Jayson Tatum’s extension gives Boston a historically expensive roster, so how long can they keep it together?

The contract extensions that the Boston Celtics gave to Jayson Tatum and Derrick White on Monday were no-brainers. White is going to earn around $30 million less than Immanuel Quickley over the next five years because the CBA limited what Boston was legally allowed to pay him. White is the better player, and Boston got a discount. 

Meanwhile, Tatum didn’t exactly give the Celtics a discount, but the super max for a First-Team All-NBA player in his 20s is fair market value. Remember, the new television deal is expected to increase the salary cap by 10% annually. Tatum’s deal will include the maximum allowable 8% annual raises. On a relative basis, that contract is going to look cheaper and cheaper with each passing year.

But the two of them together along with Boston’s pre-existing contracts for Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis will make the Celtics one of the most expensive teams in NBA history in the coming years. Cap expert Yossi Gozlan projects Boston’s total payroll and luxury tax bill for the 2025-26 season to reach around $438 million… and that does not include a potential new deal for Al Horford, if he is still playing at that point. That still has Boston far behind Phoenix’s 2025-26 projection, but it still is an enormous price to pay for any NBA roster, and one that very few teams could sustain for long.

Short-term payments aren’t even the only issue here. There are three other extenuating circumstances at play:

Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck announced that he plans to sell his stake in the team on Monday. Grousbeck has typically been willing to pay the tax for winners. He approved the Tatum and White extensions. But we have no idea how much a new owner would be willing to spend on the roster. Sometimes you get a Mat Ishbia, who’s willing to throw caution to the wind for a good enough chance of winning. Sometimes you get a Tilman Fertitta, who let Trevor Ariza leave on a one-year deal, despite his Rockets very nearly winning the championship in the year before.The second apron punishes teams in ways that…


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Author : Sam Quinn

Publish date : 2024-07-01 23:59:03

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