Contractual implications of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum being named All-NBA Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics had been well-represented in NBA awards season. Malcolm Brogdon received Sixth Man of the Yr. And on Wednesday, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had been named All-NBA.

Tatum was named to the All-NBA First Group. Brown was named to the All-NBA Second Group. For each gamers, the respect is noteworthy as recognition of their accomplishments from this previous common season. There are additionally some important contractual implications for each Tatum and Brown.

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We’ll begin with Jaylen Brown, as his state of affairs is extra speedy. Brown is beneath contract by way of subsequent season, at $31.8 million, after maxing out his bonuses. (Brown might want to re-earn these bonuses subsequent season, however they’re all now thought of possible and a part of his cap hit for subsequent yr.) Nevertheless, the actual boon for Brown is that he’s now eligible for a Designated Veteran Extension by advantage of constructing All-NBA.

A Designated Veteran Extension, or so known as “Tremendous Max” permits Brown to skip the 30% of the cap max wage tier and to leap to the 35% of the cap max wage tier.

That makes him eligible for a five-year extension from 2024-25 by way of 2028-29. That deal initiatives to seem like this:

· 2024-25: $50,050,000

· 2025-26: $54,054,000

· 2026-27: $58,058,000

· 2027-28: $62,062,000

· 2028-29: $66,066,000

· Whole: 5 years, $290,290,000

That’s a full five-year most deal at 35% of the cap with 8% raises.

It’s very possible that fifth yr could be a participant choice, as most Designated Participant offers usually include a participant choice on the ultimate season.

The Celtics can provide this extension to Brown as quickly as midnight on July 1. The expectation is that Brown will obtain this provide from Boston. Ought to he select to not signal it, that ought to set off the alarm bells within the Celtics entrance workplace.

No participant has actually turned down a Designated Participant extension so far, outdoors of Kawhi Leonard. And Leonard’s state of affairs was extra about being traded and being ineligible to signal a Tremendous Max vs really turning the deal down.

The probably state of affairs is that Brown will get, and signal, the Designated Veteran Extension. Then, as a result of it’s how issues work within the NBA, if he’s sad a yr or two into the deal, he’ll ask for a commerce. Or, if the Celtics really feel a change must be made, they’ll transfer in a distinct route a yr or two into the extension themselves.

One final necessary factor to notice: If Brown indicators a Designated Veteran Extension, he could be ineligible to be traded for one yr from the date of signing the extension. Meaning he could be locked into staying with the Celtics for the whole thing of the 2023-24 season.

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Jayson Tatum’s state of affairs is a bit additional down the road. As he’s simply finishing Yr 2 of his present five-year extension, Tatum isn’t eligible to signal a brand new extension till the summer season of 2024. At that time, Tatum would decline his participant choice for the 2025-26 season. He may then add 5 new seasons onto his deal, operating from 2025-26 by way of 2029-30.

That deal at present initiatives to seem like this:

· 2025-26: $53,198,250

· 2026-27: $57,454,110

· 2027-28: $61,709,970

· 2028-29: $65,965,830

· 2029-30: $70,221,690

· Whole: 5 years, $308,549,850

Like Brown, that’s a full five-year most deal at 35% of the cap with 8% raises.

Very like we stated with Jaylen Brown, the ultimate season for Tatum will possible be a participant choice. As Tatum could be simply getting into his age-32 season, he may really feel snug cashing in yet another max deal, no matter which will seem like in 2029.

As Tatum was an MVP candidate this season and now a longtime All-NBA participant, the Celtics will possible don’t have any qualms about handing him a Designated Veteran Extension provide at midnight on July 1, 2024. They’ll simply should patiently await about 14 months to take action.

It’s necessary to notice with Tatum’s extension that the NBA might be negotiating new media rights offers that may begin with the 2025-26 season. That might make the projected $53.2 million first-year wage in an extension a contact conservative. It’s potential that first-year wage may very well be approaching $55 million.

One final observe for Tatum: As he’s already made All-NBA for 2 consecutive seasons (2021-22 and 2022-23), he’s already eligible to signal a Designated Veteran Extension in the summertime of 2024. That’s true it doesn’t matter what occurs throughout the 2023-24 season. To be eligible by way of the All-NBA standards, a participant solely must make All-NBA for 2 of the earlier three seasons, which Tatum has now accomplished.

(Notice: All projections are extremely topic to vary earlier than extensions would really begin. With a brand new CBA and a brand new set of media rights offers quickly to return, the wage cap is a little more risky than normal.)