"Unlike Kyrie, he actually means it" - Celtics fans react to Jayson Tatum's desire to retire in Boston

Amid the team's championship celebrations, Jayson Tatum has revealed that he wants to stay with the Boston Celtics for the rest of his career. After defeating the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals this year, Jayson Tatum's future with the franchise seems to be set in stone following his 5-year supermax extension worth $315 million.

The deal will keep Jayson Tatum under contract until the 2030-31 season, provided he opts into his player option during the 2029-30 season. This past season, Tatum impressed, earning All-NBA First-Team honors en route to his and the team's championship win.

Given that he's spent the entirety of his career with the Celtics ever since the franchise drafted him back in 2017, Tatum has declared his intentions to retire as a Celtic. This week, while speaking to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Tatum opened up on a wide range of topics, including his future with the team.

“For me just to feel wanted, and they want me to be here and want me for the long haul. I’ll spend my whole career here and have got nothing but love for the fans, the city, and the organization. You know, we just won a championship and I want to try to win as many as I can.”

Considering Jayson Tatum's current contract runs until the age of 32, if he winds up signing one more contract with the Celtics, it seems likely that he may get his wish and retire a Celtic.

Following the interview, It didn't take long for fans to share their thoughts.

"Unlike Kyrie, he actually means it" - One fan wrote

"Won’t ever have to pay for dinner at a nice restaurant again" - Another added

Others weren't sold on his desire to remain in Boston until retirement:

"That’s nice, but ultimately meaningless. Kyrie Irving once said pretty much the same thing. In the end, it’s just going to come down to money when this extension is up, and that’s absolutely his right." - One wrote

"Honestly think he’s gonna dip to go pretend to be Kobe in La" - Another added

"He'll finish in LA. Too much Kobe love." - One fan predicted

Others weighed in, suggesting that the decision may fall outside of Tatum's control:

"It’s easy to say now when we’re winning. What’s it look like in 4-5 years when the team is depleted from the 2nd apron? I still think he stays but it’s worth considering" - One wrote

"Many athletes who played in Boston felt the same way Boston is the mega sports city" - Another added

Looking at the 2024-25 season for Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics following championship win

As we've seen in recent years, despite a team winning a championship, oftentimes the front office is unable to prevent a roster overhaul. This was recently seen with the Denver Nuggets, who wound up losing Bruce Brown after winning their first championship as a franchise last year.

Under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Nuggets were unable to offer Bruce Brown as much as the Indiana Pacers. Despite that, the Boston Celtics seem to be in a good spot heading into next season.

Currently, in addition to Jayson Tatum, the team will have their other four starters return next season along with key roleplayers in Derrick White, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, and Sam Hauser.

In addition, they will also have Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Kristaps Porzingis under contract through the 2025-26 season as well, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday all under contract for several more seasons.

Given that, the team currently sits as the pretty heavy betting favorite to win the 2024-25 NBA Championship. According to FanDuel, the Celtics are in first place with +300 odds, while the OKC Thunder sit behind them in second with +750 odds.

Considering the team doesn't have to worry about roster turnover, it will be interesting to see how things play out in the years to come for Boston.