Jayson Tatum’s unforgettable summer continues to reach new heights. After clinching his first NBA championship and stealing the spotlight at the Boston Celtics victory parade, the Duke basketball alum has now etched his name into the history books with the richest contract ever signed in the NBA.
On Monday, Tatum and the Boston Celtics finalized a groundbreaking 5-year, $314 million maximum contract extension, as confirmed by multiple reports. This monumental deal surpasses the previous record set by his teammate Jaylen Brown, who inked a $304 million extension last summer, then the largest contract in league history.
However, Tatum’s record-setting deal may be short-lived, as Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić is expected to be eligible for a projected $346 million extension next offseason.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski detailed that Tatum’s new contract includes a player option for the final year, along with a trade kicker that effectively functions as a no-trade clause. If Tatum exercises his player option, he stands to earn $71.4 million in the 2029-30 season, becoming the first player in NBA history to surpass the $70 million annual salary mark.
The former Blue Devil delivered an exceptional performance this season, averaging 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and 37.6% from beyond the arc. Despite his impressive playoff run, where he averaged 25.0 points per game, Tatum did not capture the Eastern Conference Finals MVP or the NBA Finals MVP honors.
In the wake of his contract signing, Tatum’s busy summer continues. He is set to join the USA Basketball Men’s National Team training camp in Las Vegas later this week, gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Tatum will aim to secure his second gold medal in what promises to be another high-stakes chapter in his burgeoning career.
For Jayson Tatum, this summer marks not just personal milestones but also sets a new benchmark in NBA history. As the Celtics forward prepares to represent the United States on the global stage once again, his journey from a Duke sensation to an NBA champion and now a record-holder symbolizes his rapid ascent to superstardom.