Jayson Tatum still has 314 million reasons to overcome turbulent Olympic experience

Despite being one of the most decorated NBA players, Jayson Tatum's Olympic utilization on Team USA left him and many people baffled. He was a periphery piece of the men's basketball gold medal winning team.

Tatum himself found the experience challenging to deal with. He told the New York Times, "Win a championship, new contract, cover of NBA2K, and then you sit a whole game. Cover of Sports Illustrated. So it was definitely a humbling experience."

Be that as it may, Tatum still has had a monumental summer, and his bank account will thrive for the foreseeable future. The Athletic reports that his five-year extension is worth a whopping $314 million. The agreement takes him through the 2029-2030 NBA season.

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After years of coming so close but falling just short, the Celtics broke through and won it all in 2024. Their core, anchored by star forwards Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are 27 and 26 years old, respectively. Boston is looking to ensure that they’re in the title mix for the rest of the decade, and were willing to pay top dollar to make it happen.

There was a chance that Tatum would feel a bit disrespected this offseason, despite a banner campaign. It was Brown, and not Tatum, who won Eastern Conference Finals MVP as well as NBA Finals MVP. New England Sports Network and many others asked whether Brown had eclipsed his running mate. However, this contract should put Tatum in a happy state of mind.

Just about a year ago, it was Brown who was getting a record-setting contract extension. In June 2023, he agreed to a five-year extension worth $304 million. The final amounts of Brown’s and Tatum’s contract show that Boston views them both as equal partners in what they hope is a prosperous stretch for the franchise.

In addition to Tatum’s massive deal, the Celtics have also made sure to take care of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday in recent months. It’s going to be interesting to see if these commitments hamstring Boston’s ability to field a deep roster in years to come, but bringing the band back together is something Celtics fans can appreciate.

Through seven NBA seasons, Jayson Tatum has averaged 23 points per game, to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. He’s made the All-Star team five times, and has been named to the All-NBA team four times. Tatum’s Basketball Reference page shows that he’s been a primetime player since virtually day one.

ESPN is reporting that the contract also includes a player option and a trade kicker. The player option would seem a bit unnecessary considering the colossal amount of money Tatum is set to earn. However, in the event that NBA salaries continue to rise, Tatum might have a chance to capitalize on another gargantuan payday.

It’s been pointed out by many on social media that Jayson Tatum is going to be the first $70 million player in league history. He is scheduled to make an astonishing $71.4 million in the 2029-2030 NBA season.

The NBA put in a new financial structure that would make it difficult for teams to spend exorbitantly without feeling the pinch in one manner or another. Bleacher Report noted that the Celtics’ payroll will reach a mind-blowing $254 million in 2025-2026. The New York Times wrote that Boston can get away with this type of spending for a little while, but not forever.

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Forbes wrote back in April that Boston didn’t seem too concerned with the constraints they would eventually have to face, and that has never been more clear after Tatum’s contract. However, CNBC reported that the Celtics ownership group plans to sell the team, and this might not be a coincidence given the financial commitments the franchise now has.