We're not overstating this: The absolute, No. 1 thing the Boston Celtics needed to do this offseason was get Jayson Tatum signed to a max extension.
It appears they're on track to do that.
Tatum, who was drafted No. 3 overall back in 2017, is eligible for a max extension this offseason. He can sign one as soon as 6 p.m. ET on Friday when free agency opens, and he has until the start of the season to reach a deal.
According to The New York Times' Marc Stein, teams are expecting Tatum will get his deal right after 6 p.m.
Tatum's extension would not kick in until the 2021-22 season, so the money he makes on his next deal would not impact the C's books until that campaign.
It's unclear how much money the deal will be worth, but he is eligible for a five-year deal and ESPN NBA salary cap analyst Bobby Marks back in September projected Tatum could land a roughly five-year, $158 million deal.
