The NBA is a player-driven league. Always has been. Always will be. Teams rise and fall based on where the stars go. This offseason proved that again.
LeBron James changed teams. Giannis Antetokounmpo got traded. Jaylen Brown was moved in a blockbuster deal. Victor Wembanyama is entering his third season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is chasing another MVP. And Luka Doncic is carrying the Lakers on his back.
Training camps open September 29. Preseason begins October 3. Opening night is October 20. But the real story is not the schedule. It is the players.
LeBron James — The Last Dance in Philadelphia?
LeBron is 41 years old. Let that sink in. He is entering his 24th NBA season. And he just signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. He took a massive discount to chase one more ring.
He teams up with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown. This is his best chance at another championship since the 2020 bubble. The question is not whether LeBron can still play. He averaged 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists last season. The question is whether he can stay healthy for a full season and a deep playoff run.
LeBron has defied Father Time for years. But at 41, the margin for error is small. Every game matters. Every injury is a setback. If he stays healthy, Philadelphia is a legitimate contender.
Giannis Antetokounmpo — A New Era in Miami
Giannis Antetokounmpo is now a Miami Heat player. That sentence still feels strange to write. But it is real. The Bucks traded him in a blockbuster deal that sent Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Kasparas Jakucionis to Milwaukee.
Giannis now plays alongside Bam Adebayo and Klay Thompson. The Heat have always been a defensive-minded team. Giannis fits that culture perfectly. He is a two-time MVP. He is a Defensive Player of the Year. He is a force on both ends of the floor.
The question is whether he can stay healthy. He has missed significant time in each of the last three seasons. If Giannis plays 65-70 games, Miami is dangerous. If he misses 20 games, the Heat are fighting for a play-in spot.
Jaylen Brown — From Boston to Philadelphia
Jaylen Brown spent his entire career in Boston. He won a championship there. He was an All-Star. He was a Finals MVP candidate. Now he is in Philadelphia.
The Celtics traded Brown to the 76ers for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. It was a shocking move. Brown averaged 26 points per game last season. He is an elite two-way wing. He and LeBron will form one of the most formidable wing duos in the league.
The question is whether they can coexist with Embiid. All three need the ball. All three want to score. Someone has to sacrifice. If they figure it out, Philadelphia could be unstoppable. If they do not, it could be a disaster.
Victor Wembanyama — The Future Is Now
Victor Wembanyama is 7-foot-4. He can shoot. He can dribble. He can block shots. He is a generational talent. And he is only getting better.
Last season, Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 64 games. He is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. He is the reason the Spurs are projected to win 62 games this season.
The Spurs have De’Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and Stephon Castle alongside Wembanyama. They are young. They are deep. They are terrifying. Wembanyama is the future of the NBA. And the future is now.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — The MVP Candidate
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second consecutive MVP last season. He is the engine that makes the Oklahoma City Thunder go.
SGA averaged 32 points per game last season. He led the Thunder to the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder are projected to win 60 games this season. They have Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams, and Ajay Mitchell providing elite depth.
SGA is one of the best scorers in the league. He can get to the rim. He can hit the mid-range. He can shoot the three. He is unguardable. If the Thunder win the championship, SGA will be the reason why.
Jalen Brunson — The King of New York
Jalen Brunson is the reigning Finals MVP. He led the Knicks to their first championship in 53 years. He scored 45 points in Game 5 to clinch the title. It was a performance for the ages.
Brunson averaged 28 points and 7 assists in the playoffs. He is the heart and soul of this team. He is not the biggest guy on the court. He is not the fastest. But he is a winner.
The Knicks are the defending champions. They return 14 of their 15 starters. Brunson is the reason why. If he repeats his Finals MVP performance, the Knicks could go back-to-back.
Kevin Durant — Still Elite at 38
Kevin Durant is 38 years old. He is entering his second season with the Houston Rockets. And he is still one of the best scorers in NBA history.
Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games last season. He was the Rockets’ most valuable player in his first year with the franchise. The Rockets are projected to win 51 games this season.
Fred VanVleet is back from injury. Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard are continuing to develop. The Rockets added Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović for depth. Durant is the closer. He is the guy who takes the big shots in the fourth quarter. If he stays healthy, Houston is a legitimate contender.
Tyrese Haliburton — The Comeback Kid
Tyrese Haliburton missed all of last season. He tore his right Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals. It was a devastating injury. Many wondered if he would ever be the same player.
He is back. He is medically cleared. He is ready to play.
The Pacers are projected to be the Eastern Conference dark horse. Haliburton is the reason why. He is an elite playmaker. He is a clutch shooter. He makes everyone around him better. If he is healthy, the Pacers could surprise people.
Jayson Tatum — The Lone Star in Boston
Jayson Tatum is now the lone star in Boston. Jaylen Brown was traded to Philadelphia. Paul George came to Boston in return. But this is Tatum’s team now.
Tatum averaged 21.8 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists last season. In the playoffs, he averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists. He carried the Celtics when Brown struggled. Now he has to do it alone.
The question is whether he can elevate his game to another level. Boston is still projected to be a top-five team in the East. But the championship equity took a hit when Brown left. Tatum has something to prove. He is no longer the young star alongside a veteran. He is the veteran. He is the leader. He is the guy.
Anthony Edwards — The Next Superstar
Anthony Edwards is 24 years old. He is already one of the best players in the NBA. And he is only getting better.
Edwards averaged 28.8 points per game last season. He is explosive. He is fearless. He is a leader. The Timberwolves added LaMelo Ball as his new backcourt partner. That gives Edwards more space to operate.
The Timberwolves are projected to be a playoff team in the West. Edwards is the reason why. If he takes another leap, Minnesota could be dangerous. He is the next superstar. The league is on notice.
Luka Doncic — The Lakers’ Savior
Luka Doncic now unquestionably leads the Lakers. The team was sold for the second time in 10 months. But the roster is built around him.
Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists last season. He is one of the best offensive players in NBA history. He can score from anywhere. He can pass. He can rebound. He does it all.
The Lakers are not projected to be title contenders. But with Doncic, anything is possible. He can single-handedly win games. The question is whether he has enough help around him. If the Lakers make a move at the trade deadline, they could be dangerous.
Other Players to Watch
Joel Embiid (76ers) — Still one of the most dominant big men in the league when healthy. The question is always health.
Paolo Banchero (Magic) — Rising star in the East. He is a matchup nightmare. He can score inside and out.
Chet Holmgren (Thunder) — Elite two-way big man. He protects the rim. He shoots the three. He is the perfect complement to SGA.
Jalen Williams (Thunder) — Emerging star alongside SGA. He can score. He can defend. He is a future All-Star.
Dylan Harper (Spurs) — Rookie to watch alongside Wembanyama. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2026 draft. He is a playmaker.
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