Ranking the NBA players most likely to earn a supermax extension

Best NBA supermax candidates: 2. Jayson Tatum, Celtics

The Celtics are going to have a very expensive core duo for the next half-decade. The Jaylen Brown supermax has already come under significant scrutiny after the former No. 3 pick's ghastly performance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. While it's more than fair to debate Brown's supermax credentials, it's unlikely that Tatum's inevitable deal will garner similar pushback. He's the crown jewel of a perennial contender.

It remains to be seen if the Celtics will ever get over the hump, but it is basic operating knowledge that the Celtics will win a bunch of regular season games and finish somewhere near the top of the East every season. Tatum has been to multiple conference finals and even an NBA Finals and he is still 25 years old.

Last season, Tatum averaged 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on .466/.350/.854 splits. He is this generation's great star wing, following the footsteps of Carmelo Anthony and Paul Pierce. He has his footwork down to a science, complete with an elegant and unguardable pull-up jumper and the late-game killer instinct to appease hooper fanatics. Tatum has made serious strides with his playmaking too, weaponizing his gravity on drives to create for teammates.

At 6-foot-8, Tatum is also a genuinely elite defender. He's on the short list of best wing stoppers in the East, capable of walling off drives with his 210-pound frame or accruing steals (1.1 per game) with his magnetic 6-foot-11 wingspan. He possesses high-level instincts on both ends and a real nose for the ball. His supermax contract is practically signed, sealed, and delivered already.