Celtics, Sam Hauser reportedly agree to 4-year extension

Hauser will reportedly receive $45 million through the duration of the deal.

The Celtics have ensured that another key member of their 2024 title run will be in Boston for the foreseeable future.

Sam Hauser and the Celtics have agreed to a four-year, $45 million extension, The Boston Globe‘s Adam Himmelsbach reported Sunday. The sharpshooting forward was entering the final season of his contract after Boston picked up the team option for the third year of his three-year, $5.6 million deal earlier in the offseason.

Now, Hauser will be under contract through the end of the 2028-29 season. His new contract will have no player or team options, according to Himmelsbach.

Hauser, 26, joined the Celtics as an undrafted free agent in 2021 and has emerged as one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA over the last couple of seasons. He scored 6.4 points per game while making 41.8 percent of his 3-pointers in the 2022-23 regular season. His role increased this past season, averaging nine points per game off the bench while he shot 42.4 percent from deep, which was the 12th-best mark in the league.

The third-year wing had a roller coaster of a playoff run en route to the Celtics winning the title in June. He struggled in the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers, shooting just 12.5 percent from the field in the four-game sweep.

Hauser turned things around though in the NBA Finals. He scored 8.2 points per game off the bench, shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 47.8 percent from deep as he also held his own defensively in the five-game series win over the Mavericks.

Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens singled out Hauser’s play in the Finals in an interview with NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg in June, saying he was “impressed” that he bounced back the way he did.

“He really struggled in the Indiana series,” Stevens told Forsberg. “Then, he bounced back and had an amazing Dallas series. I thought he was terrific throughout. Even when he was 0 for 5 in Game 2, I thought he was terrific the whole series. Defensively, he’s a harder guy to attack than people realize.

“Even when he switched onto Luka [Doncic], and Luka scores on everybody at times, but when he switched onto Luka, he doesn’t foul. He’s smart, keeps you in front, and makes you take tough shots. He did a good job.”

The Celtics’ decision to extend Hauser marks the third notable extension they’ve given out this offseason. Jayson Tatum signed a five-year, $314 million extension earlier in July. Derrick White inked a four-year, $126 million extension with the Celtics as well.

Entering the offseason, there was some belief that Hauser would be the odd man out from getting an extension. However, Stevens insisted that the Celtics wanted him to remain in town.

“I’m not going to get into particulars,” Stevens told reporters of extending Hauser this offseason in late June. “I will say we want Hauser to be here. For a long time.”

With Tatum, White, Hauser, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Payton Pritchard all signing extensions since last offseason, the Celtics are projected to exceed $225 million in committed salary for the 2025-26 season, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. But with repeat tax penalty payments, the Celtics’ roster could cost $450 million in 2025-26, Marks added.

Still, it’s evident that the Celtics are willing to spend whatever it takes in this current title window, even if their majority owners are selling the team.