The Boston Celtics and their star player, Jayson Tatum, have agreed to a supermax extension worth an estimated $315 million over five years, ending in the 2029-30 season. This deal, reported by Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes and The Athletic’s Shams Charania, marks a significant moment for both Tatum and the franchise.
This extension surpasses the five-year, $304 million contract that Tatum’s teammate, Jaylen Brown, signed last season, which was previously the largest commitment in NBA history. Together, the Celtics’ co-stars are set to earn over $600 million, highlighting the value of their contributions to the team’s success. Tatum and Brown have led Boston to the NBA Finals in two of the past three years.
The contract for Tatum has been anticipated since he made his second consecutive All-NBA First Team last season, qualifying him for 35% of the salary cap starting in the 2025-26 campaign. Tatum continued his impressive performance by making the All-NBA First Team for a third straight season while leading Boston to a league-best 64-18 record. The Celtics also recorded the third-highest net rating in NBA history.
Boston has reached the Eastern Conference finals six times in the past eight years, with Tatum being a pivotal player in five of those appearances during his seven-year tenure. Known for his durability, Tatum has never missed more than eight games in a season and has averaged 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists per game on 46/38/84 shooting splits throughout his career. Last season, he posted averages of 26.9 points (47/38/83), 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.
The Celtics now have Tatum and Brown, the core of their recent success, signed through the end of the decade, when both will still be in their early 30s. This stability is remarkable for the defending champions, who can bring back their entire playoff rotation under contract next season. Key players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis have also signed extensions with Boston, and Derrick White agreed to a four-year, $125.9 million extension on Monday. This ensures that the Celtics’ formidable starting lineup remains intact for at least the next two seasons, positioning them as both an expensive team and a perennial title favorite.
Tatum’s contract reflects not just his standing in the league but also the timing of his eligibility for a supermax extension. Any of his All-NBA peers coming off a rookie-scale extension would likely receive a similarly lucrative deal.
The timing is indeed fortuitous. Tatum’s Celtics dominated the NBA playoffs, sweeping the conference finals and winning their other three series in five games each. Their 16-3 postseason record is second only to the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors since the NBA adopted the current 16-win format in 2003.
Tatum was the driving force behind this playoff success, even though Brown won both the Eastern Conference finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP awards. Tatum led the team in points, rebounds, and assists throughout the playoffs, capping the season with a title-clinching win over the Dallas Mavericks, where he logged 31 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.