Report: Jayson Tatum likely to get max contract from Celtics

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum looks like a budding superstar, and he may soon be getting paid like one.

Appearing on “SportsCenter” this week, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that the 22-year-old is likely to receive a max contract extension from the Celtics after the season.

“If Jayson Tatum is the superstar that they envisioned when they began this whole rebuilding process when they traded Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce for all of those draft picks hoping to land a player like this, we could see ‘Glory Days’ for the Celtics again,” he said, per Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells. “But it’s very much up in the air, and I’m gonna tell ya, they’re gonna have to pay him like it because after this season ends, he is going to get most likely a max contract. They’re going to bet that he becomes that player.”

Tatum, who is in his third NBA season, had been leading the Celtics in scoring with 23.6 points per game. He is eligible for a rookie extension this offseason and can make up to 25 percent of Boston’s salary cap. The designated player exception (also known as the Derrick Rose Rule) does allow certain players coming off rookie contracts to make up to 30 percent of the cap. But that is unlikely for Tatum because he has yet to meet any of the criteria (namely, an All-NBA selection, a Defensive Player of the Year Award, or an MVP Award).

One ex-Celtic did say recently though that an MVP may be in Tatum’s future, and it sounds like the former Duke star has done enough to convince the Celtics that he is worth max money.