Jayson Tatum

Consistency is an underrated quality. Tatum's production is Exhibit A in this argument. The newly crowned champion once again played 73-plus games last season. Over the last four seasons, Tatum has averaged over 26.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 three-pointers and 4.2 assists per game each year. And he was an All-Star in the last five seasons. The star forward finished sixth in MVP voting last year. While his scoring took a dip (26.9 ppg versus 30.1 the year prior), his field-goal percentage increased from 46.6 to 47.1 percent. And let's not forget Tatum's career free-throw percentage of 84.4 percent at a high volume, ideal for end-of-game closeouts. Boston's loaded depth chart allowed the team to play Tatum a minute less per game versus 2022-23. The presence of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday somewhat relieved the need for Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry the team. The Celtics are bringing back almost the exact same roster, so Tatum's role as lead scorer and surprising facilitator will continue. And he's only 26 years old. In fact, Tatum's numbers could further blossom during the first half of the season while Porzingis recovers from a foot injury. Tatum and Brown will need to score more often with Porzingis out. While gaudy stats are never guaranteed, Tatum's consistent production is one of the safest bets in the Association.