NBA Rumors: Heading into the final stretch run of the season, there is 1 colossal question each team must answer.
With the NBA All-Star break nearly over, every team in the NBA has roughly 26-30 regular-season games left before the start of the postseason. This is what many around the league like to call the final stretch run of the season. With less than two months remaining in the NBA season, this is when we truly see the contenders begin to separate themselves from the pretenders across the league. It will prove to be an interesting final few weeks in the regular season. And as we enter this final stretch run, we explore one colossal question that each team must answer before the end of the year.
Atlanta Hawks
1 Colossal question: What's the offseason plan for Trae Young?
As the Atlanta Hawks continue to retool their roster, one of the bigger questions that can no longer be ignored revolves around what this team's plan is for Trae Young headed into the offseason. Especially considering that he was on the trade block last summer, you can't help but wonder if that could be the case again this season. A trade of Young is far from a guarantee, but it could be on the table for the Hawks entering the summer.
Even though he's been a great player for the Hawks this season, it's clear that this roster is not currently good enough to compete with the other great teams in the Eastern Conference. That could very much lead to even more roster changes for Atlanta moving forward. The biggest of which could very well revolve around a Young trade this offseason. Is that what the future lies for the Hawks? That's what they must figure out over these last few weeks of the season.
Boston Celtics
1 Colossal question: What if the Boston Celtics can't flip the switch?
For the most part, there's still this large expectation that the Boston Celtics are going to be able to flip the theoretical switch heading into the final stretch run of the season. The thought process is that the Celtics are too good and too talented to not be considered the overwhelming favorites heading into the postseason. However, what if the Celtics aren't able to flip the switch? Boston has struggled with inconsistency this season. What if that remains to be the case in the playoffs?
That would certainly complicate this team's future and would absolutely change the dynamic of the Eastern Conference heading into the postseason. What if the Celtics flop in the postseason and their championship defense is disappointing? Where would that leave this team headed into the offseason?