Star forward Jayson Tatum has agreed to a five-year, $195 million extension with the Boston Celtics, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Another member of the 2017 class (which includes De’Aaron Fox, Bam Adebayo, and Donovan Mitchell), Tatum’s full designated rookie-scale max extension (made possible by the fact that he made All-NBA Third team last season) means that he is eligible for up to 30 per cent of the salary cap. It also reportedly contains a player option in the final year.
A first-time all-star in 2019-20 and only now 22 years old, Tatum had a breakout season, taking his game from fringe all-star levels to a prospective future superstar. He’s a dynamic three-point shooter and defender, and is progressing with his ability to consistently finish strong at the rim.
The Celtics, understandably, view him as their franchise cornerstone going forward.
Last season, he averaged 23.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 45 per cent shooting from the field and 40.3 per cent shooting from distance.
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