Jason Tatum Unphased By Knicks Offseason Moves

The NBA’s current kings appear to be unbothered by the moves of its subjects, including the New York Knicks.

That’s what Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum will have you believe, anyway, through a conversation with former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony on the latter’s “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. Tatum is fresh off helping guide the C’s to their record-setting 18th NBA championship in dominant fashion, as they needed only 19 games to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

“I see all the changes in people switching teams and obviously teams is getting better,” Tatum said. “(But) that’s every offseason. You got to have like an appropriate fear or respect for your opponent, right? You don’t never want to disrespect who you playing.”

“But with that being said, it’s like we won. When you win a championship, you get to talk how you want to talk. They’ve got to go through us.”

The Celtics’ dominance has tipped off an arms race of sorts in the Eastern Conference and Boston’s Atlantic Division rivals have been particularly active.

The Knicks added Mikal Bridges in a rare trade with the Brooklyn Nets, sending a package headlined by five future first-round picks to obtain the services of yet another former Villanova Wildcat. Bridges joins an incumbent core headlined by Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby, who was re-signed to a $212 million extension after coming over in a late December trade with the Toronto Raptors.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, re-upped with Tyrese Maxey and Kelly Oubre Jr. while luring in several accomplished free agents such as nine-time All-Star and former Los Angeles Clipper Paul George. They’ll unite with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid as the 76ers seek to avenge a six-game loss to the Knicks in the opening round of last season’s playoffs.

Tatum will have to put divisional pleasantries aside for the time being, as he and Embiid will be repping the United States in the upcoming men’s basketball tournament at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Team USA prevailed over Canada in an exhibition in Las Vegas on Wednesday and another against Australia awaits on Monday in Abu Dhabi (12 p.m. ET, FS1).

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