Star forward Jayson Tatum’s new supermax contract extension with the Boston Celtics gets top marks from the staff at Bleacher Report, and for good reason. The St. Louis native did just break through to help his team win its first NBA title in 16 years, and has been among the best players in the league for some years now.
Still, as obvious as the move might seem to some, Tatum has not been without his detractors even in victory. But according to B/R, “It was inevitable” that Tatum would get this deal. “Boston was a juggernaut throughout the 2023-24 campaign. It mostly coasted through the playoffs and to a title. And Tatum, who’s still just 26 years old, is the reigning champs’ leading scorer and best player.”
“A multipositional defender who also hits plenty of tough shots and seems to improve as a playmaker every year, Tatum is already an all-time great playoff performer and one of the league’s current mainstays on plus-minus leaderboards,” they add.
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“Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign (Tatum’s first), the Celtics are plus-3,530 points when he’s on the floor in the regular and postseason,” they note. “That isn’t just first over that stretch. It’s 243 points clear of second-place Giannis Antetokounmpo.”
“Yes, this contract and Jaylen Brown’s could make team-building a little trickier over the next few years, but they’re the cornerstones of a championship team and a staple of the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s worth it to stay in that position.”
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