for those who don't quite know how to contextualize these after a dominant-by-any-measure championship season: they will return more or less intact to make another run at it next season, with a chance to cement their place as one of the great teams of the modern era. and are 26 and 27, respectively. Tatum has made first-team All-NBA three straight seasons.
Brown made third-team last season and barely missed this season. His steely postseason, crowned with Finals MVP, indicates he might have another level to hit. Boston might not have a traditional MVP centerpiece -- Tatum finished sixth this season and has never finished above fourth in voting -- but if Brown's ascent continues, they could boast two of the top-10 or 12 players over the next few seasons.
Tatum might not have hit his ceiling either. The core players around them, the threads connecting the Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens regimes, are all under contract for next season and in some cases beyond. Only , is old in NBA terms.
There are what should be smooth extension talks coming for Tatum and , and perhaps trickier ones surrounding and (later in Porzingis' case). The team will get ultra-expensive. The second apron hems you in.
But you live to get a team like this. You pay for it, and figure out the rest later. The NBA has not had a repeat champion since the Warriors in 2018.
Even the , with the world's best player, seemed to publicly downplay the importance of repeating -- focusing instead on winning multiple titles ov.
