In competitive sports, the winner is the king and the loser is the loser, and if you want to become a champion, you must find a way to beat the champion first! The Boston Celtics won the championship for the first time in 16 years, and Stevens, the chief designer of the Green Army, pointed out sharply: We will do whatever it takes to keep the championship lineup, but we also know that from the moment we win the championship, the other 29 teams in the league will aim for you and be proud to beat you! After the free agent market opened, the Celtics frantically threw money to make up for it, but the Eastern giants are also grabbing it openly and secretly, and the head pattern of the East is ushering in a huge change.
The Celtics overtook the Lakers (17 crowns) with 18 crowns to rank first in NBA history, and what is even more terrifying is that this team has a complete lineup and will be in the championship window for the next 3-5 years! But then again, whether they can accomplish the feat of winning multiple championships like the previous dynasty team depends not on what the young marshal says, but on what the young marshal does. If you want to trace back to the source, the key depends on whether the boss is willing to use real money to support the team's championship dream. After the free agent trade market opened, the Green Army spent a lot of money to retain the championship roster, including signing Cornet on a one-year contract, Kota on a multi-year contract, and renewing White on a four-year $125.9 million contract in advance. Not only that, but the Green Army also renewed Tatum with an epic blockbuster contract.
According to NBA Register Chris Haynes, sources revealed that Tatum signed a five-year, $315 million super-cap contract with the Celtics. Tatum has two years left on his original contract worth $72 million (with a player option in the second year), and this new contract will take effect from the 25-26 season, with a starting salary of up to $54.13 million and a player option worth $71.45 million in 29-30, which also means that Tatum will become the first player in NBA history to break the $70 million annual salary mark. At the same time, Tatum's contract also broke the NBA record held by Jaylen Brown (5 years and $304 million)! There is no doubt that this super-max contract in history is Stevens' reassurance to the team: the Green Army is about to blatantly build a new dynasty!
The Green Army's heart is higher than the sky, and the remaining 29 teams will not sit still! In the East, the Philadelphia 76ers have an ambition to challenge the Green Army for the throne. On the opening day of the free market, the 76ers struck hard, first signing Zhuang Shen, Gordon, Oubre and other players, and then poaching Clippers All-Star forward George with a 4-year $212 million maximum salary contract, and finally renewing All-Star guard Maxey with a 5-year $204 million maximum salary contract! So far, the 76ers have created a luxurious triumvirate combination of the Emperor + George + Maxey, and set an NBA god-level record. According to statistics, the 76ers became the first team in NBA history to have three players with big contracts of $200 million. In the words of NBA celebrity Skip, George's joining can greatly improve the 76ers' chances of beating the Green Army in the future!
In addition to the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks have quietly upgraded their lineup, and Sima Zhao's heart is well known! If you don't believe it, take a look at the Knicks' crazy reinforcement operations in the offseason: overdraft 5 first-round picks to bring in Bridges, 5 years and $212.5 million to renew Anunoby, even if they fail to keep Harden with a 4-year $72.5 million sincere contract, this team also has a forward group comparable to the Green Army, and it is not yet known who will die! It is worth mentioning that while the Green Army, 76ers and Knicks are crazy about throwing money, the traditional Eastern giants such as the Bucks and Heat are doing nothing to make a fuss, and the Hawks, Nets, Bulls, Raptors, Wizards, Pistons and other teams are dismantling and rebuilding. At least from the current situation, the Eastern landscape is ushering in a huge change, the Green Army, 76ers and Knicks will become the new troika in the East, and other teams can only compete for 4th! Fans, what do you think about this? Leave me a comment to discuss.