The playoffs are about legacy. They can be about money, earned and lost. They can be about jobs, lost and saved.
The postseason is the most important time of the year, and it tips off in less than a month.
Here is a look at the players who have the most to gain or perhaps lose this postseason.
What's on the line: Tatum is headed toward breaking teammate Jaylen Brown's current $288 million record contract and becoming the NBA's first $300 million player when he signs his supermax from the Celtics this summer. He has earned that status and the money, but living with that contract attached to his name will be different depending on how these playoffs unfold for Tatum. In the past two seasons, Tatum went out with a whimper, albeit battling minor injuries.