Celtics exercise 2019-20 options on Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum
Some easy calls for Celtics president Danny Ainge here.
May 23, 2018; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) talk during the third quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the Eastern conference finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY SportsThe Boston Celtics provided their fans with some Halloween treats Wednesday, as they picked up the team options on Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Guerschon Yabusele.
The fourth-year option with Brown will come with a $6.5 million payday for the emerging two-way star, and comes after a postseason that saw Brown handle the majority of the Celtics' tougher assignments at both ends of the court. The No. 3 overall in 2016, Brown is averaging 10.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per game this year.
Tatum's third-year option, meanwhile, will come with a $7.8 million cap-hit. The 20-year-old Tatum has been downright terrific for the Celtics, and has shown signs of becoming Boston's No. 1 scoring threat this year.
With the options on countless high-profile picks from the first round of Yabusele's draft class not picked up, going ahead with an option that keeps Yabusele locked in at $3.1 million in 2019-20 may seem odd. But the Celtics clearly like the potential upside of the 22-year-old, be it for them or as a potential salary filler in a trade.
The big-bodied Yabusele has appeared in 38 games for the Celtics over the last two seasons.
