After the 2024-25 season ends early, the Boston Celtics will not only face injuries, but also record salary pressures.

With the team's star player Jayson Tatum suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon in the playoffs and almost certain to miss most of next season, the Boston Celtics' management must think quickly about whether to continue to stick with the current high-cost lineup?

It is reported that the Boston Celtics' total salary next season is expected to reach 225 million US dollars. After the repeater tax is added, the luxury tax bill may be as high as 280 million US dollars. The total cost is close to 500 million US dollars, which may break the league's history. The highest single-season expenditure record.

The Boston Celtics already have 11 players signed. Tatum will officially fulfill his five-year, $314 million super contract from next season, with an annual salary of $54 million; Jaylen Brown has started his five-year, $304 million contract this season, and will earn $53 million in the 2024-25 season.

In addition, other players on the team, such as Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, also need high salaries. Although the core lineup of the team is stable, the frequent high salary expenditures and the double taxation mechanism have forced the management to consider the possibility of cost reduction, especially in the context of the long-term absence of Tatum, the team's biggest player.

In addition to financial pressure, the team's new owner has also become a variable. In March this year, the Boston Celtics reached an acquisition agreement with a new investment group, and the transaction amount is expected to be no less than 6.1 billion US dollars. Whether the new owner is willing to bear the pressure brought by the continued expansion of luxury taxes is still unknown.

This season, the Boston Celtics just experienced a disappointing ending after being eliminated by the New York Knicks. The upcoming offseason is not only a time to recuperate, but also a key node to determine the direction of the team.