Is it accurate to say Tatum is a Paul Pierce/Ray Allen level player?

[Im Still Ballin]

He's obviously never been in the "best player in the game" discussion. He's not Garnett; he's never had that weight of expectation and pressure. So then what's his level/tier? Who are some good historical comparisons as far as relative rank in the league?

[1987_Lakers]

I would probably put him slightly above peak Pierce & Allen.

[RRR3]

Pretty similar to prime Pierce yeah, but that's hardly an insult. Pierce was a stud.

[NBAGOAT]

bit better/consistent than pierce or george. Worse than pippen who's more consistently in top 10(cue 3ball response)

[highwhey]

yes

[3ba11]

Yes but I would still take Pierce over Tatum and think Pierce is superior due to his superior scoring versatility, namely post dominance and overall seamless, pure scoring ability - instinctive, ad-hoc - pierce was just better to me, while Tatum is more mechanical, but still amazing in his own right.

[90sgoat]

bit better/consistent than pierce or george.

His best comparison I feel for sure is Paul George.

Indy George and Tatum were very similar players. Superstars in the making that never really arrived. Paul George was better defensively, Tatum is better at playmaking.

I don't feel Paul Pierce is a good comparison because he's a clear team leader and scoring option in the mold of Melo, AI etc.

[NBAGOAT]

His best comparison I feel for sure is Paul George.

Indy George and Tatum were very similar players. Superstars in the making that never really arrived. Paul George was better defensively, Tatum is better at playmaking.

I don't feel Paul Pierce is a good comparison because he's a clear team leader and scoring option in the mold of Melo, AI etc.

george has some down years however and hasnt been considered top 10 for awhile. Tatum's a top 10 player.

[iamgine]

Yes to Paul Pierce. He's exactly at that level.

[90sgoat]

george has some down years however and hasnt been considered top 10 for awhile. Tatum's a top 10 player.

I know, I'm saying Indy George had a pretty big impact and was a legit up and coming star. 3 last seasons with Indy in the playoffs he scored 23, 27, 28 and shot +40% from 3 and great defense. He was legit for sure.

Tatum is better and more consistent, but I feel the comparison is fair. PG had that freak injury and never recovered his athleticism.

[tpols]

Paul Pierce was Kobe level in the early 2000s. There's a reason Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Shaqs known for hating but he had big respect for Paul. And Ray back in the day was just as good.

Tatum is nice like 7.5/10... but I'd give prime Pierce and Ray 8s.

[ShawkFactory]

Paul Pierce was Kobe level in the early 2000s. There's a reason Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Shaqs known for hating but he had big respect for Paul. And Ray back in the day was just as good.

Tatum is nice like 7.5/10... but I'd give prime Pierce and Ray 8s.

Pierce..kobe level? Ehhhhhh.

Strong reach.

[RRR3]

Paul Pierce was Kobe level in the early 2000s. There's a reason Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Shaqs known for hating but he had big respect for Paul. And Ray back in the day was just as good.

Tatum is nice like 7.5/10... but I'd give prime Pierce and Ray 8s.
Never thought I'd see the day you underrated Kobe

[Neal Romer]

I feel like a lot of people here must be relying on the statistics of regular season Tatum.

Have you ever really watched Tatum in the playoffs and thought “I’d call it a tossup between him and Pierce or Allen in terms of who Id want in a series?”

I dunno. To me I’m taking Pierce and Allen easily over Tatum.

But I tend to value playoff performance and eye test. My impression of Tatum is still that hes a little bit… I dunno, soft, and also tries to play outside of himself to achieve mamba mentality or whatever.

I think most people value regular season and ppg statistics and I guess resumé, like “how many times did voters say he was on teh first team.”

Just different approaches I guess.

[90sgoat]

Paul Pierce was Kobe level in the early 2000s. There's a reason Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Shaqs known for hating but he had big respect for Paul. And Ray back in the day was just as good.

Tatum is nice like 7.5/10... but I'd give prime Pierce and Ray 8s.

I'll admit I didn't watch too much Paul Pierce or Ray Allen, but I do remember that Paul Pierce was a very clear cut franchise player in a way that Tatum isn't. Win or lose, it was on Pierce. Tatum is more like PG, an elite role player.

[NBAGOAT]

I know, I'm saying Indy George had a pretty big impact and was a legit up and coming star. 3 last seasons with Indy in the playoffs he scored 23, 27, 28 and shot +40% from 3 and great defense. He was legit for sure.

Tatum is better and more consistent, but I feel the comparison is fair. PG had that freak injury and never recovered his athleticism.

I guess Indy George is a fair comparison. He was a top 10 lock those years just not in mvp convo. Tatum is similar

[90sgoat]

I feel like a lot of people here must be relying on the statistics of regular season Tatum.

Have you ever really watched Tatum in the playoffs and thought “I’d call it a tossup between him and Pierce or Allen in terms of who Id want in a series?”

I dunno. To me I’m taking Pierce and Allen easily over Tatum.


Not sure about Ray Allen. Not too much success there on his own.

Pierce for sure, and even Melo, were more franchise level players. Tatum, I don't know, has a different approach.

[NBAGOAT]

I'll admit I didn't watch too much Paul Pierce or Ray Allen, but I do remember that Paul Pierce was a very clear cut franchise player in a way that Tatum isn't. Win or lose, it was on Pierce. Tatum is more like PG, an elite role player.

Pierce made 1 conference finals granted with a pretty weak roster(rest of East was weak too). I would hold back on calling him a franchise player. Once KG came in he was the guy. Allen had more success as lead guy than Pierce thought he had better rosters. One conference finals one 2nd rd exit in the west

[90sgoat]

I guess Indy George is a fair comparison. He was a top 10 lock those years just not in mvp convo. Tatum is similar

PG was a top 3 MVP vote in OKC the year before his injury too.

Tatum is better (by a solid amount), but in terms of career arc and role, I feel they are similar.

[fsvr54]

bit better/consistent than pierce or george. Worse than pippen who's more consistently in top 10(cue 3ball response)

Lol.

Pierce was way better than Tatum

[1987_Lakers]

I'll admit I didn't watch too much Paul Pierce or Ray Allen, but I do remember that Paul Pierce was a very clear cut franchise player in a way that Tatum isn't. Win or lose, it was on Pierce. Tatum is more like PG, an elite role player.

To be fair, Pierce didn't have much success as the main franchise player in Boston, only made the playoffs one time in a 4 season span from '04-'07 in a shitty East until KG and Ray showed up.

[fsvr54]

To be fair, Pierce didn't have much success as the main franchise player in Boston, only made the playoffs one time in a 4 season span from '04-'07 in a shitty East until KG and Ray showed up.

Team success has nothing to do with individual talent. Tatum has had loaded teams his whole career.

[AirBonner]

I have Pierce ever so slightly ahead of Tatum. If Tatum ever gets his shot back he is clearly better.

[1987_Lakers]

Team success has nothing to do with individual talent. Tatum has had loaded teams his whole career.

Pierce wasn't a franchise guy, if you are at your peak, but only lead your team to 33 wins in a shitty conference you simply aren't that guy, regardless of cast. Pierce was a #2 option type of player on a championship squad.

Most people picking him in this thread are simply going with him because he's an OG.

[AirBonner]

Pierce wasn't a franchise guy, if you are at your peak, but only lead your team to 33 wins in a shitty conference you simply aren't that guy, regardless of cast. Pierce was a #2 option type of player on a championship squad.

Most people picking him in this thread are simply going with him because he's an OG.

I agree to an extent. I think Tatum is a greater floor raiser but Pierce is a better cherry on top. Pierce went toe to toe with Lebron and Kobe. Verdict is still out on Tatum. He is by impact alone equal.

[Neal Romer]

Pierce wasn't a franchise guy, if you are at your peak, but only lead your team to 33 wins in a shitty conference you simply aren't that guy, regardless of cast. Pierce was a #2 option type of player on a championship squad.

Most people picking him in this thread are simply going with him because he's an OG.


Youre comparing Pierce and Tatum’s careers tho as if there’s any parallel whatsoever in the team they had around them the majority of the time.

When they both had finals caliber squads, they both played in two and Pierce was known as a strong finals performer and tough shot maker/clutch moment guy, and Tatum is known as the opposite.

[kawhileonard2]

Tatum did it for the franchise that drafted him. Lebron left.

[Neal Romer]

I agree to an extent. I think Tatum is a greater floor raiser but Pierce is a better cherry on top. Pierce went toe to toe with Lebron and Kobe. Verdict is still out on Tatum. He is by impact alone equal.

Well thats the thing, Tatum tries to play like Luka or Pierce, but he just doesnt have the strength to be a bully. He’s slim hipped. Nor the craftiness to really manipulate shot blockers like those guys or Kobe or whoever.

He should be playing more like Haliburton, and hes decent when he does altho he doesnt do it AS well bc he doesnt have the same control/decision making. But physique wise thats the kind of player he should be. Run the break, pressure the defense, spray it out. He’s just not scary as a one on one scorer. It’s fine in the regular season but when teams focus on making him look pedestrian as a “batman” in the playoffs, they often succeed.

[999Guy]

Paul Pierce was Kobe level in the early 2000s. There's a reason Shaq nicknamed him "The Truth". Shaqs known for hating but he had big respect for Paul. And Ray back in the day was just as good.

Tatum is nice like 7.5/10... but I'd give prime Pierce and Ray 8s.

Good post. Peak Ray was putting up space and pace numbers in the grind out, ugly, lower efficiency early 2000’s playoff runs.


Peak Ray would put a knife in an elite defenses heart in a way Tatum has never done.


Ray was better than Kobe on offense through 2005 ish. Pierce was better than Kobe on defense in basically his entire career.

Both Kobe level but from different angles until 06/07/08 ish where Kobe leveled up a bit.

[1987_Lakers]

Youre comparing Pierce and Tatum’s careers tho as if there’s any parallel whatsoever in the team they had around them the majority of the time.

When they both had finals caliber squads, they both played in two and Pierce was known as a strong finals performer and tough shot maker/clutch moment guy, and Tatum is known as the opposite.

Pierce was actually pretty subpar during the 2010 Finals. I remember him having a few bad games in that series.

The thing is we haven't even seen Tatum peak yet, he's only 26, still has room for improvement. But already has the equal amount of All-NBA team selections Pierce has. There is no doubt Tatum likely surpasses Pierce once his career is over.

[Neal Romer]

Pierce was actually pretty subpar during the 2010 Finals. I remember him having a few bad games in that series.

The thing is we haven't even seen Tatum peak yet, he's only 26, still has room for improvement. But already has the equal amount of All-NBA team selections Pierce has. There is no doubt Tatum likely surpasses Pierce once his career is over.

If that's what you wanna go by, that's fair and to each their own. But it's kinda like saying "Malika Andrews has Tatum over Pierce, so I do too." We saw her just vote Tatum as FMVP.

Comparing players by all-nba selections or allstar selections or any of that is basically comparing them based on what Malika Andrews thinks. Or Skip Bayless. Or whoever has a vote in a given year.

I'm taking who just looks better to me when I watch the game. And I'm not saying people cant do the same and prefer Tatum. We can agree to disagree. But I'm just saying my personal argument is mainly eye test. The other stuff's not that important to me.

[FKAri]

He's probably a bit better. But that's largely from his physical tools. Tatum's instincts for scoring are miles behind Paul Pierce.

[Bawkish]

Tatum is the Paul Pierce of the Jimmy Butlers

[ArbitraryWater]

Yes, Paul Pierce.