Last night, Jayson Tatum made history as a Boston Celtic. Facing off against the Brooklyn Nets, JT put up a 32-point performance in a 124-114 victory, making him the youngest Celtic to reach 10,000 points. A huge moment for him, and one that cemented his place in the history of Boston sports.
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Following the game, Tatum spoke about the moment with the media in a press conference, shared by Celtics on NBC Sports Boston. He was asked about being drafted in 2017, and what it was like passing such a milestone in the Barclays Center. The very place he was picked to play for the Boston Celtics. Surprisingly, Tatum had a very interesting answer.
He recalled how he actually never wanted to play for the Celtics. He believed that there was too much talent on the team and as such, was concerned about his minutes. Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Isaiah Thomas, and Marcus Smart, were all players who were higher up than him in the pecking order. “They had Gordon, JB, IT, Smart, I didn’t think I was good enough to be on that team,” said Tatum.
Fortunately, he got his opportunity, and he made the most of it. Now, he is on the road to becoming one of the greatest Celtics players of all time. And, who knows once all is said and done he may be discussed in the same vein as Bill Russell, Larry Bird, and Paul Pierce.
Jayson Tatum could earn a $300 million supermax extension
In his six seasons with the Celtics, Jayson Tatum has proven to be exceptional. Having never missed the Playoffs, JT has led the Cs to four Eastern Conference Finals appearances and an NBA Finals. It’s clear to see that he is the real deal and a future all-time great, both for the Celtics and in the NBA.
As a Celtic, Tatum has earned $120,639, 285, a pittance for the success, he has given the franchise in recent years. With a career average of 22 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, JT is worth so much more. And, if everything works out, he might get paid what he’s worth very soon.
In two years’ time, Tatum’s contract with the Celtics will expire. This will make him one of the most desirable free agents on the market. However, given all he’s done, the Celtics would be remiss to let him go. With that in mind, it is likely they will offer him a supermax deal, one that is projected to be worth close to $318 million.
It will be interesting to see just what the Celtics decide to do once the time comes. Offering Tatum the Supermax should be a lock for the Celtics. However, there is no telling what plans the four-time All-Star will have in the future.
