to the NBA game.