The Boston Celtics have signed Jaylen Brown to the largest contract in the history of the game.
They’ll have him tied to the organization for the next five years in return for a whopping $304 million, which translates to an annual average salary of $60.8 million.
Even so, he’s not the leader nor the best player on the team; that distinction belongs to Jayson Tatum.
Tatum has become one of the most respected and beloved figures in the NBA.
Despite his youth, he’s already drawn admiration from his colleagues, including Dwyane Wade.
The three-time NBA champion recently told Sports Illustrated (via NBA Central) that Tatum isn’t just one of his favorite players in the NBA but also one of his favorite people to talk to in the league.
“He’s one of my favorite players in the NBA. He’s one of my favorite people in the NBA to communicate with, to talk with, to do anything with, and I want to see him get everything he wants from the game.”
– Dwyane Wade on Jayson Tatum
(Via @SInow ) pic.twitter.com/wXvLOEEynh
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 27, 2023
Barring a disaster, Tatum will also be due for a massive and historically-large payday.
He could be eligible for an extension worth nearly $40 million more than Brown, obviously making him the league’s newest highest-earner.
He’s been in the league for quite a while and handles himself like a veteran, but he’s just 25 years old, meaning he hasn’t even reached his prime yet, neither physically nor mentally.
The former No. 3 pick is durable and rarely misses any time with injuries, so there’s no reason to believe he can’t play for the next decade, at the very least.
The Celtics have knocked on the door of championship contention for quite a while now, and they’ll only go as far as their young leader can take them.
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Analysts Set Clear Expectations For Celtics After Jaylen Brown Extension
