Boston Celtics: the defending champions are the team to beat

Boston Celtics: the defending champions are the team to beat and the most expensive Ever

Written by Redazione Fonbet
07 Aug - 18:23 • Read time

2' min

Confirmed the team that won the last NBA title. With Tatum’s record-breaking signing, the Boston Celtics are the team to beat

Kemba Walker, Boston Celtics

The new NBA season is approaching, and the offseason and market activities are coming to an end as the 30 franchises prepare their rosters for the training camps. The hunt is on for the defending champions, the Boston Celtics, who have retained the squad that dominated last season and the NBA Finals, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4-1.

After renewing Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, and Nemias Queta, and signing rookie Baylor Scheierman, the Celtics secured Jayson Tatum with a record-breaking contract extension worth $314 million over five years, the largest deal in NBA history. They also re-signed Derrick White ($118 million over four years) and Sam Hauser ($45 million over four years). Jaylen Brown had already been secured in the previous season.

This has propelled the franchise's salary cap to $196.5 million for the 2024-2025 season, making it the third highest in the league after the Phoenix Suns ($222.9 million) and the Minnesota Timberwolves ($205 million). However, from the 2025-2026 season, when the extensions for Tatum, White, and Hauser come into effect, the total contract value will reach $225 million, nearly $30 million more than the upcoming season, not including a potential new contract for Al Horford, whose current deal expires in the summer of 2025.

The luxury tax for the Celtics will amount to approximately $210 million, bringing the total expenditure to $435 million, making the 2025-2026 Boston Celtics the most expensive team in history. This is the cost of assembling the team to beat in the NBA, currently the top favorite in the East and a strong contender for the title in the new season.

Coach Joe Mazzulla's team will continue to rely on Tatum and Brown, alongside Porzingis, and the defensive prowess and experience of Holiday and Horford. With a roster rich in talent and experience, it is one of the deepest and best-balanced teams in the league. Following their first title, the Celtics aim to start a new dynasty, with ownership sparing no expense. The chase is on for the defending champions who have no intention of stopping now.

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