What’s on the line: When Tatum signs his supermax contract with the Celtics this summer, he will break teammate Jaylen Brown’s current $288 million record and become the NBA’s first $300 million player. He earned that status and the money, but living with that deal tied to his name will be different depending on how the playoffs play out for Tatum. Tatum has retired with a whimper during the last two seasons, while suffering from minor injuries.
What’s on the line: Jokic has nothing to prove, but he has a lot to gain and is on the edge of joining the all-time greats. He’s the odds-on favorite to win his third MVP. If he can repeat his spectacular postseason performance from last season, it will be historic. Players with three MVPs and two Finals MVPs include LeBron Jame Michael Jordan,s, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. This season, Jokic has the opportunity to join that unrivaled elite.
What’s at stake: Embiid may have earned his second consecutive MVP award this season if he hadn’t undergone knee surgery, which he expects to recover from in time for the playoffs. However, his playoff performances have been hampered by injury and an inability to execute at the most crucial times. Last year, he was playing with a knee injury, but the Sixers only needed a few plays from him to reach what has proven to be a difficult conference finals appearance. As has been the case before, he was unable to summon them. His postseason record of 27–26 is a blot on his career.
What’s on the line: Playoff Jimmy is real, despite his denials. Those amazing springs have helped the Heat forget about the often stressful winters of Butler’s injury concerns and occasional spats with coaches and teammates. Butler, 34, is eligible for an extension this summer. With two years (the second being a player option) and $100 million remaining on his contract, it’s unclear whether the Heat will be willing to invest again. But Butler, particularly if he leads the Heat to another postseason run, has another opportunity to prove himself indispensable.
