Celtics News: $450 Million Punishment Looms, as Derrick White Extension Puts Jayson Tatum’s Future at Severe Risk

What does a championship-winning team need? Passion, heart, talent, hard work, dedication, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. And sometimes even a tooth. That was certainly the case for Derrick White as he gave everything and then some more and a tooth to bring the NBA championship to Boston after 16 years.

Does that not merit a reward? Sure it does and the Celtics front office thinks exactly that for their jack of all trades, Derrick White. The talented guard currently earns well below his market value and a new contract will take care of just that. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Cs and White have agreed to a 4-year, $125.9 million contract.

After the free agency opened, teams flocked to grab their targets. And why not? They have a rampant Shamrock to tame. For the Celtics though, the groundwork of success began at home as they looked to secure the core of the roster including Derrick White.

If you’re a Celtics fan you must be feeling great. Then let’s break the bubble. Thanks to the extensive salary cap study from Bobby Marks, a piece of startling information came out. Due to the new contract, Derrick White will earn $28.1 million in 2025/26. With Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis locked in with big contracts, the Cs will see their total salary go above the second apron of the Collective Bargaining Agreement introduced in 2023. Jayson Tatum is also set for a super-max extension this summer. That will take their payroll for the 2025/26 season to almost $225 million. Adding luxury tax and tax repeater, the amount will reach close to $450 million.

This earth-shattering bill can cripple the franchise for years to come and authorities might impose multiple penalties on them. This might be a potential reason for the Wyc Grousbeck-led ownership group seeking a buyer for the franchise. But the wheel of increasing expenditure has already been set in motion. With Derrick White’s long-term future secured, the franchise will turn attention to another one of their stalwarts and that is Jayson Tatum.

After Derrick White, Who’s next in line?

Jayson Tatum is currently in the 3rd year of his five-year, $163 million contract and an extension is coming soon. The 26-year-old is expected to sign a five-year, $315 million deal once everyone “sobered up”. “The whole team is in Miami right now, having a great time, and the parade is on Friday. I would expect, at some point after that, Jayson Tatum and his agent and the Celtics get down to brass tacks,” Shams Charania said last month about Tatum’s contract status.

With the whole city still on a high, the parties could continue till the opening day of the season, but after that, there might be not much cause for celebration. And that is probably what the cost of winning the most competitive championship in the world is.

The Celtics have been methodical for years in a bid to secure the record-breaking 18th title. Danny Ainge started the process a decade ago by trading vital pieces from their 2008 championship-winning side. Those moves paid dividends as they led to the draft of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In his 7th year with the franchise JB got his super-max extension of $303.7 million and the trend will continue with JT as well.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what brand maker, Leonard Armato, had to say about the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe, check out this video