Boston could reign atop the East again next year, but the Hawks must take advantage of the gap behind them

The Dallas Mavericks could still make the NBA Finals a long series, but last night showed just how dominant the Celtics can be when they’re clicking. While Boston had one of the most dominant regular seasons in NBA history, there was still skepticism due to their easy path to the NBA Finals. They faced a Miami Heat team without Terry Rozier or Jimmy Butler, then in the second round, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Caris LaVert missed several games, then in the Eastern Conference Finals, Tyrese Haliburton missed several games and the Pacers were swept. . Everyone knew there was a big gap in the Eastern Conference and the Celtics showed that during their run to the Finals.

Boston is three wins away from their first NBA title since 2008 and whether they win or lose, they will be heavy favorites to advance out of the Eastern Conference again next year. This roster is going to return intact and provided they stay healthy, it will be difficult to pick anyone other than Boston to win the Eastern Conference next year.

But behind them? There is a big gap and several teams could perhaps take advantage of it. That includes the Atlanta Hawks, as crazy as that sounds.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Hawks were in the Eastern Conference Finals, but every move they’ve made since has made the team worse. They have a chance to reshape this roster and get it right this offseason, but it will require the front office to make the right moves to put this team in the best position possible.

Every team in the Eastern Conference except the Celtics is questioning whether they are legitimate contenders, leaving the door open for a team like Atlanta to surprise. The Pacers had a good run to the Conference Finals this season, but it would be remiss not to mention that they beat the Giannis-less Bucks all series and Damian Lillard missed two games. When they beat the Knicks in seven games, New York was without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson. OG Anunoby also missed time on the show. No run to the Conference Finals should be looked down upon, but the Pacers broke it all. They may not be so lucky next year.

The Knicks appear to be the team that could most likely come back to compete with Boston, but what if Anunoby looks elsewhere in free agency? If Isaiah Hartenstein leaves in free agency, will the Knicks have a replacement? New York could certainly be the biggest threat to Boston, but questions arise.

Milwaukee has the best player in the East, but their team is aging and doesn’t have much room to improve. Milwaukee has never been an elite team this season either. Should we trust them to be the No. 2 team?

Cleveland could look like a much different team in October and it’s hard to say where they’ll land due to the uncertainty around the roster. They could be at the top of the standings if Donovan Mitchell re-signs and they make the right moves in the lineup. Cleveland is in a similar situation to Atlanta this offseason, but with a better recent history.

Philadelphia has potential, but their roster is going to look brand new around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They also don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt because they have disappointed time and time again. Could they get Paul George to team up with Embiid and Maxey? What if they attacked all their main targets?

Miami appears to be in a tough situation heading into next season. That’s not to say Pat Riley can’t find a way to get through it, but their roster is aging and they weren’t very good last season.

Unless a big change happens, it’s hard to see Brooklyn, Toronto, Charlotte, Detroit and Washington getting any closer to the playoff conversation in 2024-25. Brooklyn is the most likely to leave the group and could pose a threat if things go the right way for them.

Which brings us back to Atlanta. The Hawks also have big questions heading into next year. What’s going on with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray’s backcourt? Who will the Hawks take with the No. 1 pick? Will other veteran players like Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter or Bogdan Bogdanovic also be on the trip?

While there are tons of questions, this team could be a lot better, but it depends on the decisions the front office makes. I think the Hawks’ highest ceiling would be with Young leading the way, but they’ve done a poor job building a roster around him. That could change this offseason.

Atlanta has a chance to salvage pieces in trades involving Murray and Capela, the two players who seem most likely to be dealt this offseason, plus they have the top pick in the draft after getting lucky with how it went of the lottery. This is a chance to surround Young with better pieces around him, much like the Dallas Mavericks did last offseason and at the trade deadline this year. These decisions resulted in a trip to the NBA Finals. I don’t think Atlanta can make enough moves to reach that level, but reaching the top half of the Eastern Conference isn’t out of the question.

Without knowing the specific moves they’re making and what other East teams are doing, it’s difficult to make a firm prediction on where Atlanta will be next year. It’s not crazy to say that there is a big gap behind the Boston Celtics in the East and each team behind them has a few questions to answer this season in terms of roster construction. With the right moves, Atlanta could make a surprising return to the top half of the Eastern Conference next season.

It’s up to the Hawks’ decision-makers to put them in that position this offseason.