It was expected, but it was also the biggest order of business for the Celtics this offseason: Lock up Jayson Tatum.
They have now done just that, as the Celtics and Tatum have agreed to a five-year, max contract extension worth $195 million, according to multiple reports. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news.
The 22-year-old Tatum is coming off the best season of his young career, as he averaged 23.4 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game en route to earning Third Team All-NBA honors.
The five years and $195 million is the full designated rookie max extension, and a clear sign that the Celtics and Tatum intend to continue to build together after reaching the Eastern Conference finals in two of his three seasons.
The Celtics drafted Tatum third overall in the 2017 draft after trading down from the No. 1 overall pick, a move that surprised some at the time but that has paid off big time as Tatum has turned out to be a significantly better player than the two who went ahead of him, Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball.
UPDATE: According to Wojnarowski, the fifth year of Tatum's deal (for the 2025-26 season) is a player option.
