JULY 6: The richest contract in NBA history is now official, with the Celtics announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Tatum to his super-max extension.
“Jayson is a special person and player, and it’s been a thrill for all of us to watch his entire journey in Boston,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. “He has embraced all that comes with being a great Celtic, and shows consistent and genuine care for every one of his teammates, coaches, and staff across the organization. Despite all the team accomplishments and individual awards, Jayson is committed to constantly improving. He works hard and is extremely driven by the challenges of the game – especially the goal of competing with his teammates for championships. We are obviously ecstatic that Jayson chose to extend his contract and add to his amazing career as a Boston Celtic.”
JULY 1: The Celtics and Jayson Tatum have agreed to terms on a five-year, super-max extension that will begin in 2025/26 and will start at 35% of the salary cap, reports Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
Based on the NBA’s latest cap projection, the five-year contract will start at approximately $54.13MM and will be worth a total of $313.93MM, making it the largest deal in league history. It will replace the $37MM player option for 2025/26 from Tatum’s current contract and will run through the ’29/30 season.
Tatum, who won his first championship this spring, earned All-NBA First Team honors for a third straight season after averaging 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in 35.7 minutes per game with a .471/.376/.833 shooting line for the league’s top team.
The star forward met the super-max criteria, increasing his maximum salary from 30% of the cap to 35%, by making the All-NBA team in both 2022 and 2023. He needed one more year in the NBA in order to meet the service time criteria of at least seven years, but this move had been expected since last spring once he became eligible.
Tatum’s deal, which can be officially signed as early as July 6, is on track to be completed less than one year after his teammate Jaylen Brown signed a five-year super-max extension of his own. Brown’s deal, which went into effect today and previously held the title of biggest contract in NBA history, is worth approximately $285.4MM.
Having also agreed to a four-year, $125.9MM extension with guard Derrick White earlier today, the Celtics have locked up three of their five starters through at least the 2027/28 season, with a fourth (Jrue Holiday) holding a player option for that year. Boston’s fifth starter (Kristaps Porzingis) is under contract through ’25/26. It projects to be one of the league’s priciest rosters going forward, but the Celtics now have their championship core under team control for the long term.
The Celtics will become one of four teams who have multiple players on maximum-salary contracts that began at 35% of the cap. The Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard) and Sixers (Joel Embiid, Paul George) will have two apiece, while the Suns (Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal) are carrying three.
So much money the owners cant afford to keep the team anymore
Payroll data for one year
JT $55 million
Brown $55 million
Holiday $30 million
White $30 million
KP $30 million
Subtotal: $200 million
So they have to give away KP for future picks
LOL KP is on a 3 year deal he signed after being traded.
He is going nowhere. Sorry rest of the league…outside of Sam Hauser who they have the option this year, everyone is signed for 3 years.
Yep, let’s see. We have Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet & Neemias Queta settled. That’s 10 players who won us this year’s NBA title!
We also have Xavier Tillman & Svi Mykhailuk who helped us win, along with our two rookies, Baylor Scheierman & Anton Watson, last year’s rookie, Jordan Walsh, Jaden Springer and Drew Peterson who all need to earn minutes, and to me, all seem possible to do so. Sorry, if I’m missing anyone. Go Celtics!
The owners are doing just fine
haha, yes, the owners are now broke.
Are you joking?
Let the comment section go off in 3…..2……..1
Tatum the Anti Brunson. I’ve heard Brunson to consider a team friendly deal soon. That’s the type of player I want.
Make sure when raises come up at your job you put your job first.
Why? They kept all the other guys.
I want one that wins championships.
But Brunson did have a heck of a first round.
@ mlbnyfan
Oh you “heard” Brunson would take less money.
Cry more.
Brunson shouldn’t take a team friendly deal, he’s already on a sweetheart deal. They need to pay the man.
Don’t worry. He won’t.
Did you also hear the air flap between your butt cheeks when you pulled that out of your rear end?
Butt cheeks? rear end? Is that you grampy?
You’re an idiot if you think Brunson is not gonna take a max offer. Tell me why you would take less money in your job? Exactly.
Worst take ever.
Silivan thinks you have clown shoes on
Celtics are still far better than the following teams
Knicks – no superstar
Bucks – old
76ers – n0 depth
Silivan – no clue.
Dunking on a bot. Classy.
What happened to the band must break up? Hauser isn’t going anywhere either. The main core of Boston can easily find value yr to yr on minimum deals rounding out the roster.
The roster is already rounded out now. Brisset and Mykhailuk gone. Baylor and Walsh take their place.
Brad Stevens is playing 3d chess and most GMs, I am looking right at you Morey, cannot get their checkers on the board.
Not surprised he signed it, but I’d be shocked if he finishes this contract in Boston.
There’s 0 chance Tatum is going to want to stay there if Brown keeps taking the MVP awards when Tatum continues to put up better stats
Honestly surprised Tatum is even interested in staying with Brown even now. Tatum is a FAR better player yet he still has to deal with Jaylen (who can barely dribble with both hands) taking home all the hardware
Completely ridiculous comment.
Has to be one of the stupidest things ever uttered in this comment section. He well deserves the max, one of the most talented players in the game, future hofer. But even he would admit he needs to shoot better in the playoffs .JB MVP no doubt
They just resigned White also.
This roster is so expensive and will be expensive for a long time. One championship isn’t enough to satisfy the FO. They’re all in. If it implodes, Tatum will not retire a Celtic.
I’m not hating on players getting paid. But on a 12man TEAM. Nobody is worth 35% of the Team cap. At most it should be 25%. The star players all can and make more money thru their endorsements. This is not about favoring the owners. This is about team building. Just look at how contracts have affected top teams this FA period.
The problem is the cap. Let teams spend what they earn.
You are probably right, but this is the way the players want it, top heavy in favor of the stars. Owners could care less they give up 49% either way
They’ll be looking like the Warriors in 2 years after they fail to repeat. Tatum not worth that much. He just shoots a lot whine never plays defense. Also one injury could collapse the whole scenario.
Oh yeah, it must stink to be the Warriors or the Celtics.
Exactly what people said about brown’s deal last yer
Beginning of the end for the franchise