Jayson Tatum puts a positive spin on Anthony Davis trade rumors

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Jayson Tatum is in the thick of the NBA playoffs, so you wouldn't blame him for being annoyed by talk of trade rumors.

But instead, the Boston Celtics forward is viewing the chatter as a positive.

Tatum, who reportedly was discussed "extensively" in trade talks between the Celtics and New Orleans Pelicans involving superstar Anthony Davis ahead of the NBA trade deadline, recently explained his mindset about those developments to The New York Times' Sopan Deb.

"Trade rumors don’t bother me,” Tatum told Deb. “They’re talking about trading me for guys like Anthony Davis. So, I mean, I must be doing something pretty well."

Tatum was asked again if the trade rumors have gotten to him, but insisted he's unfazed.

"I love the game of basketball," he added. "Being traded is part of the game. I’ll play for whomever. It’s something I can’t control."

The 21-year-old has been asked similar questions before and supplied similar answers. Earlier this year, he insisted he doesn't take it personally that the Celtics would consider shipping their 2017 No. 3 draft pick out of town to land a bigger star, later adding that it's "good to be wanted."

Whether Tatum actually believes that or is just saying the right things is unclear, but his play on the court proves he's certainly not distracted by any trade drama: Tatum dropped 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting in Game 2 and made several key plays down the stretch to lift Boston to a 99-91 win over the Indiana Pacers.

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