When the Eastern Conference s powerful men broke up? The championship platform left the team first, and the four teams joined the battle to grab the people!

With the Celtics being eliminated by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the road to defending came to an end. This championship team that once topped the NBA in 2024 has to face reality. Under the crisis of wage cap, luxury tax, injuries, and subsequent crises, the Celtics are already on the verge of the offseason storm.

This champion team with Double Tanhua as the core was originally highly expected and wanted to continue to strive for the road to a dynasty of consecutive championships. However, fate did not favor it, and Tatum entered an indefinite absence due to injury.

According to reporter Siegel, Brown actually played with injuries in the playoffs. These two core physical conditions undoubtedly make the Celtics management increasingly uneasy about the prospects for next season. Not to mention that they have to face the luxury tax hell brought by the alliance's new labor agreement.

data shows that the total salary of the Celtics is expected to reach US$227 million, and the luxury tax amount is even as high as 238 million. Such as the astronomical figure is definitely an extremely heavy burden for the new boss who has just completed the equity handover. Therefore, major surgery on the lineup has almost become an inevitable choice, not only for tax avoidance, but also for the team's future.

The first shot of this great purge is likely to hit Holiday.

As an important puzzle for winning the championship in 2024, Holiday has indeed paid a lot for the Celtics. But he is already 34 years old, his condition is beginning to decline, and his annual salary is not bad. Under the current situation of being unable to afford it, even if he makes a contribution, he may become the first target to be traded.

It is reported that the king has expressed a strong interest in him at present. , decided to send DeRozanga Isaac Jones in exchange for Holiday and Hauser. This deal not only saves the Celtics more than 16 million in salary space, but also maintains the combat effectiveness of the lineup to a certain extent. Although DeRozan is among the veterans, he is still a reliable mid-range killer.

In addition to the Kings, the Mavericks, Pistons, Heat and other teams are also closely following Holiday's updates. As a veteran with excellent defense, rich experience, control and attack, he is still of great value in the eyes of the championship team.

In contrast, Porzingis' situation is not so ideal. This season he was troubled by mysterious injuries and his attendance rate became a mystery. The Celtics are no longer able to continue betting on his health. Possess also made little actual contribution in the playoffs, but instead became a huge hidden danger in the salary structure. When he was healthy, Porzingis was indeed an inside pillar with excellent offense and defense, but now he is more like a time bomb.

In addition to Holiday and Posses, some other core rotation players may also become trading chips during the offseason. Derek White, Prichard and even Jaylen Brown are on the discussion list. Although Brown has just signed a big contract, it seems that it is no longer certain whether he is still a non-selling product for the team against the backdrop of Tatum's injury and the gradual evolution of the team's tactical style. Although White has performed stably this season, his contract is also 30 million, which is also an important goal for the team to clear the space. Pritchard, on the other hand, is likely to be regarded as a high-quality addition to package transactions because of his role limitations and his future salary is cost-effective.

As for veteran Horford, he will face a decision whether to retire this summer. For him who is about to turn 39, his body and family have obviously become a bigger ties. If you choose to retire, the Celtics will also lose a locker room leader and experience pillar.

All signs indicate that the disintegration of the Celtics' 2024 championship lineup is almost certain. When Tatum returns from injury, he may see a new Celtic Army that is beyond recognition. New players are coming one after another, veterans are gradually leaving the team, and a once-glorious lineup will be completely disbanded.

For Celtics fans, this offseason is destined to be tormented. But in the context of the increasingly strict league salary cap system, no team can keep running overloaded. How to retain the competitiveness of the championship while controlling costs will be the biggest challenge facing the Celtics management.

An Eastern powerful force may really be coming off the stage.