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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Major deals have become a common sighting in the NBA this year. Star players in the league have made it essential for franchises to offer them significant contracts to render their services. The Boston Celtics however, landed on three such star players this year.

The Celtics had an embarrassing exit in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. After coming back from a 3-0 deficit, the Celtics lost the crucial Game 7 to the Miami Heat to end their terrific season. After their season came to a disappointing end, the Celtics have been highly active in the offseason. They traded away several crucial players in their roster in a bid to sign NBA superstars. However, they have also not gone easy on their spending.

The Celtics have been on a spending spree

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The Boston Celtics have never been short of star players. As one of the most successful franchises in NBA history, the Celtics have always boasted of NBA legends and superstars on their roster. Their All-Star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown too, have been serving the team since 2017. However, the Celtics added another All-Star caliber player this year in Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis exercised his one-year, $36M contract with the Washington Wizards just days before the Celtics traded for the 7’3 superstar. They then went on to extend his contract for two years, offering him a whopping $60M. However, the Celtics did not stop there. They made another significant move, extending Jaylen Brown’s contract by five years for a historic $304M. Their moves have made them one of the strongest contenders for the championship this season, but they have also caused a major disparity.

USA Today via Reuters

Boston had signed a $163M extension with their star forward, Jayson Tatum, in 2021-22. As a result, after this year’s offseason, the three-star players, Porzingis, Brown, and Tatum will earn more annually than the rest of the roster combined. Their $100,446,617 combined annual salary will be $23,526,965 more than that of the rest of their roster.

The Celtics have been on a major spending spree this offseason. They signed three perennial All-Stars but their moves have also had major budget implications.

The budget implications of the franchise’s moves are huge

Boston Celtics made headlines this offseason with their active offseason moves. However, their moves have put them in major trouble. Despite landing three exceptional talents, the Celtics are not going to have an easy time sustaining their off-season moves.

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READ MORE: Jaylen Brown’s Rumored Richest NBA Contract of All Time Will Cost Boston Celtics a Lot More Than $304,000,000

The league’s salary cap max this year was determined at $136,021,000. However, after their significant front office moves, they currently stand at $45,259,601 above the salary cap. After making historic deals, it was obvious that the franchise would enter the Luxury Tax bracket. However, they not only entered it but have accounted for a gigantic bill. Their current Luxury Tax bill is estimated at $21,662,818 which is almost the annual salary of the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year, Malcolm Brogdon.

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The Celtics made the decision to sign Porzingis and extend Jaylen Brown despite the implications on their salary cap. This shows the trust they have placed in the two NBA superstars. However, it is not going to be easy for them to live up to the expectations set.

The franchise made a major bet on the talents of their new “Big Three”, Tatum, Porzingis, and Brown. The trio will have a major task of leading the Celtics franchise back to the NBA Finals and getting them over the line this time.