NBA Free Agency: Celtics face cap challenge after new Tatum deal
The Boston Celtics face a salary cap challenge after forging a new Jayson Tatum deal with a five-year, USD314 million extension.
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CELTICS FACE SALARY CAP CHALLENGE AFTER NEW TATUM EXTENSION
The Celtics face a daunting salary cap challenge after the team agreed to a new extension with Tatum on Monday.
Furthermore, Tatum’s new deal completed Boston’s resolve to lock up all five starters.
These “Fab Five” helped the Celtics win an 18th championship this season.
Moreover, Boston also agreed on a four-year USD125.9 million extension with guard Derrick White.
Interestingly, the Celtics earlier completed extensions with Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and big man Kristaps Porzingis.
That raised Boston’s commitment to USD205 million for six players for the 2025-26 season.
Those numbers don’t even include re-signing plans for veteran Al Horford and key reserve Sam Hauser.
WELL-DESERVED NEW DEAL FOR TATUM AFTER TITLE WIN OVER MAVS
It was a well-deserved new deal for Tatum after he and Brown led the Celtics to a 4-1 title win over the Dallas Mavericks last month.
The 26-year-old averaged 22.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in the 2023-24 season.
Tatum is a five-time All-Star, and a four-time All-NBA member.
He will also join Team USA in the Paris Olympics later this month.
The star forward missed a max deal after the 2020-21 season after he failed to make All-NBA honors.
This cost him more than USD25 million.
However, Tatum made the All-NBA first team in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons to be eligible to sign a veteran supermax extension.
He had to wait this summer to sign his extension, capped by a third All-NBA selection in the 2023-24 season.
BOSTON MAY HAVE LIMITED CAP TO WORK AROUND ON TEAM’S DEPTH AFTER TATUM DEAL
Furthermore, the downside to paying big dollars to a team’s entire starting lineup is how to surround them with key bench players with just minimum salaries.
ESPN reported that Boston is paying Brown and Tatum on contracts at 35% of the salary cap limits the team from signing up key reserves to provide depth in a long season.
Moreover, it remains to be seen as to how the Celtics can still re-sign 18-year veteran Horford and Hauser as key reserves to join their elite starting lineup.
Tatum’s new deal will start at a projected USD54.1 million, making it the biggest in NBA history to date.
With the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers adding new key pieces in the East, Boston believes keeping its core remains the best decision it made.
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