The Eastern Conference looks dramatically different after an offseason filled with blockbuster moves, and one of the biggest involved the Boston Celtics trading five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston received Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks in return, giving the franchise valuable assets but also creating serious questions about where the Celtics stand among the East's best teams.
That uncertainty could create an opening for the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta finished sixth in the Eastern Conference last season and avoided the Play-In Tournament entirely, and an improved roster could now have an opportunity to climb another spot or two if Boston takes a step backward.
The blockbuster trade opens the door for Atlanta
The Celtics certainly should not be written off simply because Brown is gone. Tatum is expected to return at full strength, while Derrick White and Payton Pritchard remain quality pieces around him. Boston also added veterans Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley, giving the roster additional experience around its franchise cornerstone.
The concern is whether George can remain healthy enough to give Tatum the secondary star Boston needs. George appeared in only 37 games last season after playing 41 the year before, and another injury-plagued campaign would significantly lower the Celtics' ceiling compared to the team that featured Brown alongside Tatum.
That does not mean Boston is suddenly destined for the Play-In Tournament or a rebuilding year. The Celtics should remain competitive as long as Tatum is healthy, but their status as an automatic top-five team in the East is no longer as convincing as it once appeared.
Atlanta should be one of the teams attempting to take advantage. After earning the sixth seed last season, the Hawks do not need a massive leap to enter the top five, especially if one of the teams previously projected ahead of them struggles with injuries or adjusting to major roster changes.
Atlanta has improved enough to make a legitimate push
The Hawks have their own reasons to believe they can climb the standings rather than simply relying on Boston to decline. President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh has continued strengthening the roster around Jalen Johnson while maintaining a balance between experienced contributors and younger players who still have room to develop.
Atlanta re-signed veteran CJ McCollum while drafting Kingston Flemings as its potential point guard of the future. The Hawks also strengthened an already impressive defensive group by acquiring Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins from Oklahoma City, giving Quin Snyder even more lineup versatility on both ends of the floor.
Dort joining Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could be particularly important. Atlanta already finished with a top-ten defense last season, and adding another elite perimeter defender gives the Hawks a realistic opportunity to become one of the league's better defensive teams while Johnson continues leading the offense.
The rest of the Eastern Conference will not make Atlanta's climb easy. Kawhi Leonard's return to Toronto changes the Raptors' outlook, while Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving Milwaukee for Miami gives the Heat another superstar capable of dramatically altering the conference hierarchy.
Those changes are exactly why Atlanta cannot assume a top-five seed will simply fall into its lap. The Hawks will have to prove their offseason improvements translate to the court, stay relatively healthy and consistently beat the teams they are expected to beat throughout the regular season.
Still, Boston's decision to exchange Brown for an older and recently injury-prone George creates another pathway for Atlanta. If George remains healthy, the Celtics could stay firmly ahead of the Hawks, but if his availability becomes an issue again, Boston may have difficulty replacing the production it lost.
Atlanta finished only one spot outside the East's top five last season and enters the upcoming campaign with a deeper roster. The Hawks still have plenty to prove, but Boston's blockbuster shakeup could provide exactly the opening Atlanta needs to move another step up the Eastern Conference standings.
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