Celtics officially make Jayson Tatum highest-paid player in NBA history
It’s official: Jayson Tatum is a wealthy, wealthy man. Not that he wasn’t before, but he certainly is now. Tatum has agreed to a supermax contract with the Boston Celtics,…
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics reacts after a play during the second quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Elsa/Getty ImagesIt's official: Jayson Tatum is a wealthy, wealthy man.
Not that he wasn't before, but he certainly is now. Tatum has agreed to a supermax contract with the Boston Celtics, a five-year deal worth $314 million, an AAV of $62.8M. Chris Haynes was able to get the news out first on X Monday afternoon.
The news is not at all surprising, an expected development of the Celtics' off-season. It's simply official now. And it's officially the richest contract in NBA history, after Tatum's teammate, Jaylen Brown.
Tatum is coming off his third straight season with a First Team All-NBA nod, as he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists in the regular season. He averaged a 25-9.7-6.3 line in the playoffs, winning his first NBA championship and making a decent case for NBA Finals MVP in the process, but ultimately lost out to Brown.
Adam Glanzman/Getty Images<p style="font-size:10pt">BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics lifts the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after Boston's 106-88 win against the Dallas Mavericks in Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)</p>
The Celtics also extended guard Derrick White on Monday, for four years and $125.9 million.
With the Tatum supermax finally on the books, the C's now have Tatum, Brown, and White signed through at least the next five seasons. Brown is not a free agent until 2030, while Tatum will have a player option for $71.4 million in the 2029-30 campaign (via Spotrac).
In other words, the C's have their main championship pieces in place for the foreseeable future, and certainly should be favored to win it all again in 2025. President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens will have work to do over the next several years to maintain the Celtics' contender status with the roster around Tatum and Brown, especially in the frontcourt.
But the C's are clearly in it for the long haul in terms of their championship aspirations, and have a good chance to add a 19th banner to the rafters, perhaps more. Even though the team is going up for sale.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
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