Category: Basketball

The Utah Jazz are coming into the season as maybe the most unpredictable team in either conference. No one is sure what to make of this collection of talent. Will the players achieve a level of cohesion and become better than the sum of their parts? Or will they struggle with the blend of youth and veterans and underwhelm?

That leads us to this week’s Utah Jazz Reacts survey. How will this season end when all is said and done? Will they overachieve, be much better than people think, and be a top-3 seed in the West? Or will they underwhelm, fall apart, and wind up in the lottery once again?

Personally, I find it hard to believe the Jazz won’t, at a minimum, make the play-in. I also think that the Jazz are highly motivated to make additional moves this season. They are now buyers instead of sellers, and I can see them making moves to shore up their weaknesses come trade deadline. But now is your chance to vote in the poll below and let everyone know what you think.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Jazz fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Golden State Warriors failed to land the star they spent much of the offseason chasing, but Brian Windhorst believes declaring the Stephen Curry era finished would be premature.

Golden State explored moves involving Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James without completing any of them. James ultimately signed with Philadelphia, leaving the Warriors with an aging, injury-ravaged roster that does not currently resemble a championship contender.

Windhorst acknowledged that reality during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up.”

“They absolutely are not championship contenders right now,” Windhorst said.

Golden State finished 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs after losing in the play-in tournament. Jimmy Butler suffered a torn ACL, Moses Moody is recovering from a major knee injury and Curry will again be asked to carry a significant offensive burden at 38 years old.

Still, Windhorst argued that the organization’s window has not completely closed.

“But Steph Curry has said he wants to play multiple more years, and the Warriors have a lot of draft pick equity, and they have a lot of flexibility financially going forward,” Windhorst said. “So, if you want to write them off, say that they’re done, go ahead and do that.”

Windhorst pointed to Philadelphia as proof that an NBA team’s outlook can change quickly. The 76ers appeared limited earlier in the offseason before unexpectedly adding Brown and James.

“Seven or eight weeks ago, you thought the 76ers were not going to do anything this season, and watch what happened,” Windhorst said. “Let’s just see what happens with Steph Curry over this next 18 months.”

Curry’s contract could become central to that plan. He has one season remaining and will soon become eligible for a two-year extension reportedly worth $136.7 million.

Windhorst suggested the Warriors could ask Curry to delay signing it. If Curry, Draymond Green and Butler were all allowed to reach free agency next summer, Golden State could potentially create roughly $90 million in cap space and pursue another major roster overhaul.

That path would carry obvious risk. Curry would be turning down long-term security without knowing which stars might become available. Golden State would also be asking him to trust a front office that has repeatedly missed on its biggest targets.

There is no guarantee another superstar will choose the Warriors next year, especially as Curry moves further into his late 30s.

But Windhorst’s broader point remains clear: Golden State is not out of assets, flexibility or time. The Warriors may have to survive a difficult 2026-27 season while Butler and Moody recover, but they still have the tools to reshape the roster.

Golden State spent this summer missing its swings. Windhorst believes the Warriors still have enough time to connect on one before Curry’s window finally closes.

Nuggets forward Spencer Jones has explained why he signed an offer sheet with a rival team.

Jones signed a fully guaranteed two-year, $12 million offer sheet with Oklahoma City, before the Nuggets matched the deal. 

While the forward will return to Denver for the 2026-27 season, fans weren’t happy he’d signed with a rival in the first place.

“I get it. But I also need people to understand something,” Jones wrote on LinkedIn. “This is a business. Front offices treat it that way every day and players have to do the same.

“I went into free agency with clear priorities: a team that fits my skillset, a championship culture, and an organization I believe in. Both Denver and OKC checked those boxes. Either way, I was landing somewhere that made sense.”

Jones added that the offer sheet made sure he would end up in the right situation no matter if the Nuggets matched or not.

He also said it allowed him to make history, signing the largest fully guaranteed offer sheet ever as an undrafted player from a two-way contract.

“From a two-way with no safety net to this. I don’t take that lightly,” Jones said.

Jones joined the Nuggets in 2024 on the aforementioned two-way contract after a decent career at Stanford, where he averaged 11 points on 43.9-percent shooting over five seasons.

The forward didn’t contribute much as a rookie, but in year two he started 37 of the 64 games he played in and led the league with 69.2 percent shooting from 3-point range during the playoffs.

During the regular season, he averaged 5.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 64 games.

While the deal keeps the Nuggets’ home-grown talent in Denver, it also means they are set to enter the second apron for the first time under the current collective bargaining agreement.

Jones’ $12 million deal will increase the Nuggets projected tax penalty by $32 million, nearly doubling from $36 million to $68 million, per ESPN.

Bob Myers went from being the architect of the NBA’s modern day dynasty to its foil. 

As Warriors’ general manager from 2012-2023, Myers helped the franchise win four championships in eight years.

But this summer, he played a different role. He indirectly ripped the carpet out from under his former team. 

Myers, who is the president of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment, the managing entity for the 76ers, helped orchestrate a trade for Jaylen Brown and land LeBron James in free agency. 

In other words, he secured two of the biggest players on the market this offseason who could have extended Steph Curry’s championship window. 

After spending over a decade ensuring Curry had the proper pieces around him to climb atop the league, Myers stole his safety ropes. 

It’s a testament to his skills. But for the Warriors, it’s an absolute gut punch. 

Myers helped transform the Warriors from laughing stock of the league into one of the greatest teams of all-time. 

He signed Steph Curry to a four-year, $44 million extension in 2012 when there were concerns about his ankle. 

Myers drafted defensive wizard Draymond Green as the No. 35 pick in 2012, which proved to be one of the best second-round steals in NBA history. 

He hired Steve Kerr as coach in 2014, and orchestrated a trade for Andre Iguodala, who won Finals MVP in 2015. And in 2016, he signed Kevin Durant, who won Finals MVP in 2017 and 2018. 

Myers may not have drafted Curry, but he played a major role in shoring up Golden State’s boat so he could become a four-time champion and two-time MVP. 

But after stepping down as Warriors president and general manager in May 2023, Myers took a hammer to that boat this offseason. 

Rumors surfaced that the Warriors were close to convincing James to join their team. 

Curry, who historically has stayed mum on free agency moves, was vocal about how much he wanted the 41-year-old megastar as a teammate. Green turned down his $27.7 million player option so the Warriors could entice James with more money. 

There was also the fact that LeBron himself had openly discussed how he had hoped to play alongside Curry, outside of the Olympics.

But Myers, who’s well known for his ability to gain players’ trust, showed why he’s one of the best in the business. 

He went onto Rich Paul’s podcast, “Game Over,” and told James’ agent why he believed one of the greatest players of all-time should join the 76ers. 

‘I honestly believe this is your best chance to win,” Myers said.

Considering the 76ers’ starting five now consists of LeBron, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid, it is not a hard argument to make.

Was Myers the reason why James decided to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers? Obviously not. But is Myers the type of guy James wants in important meetings?

Yes.

Is he the type of guy James trusts to be part of the brains of an organization?

Yes. 

Myers has made notable mistakes. 

He squandered the Warriors’ No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 draft by selecting James Wiseman, who proved to be a bust. In doing so, he passed over LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton, Deni Avdija and Maxey. 

He was also was Golden State’s failed “two-timelines plan.”

But overall, Myers helped put the Warriors on the map. 

Now he’s guiding one of their competitors, and it had major repercussions for Golden State. 

The Warriors are widely considered the biggest losers of the James sweepstakes. They stood pat this offseason, banking on the fact James would want to play alongside Curry and Green. 

While the Warriors crossed their fingers, Myers worked overtime. 

He helped the 76ers land the most stunning trade this offseason (Brown for Paul George), as well as the biggest free agency signing. 

It’s a shame for Curry, who turns 39 next season, and is pretty much going to be forced to run things back with the same roster, in addition to their No. 11 draft pick Yaxel Lendeborg.

Myers took over basketball operations for the 76ers on an interim basis after Daryl Morey was fired in May. He then led the front-office search for new President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey. 

What happened next?

The 76ers had the best offseason of any team in the NBA. 

They should be title contenders next season. Myers had his fingerprints on everything, from the landscape-shifting additions of Brown and James to smart moves around the margins, such as Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Ariel Hukporti. 

Meanwhile, Curry is going to have to play hero ball on his balky knee for the Warriors to make the playoffs. 

It’s ironic that this came at the hands of Myers, who helped put Curry in a position to soar for so long. 

In his new role, he did something different. 

He clipped Curry’s wings.  

Things haven’t gone particularly well for Klay Thompson on the court since he left the Golden State Warriors two offseasons ago. He signed a three-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks with the intention of competing for a title with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, but the latter has played just 50 games over those two years, while the former was shockingly traded for Anthony Davis. On top of it all, Thompson put up career-lows in points per game, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage last year. Entering the final season of his contract, speculation about a buyout has begin and murmurs of a potential reunion with the Dubs have been floated. A recent SB Nation Reacts poll asked Warriors fans how they’d feel about that move.

While a majority of respondents want Klay to return to Golden State before he retires, it was a much smaller majority than one would expect (56%). It may speak to the disappointing ending to his tenure with the Dubs, capped off by an atrocious Play-In Tournament performance, but likely has even more to do with Thompson’s struggles and the Warriors lack of top-end talent. With a roster lacking so much, the Dubs rostering another old player past his prime with serious limitations is much harder to sell.

The Philadelphia 76ers already have LeBron James’ position set, or so it seems.

A week ago, the team wasn’t certain James would be joining their ranks. Now, the 76ers have reportedly established James’ role for the upcoming season.

According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the 76ers are expected to utilize the 41-year-old as their point guard. While ESPN’s post on X has since been deleted, Charania discussed James running point for Philadelphia on NBA Today.

“The Sixers, I’m told, are expecting LeBron James to play a good amount of time and period of time at the point guard position, on offense, initiating the game, the offense, for Nick Nurse,” Charania said on Monday.

“Tyrese Maxey, last season, played a lot on the ball at point guard, and we know his prowess off the ball as a scorer. Think of a better player that can set the table for Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe. There’s all these players that can score, that can get the ball from LeBron James.”

This wouldn’t be a first for James as he most notably facilitated the ball throughout the 2019-20 season, where he averaged a career-high 10.2 assists with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Coincidentally, or maybe not so much, the Lakers won the NBA Championship that season.

Despite being 41 years old, James being the floor general in Philadelphia makes perfect sense since the team lacked a true point guard.

LeBron signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 76ers, and now that the free agency saga is over, basketball fans will turn their attention to the veteran’s performance.

The 76ers will do everything in their power to ensure James has a smooth transition to the Eastern Conference and running the offense is one of his many talents. Throughout his storied career, James has often been compared to Magic Johnson because of his court vision.

The 76ers’ starting roster is absolutely stacked. But the question remains, are there too many cooks in the kitchen?

LeBron James no longer has the Los Angeles Lakers, and a significant chunk of the NBA, in a holding pattern.

James is now officially with the Philadelphia 76ers after leaving the Lakers in free agency. 

His other potential suitors — the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves — are no longer in the dark about his next destination. And the free agents and teams contingently connected to those franchises are free to continue their offseason work now that one of the biggest dominoes of the offseason in James is accounted for. 

Among those teams include the Lakers, who swiftly underwent their offseason reconstruction around superstar Luka Dončić after James made it clear on June 29 he wasn’t going to return to the franchise for his unprecedented 24th NBA season.

Eight players that ended last season with the Lakers won’t return for 2026-27, including James, Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Luke Kennard — the starting lineup from the first four games of their first-round playoffs series victory over the Houston Rockets in the spring. 

The Lakers’ free-agency newcomers: Walker Kessler (four years, $130 million), Quentin Grimes (four years, $60 million), Sandro Mamukelashvili (four years, $52 million), Collin Sexton (two years, $19 million), Kevon Looney (one year, $3.9 million), Ziaire Williams (one year, $2.8 million) and Matisse Thybulle (one year, $3.3 million). 

This doesn’t include Cameron Carr (the No. 24 pick in June’s NBA draft) or Jaden Hardy (who the Lakers acquired from the Wizards in the trade that sent Ayton to Washington). Or Austin Reaves, who re-signed with the Lakers on a four-year, $180 million deal.

And the Lakers still aren’t done making moves.

By league rules, they can’t be done, having to trim their roster from 16 players to 15 by the time the regular season starts in October. 

But they’re also actively looking to add to their roster to put a bow on their offseason before training camp starts in two months. 

What must happen between now and then for the Lakers’ offseason to be considered even more successful? A starting-level forward? Another backup big man? 

Here’s where the Lakers’ offseason stands, and the directions it’s moving in. 

Kuminga pursuit 

The Lakers and Cavaliers remain connected even after James’ decision. 

As previously reported by the California Post, both franchises are pursuing unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, who had his $24.3 million team option declined by the Hawks on June 29. 

The Lakers met with Kuminga the following day and have stayed in touch with his side over the last few weeks, but they haven’t been able to find a deal.

The holdup has been centered around financial terms of a potential contract that would bring the 23-year-old Kuminga to L.A. – a source told the Post in mid-July the Lakers were offering around $10 annually – and the details of a sign-and-trade the Lakers would need to execute with the Hawks to acquire Kuminga. 

As told to the Post last week, there hadn’t been significant progress in a deal that would bring Kuminga to L.A., but that was before James’ decision was made. 

A sign-and-trade – which must be for at least three seasons without contract options – is the most realistic way for Kuminga to join the Lakers. 

The Post previously reported the Hawks are willing to send Kuminga to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade in a deal that would involve the framework of Atlanta taking back Jarred Vanderbilt and the Lakers’ 2032 first-round pick swap – the lone option the Lakers have of trading a first-round pick this offseason. But that was before the Hawks acquired Lu Dort from the Thunder in a three-team deal and had 17 players under contract on standard deals – meaning they’ll also have to trim their roster over the next few months. 

Even after agreeing to terms with Mario Hezonja on a one-year deal, the Cavaliers remain a viable option for Kuminga via sign-and-trade. How much they’ll be able, or willing, to offer him Kuminga depends, in part, on how much of a pay cut James Harden is willing to take to return to the Cavaliers after declining his $42.3 million player option. The Cavaliers are reportedly also interested in DeMar DeRozan. 

Good enough roster?

Without Kuminga, the Lakers’ roster has an evident hole for a starting-caliber wing alongside Doncic, Reaves, Grimes and Kessler.

If they don’t land Kuminga, their paths to a backup option appear to be murky. 

The same is true for the Lakers’ quest for another big man, with their rotation currently being Kessler, Looney and Mamukelashvili.

Multiple front office personnel who spoke with the Post on the condition of anonymity throughout July overall liked the moves the Lakers made during the offseason.

But the moves weren’t lauded to the point where they’re viewed as a contender to come out of the Western Conference. The Lakers remain viewed as at least a tier below the Spurs and Thunder – along with most of the West.

Landing Kuminga – or another starting-level forward – would help the Lakers close the gap between themselves and the top of the West. 

But realistically, there aren’t enough big moves for the Lakers to make this offseason to transform their outlook for 2026-27 outside of what they’ve already done.

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Suns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

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This past week, I found myself roaming the streets of social media once again, searching for inspiration on what to write about. Such is life in late July when you cover the Phoenix Suns. It didn’t take long before I came across a conversation where I firmly stand on one side of the fence.

The topic? Whether Devin Booker is a star or a superstar.

I believe it’s well documented that, at this moment, I view him as a star. There’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t hand out the superstar designation simply because I’m a fan of the player, a fan of the team, and want nothing more than to see him succeed. I try my best to approach these conversations logically and consider every side.

In my opinion, at this point in his career, Devin Booker is not a superstar. Why? While it’s a subjective term, I believe you can set some parameters around it. Being an All-Star, earning All-NBA honors, and winning multiple rounds in the postseason are the types of accomplishments that place a player in the rare air reserved for superstars. It is fluid. Just because you were in the club for a couple of years does not mean you have a table reserved. 

Fun fact: not every team has one. If every team had a superstar, there would be more than 30 of them in the league, and that simply isn’t the case. Calling everyone a superstar devalues the word.

Devin Booker is a star. He is someone you can build a team around, and he has also held the superstar designation in the past. Look back at 2021 and 2022. There’s no doubt Booker belonged in the conversation as one of the best players in the league. He finished fourth in MVP voting in 2022, and there was a legitimate argument about whether he was the best shooting guard in basketball at the time.

But as time has passed and the production has declined, he has found himself in that strange space between superstar and star. I understand why some people still consider him a superstar. It simply isn’t a designation I currently subscribe to.

That leads to the question I’d like to ask the Bright Side community. Is there a world where Devin Booker can regain that superstar status?

The organization has pivoted over the past two seasons, moving from a roster that was incredibly top-heavy on salary to one that is much more balanced. Outside of the $36 million Jalen Green is making, the contract that stands out is the supermax money attached to Booker. Why does he make it? Because he has been loyal to the organization, and there are financial rewards that come with that loyalty, especially when you reach the heights he has. When you begin earning All-NBA honors, your contract increases. Booker accomplished those things in the past, and that is why he is paid like a superstar.

Can he once again earn the compensation he is being provided? Has the organization constructed a roster that puts him in a position to reclaim that superstar status? And what does the word superstar mean to you?

Take your time voting in the poll, then let me know in the comments how you define a superstar and whether you believe Devin Booker can reach that level again.

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It turns out the Heat’s YouTube blunder was just someone trying to go on vacation.

During the height of the LeBron James drama, NBA fans noticed the Heat had a livestream scheduled for July 27 titled “LeBron James Introductory Press Conference.” 

According to ESPN, the Heat staffer who posted the press conference, “had scheduled vacation for this week and was trying to get ahead of work that could come up if James indeed chose the Heat.”

Miami took down the mistake quickly and released a statement calling it a mistake, but that didn’t stop fans from believing James had made his decision and was returning to the Heat.

In fact, a number of factors leading up to James signing with the 76ers pointed to a second stint in Miami, including ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter and former NBA player Gilbert Arenas saying it was most likely.

Heat president Pat Riley recently said on the “Dan Le Batard Show” that his relationship with James had “thawed.”

The odds followed the trends and DraftKings sportsbook dropped the Heat as the final destination of the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to -200 from the +1000 odds they had at the start of free agency.

While James’ agent Rich Paul said he thought Miami would end up as “the spot,” he was amused by the YouTube debacle because at the time, James had not made his decision.

Another league source close to the decision told ESPN he questioned why people thought James would even do a press conference.

When he signed with the Lakers in 2018, he didn’t make his first appearance to the media until training camp in the fall.

James used up all 24 days to process every factor imaginable, admitting he had thought about retirement after last season.

In the end, Paul said James signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers at 1 a.m. on Friday, just a few hours before ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the deal.

He will join the likes of Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey in the pursuit of one last championship. 

Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).

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Jordan McLaughlin

2025-26 stats: 44 games played, 6.4 MPG, 2 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 42.5 3FG%

Contract Status: 1 year, minimum contract

Age: 30

There’s not much that can be asked about journeymen on minimum contracts. They are simply expected to suit up when needed, likely due to injury to a rotation player, and mostly blend in, helping when possible but mostly just not hurting the team too much.

The Silver and Black, who couldn’t find a veteran big who could live up to those modest expectations, mostly got that from their fourth-string point guard. Jordan McLaughlin only played a total of 282 minutes in the regular season, fewer than Jeremy Sochan, as a comparison point, spread over 44 games, so it’s hard to consider him an impact player. The good news is that he didn’t try to be one when his number was called, even in his handful of playoff minutes.

At this point, McLaughlin knows that the reason he’s still in the league is that he plays within himself. The veteran guard took decent care of the ball, played disruptive defense, and was happy to pass to a more talented creator while spotting up from beyond the arc. He brought the same level of professionalism in garbage time as he did in the Conference Finals, which is what you want from your 11th guy.

Delving into the numbers from someone who played so little and so often in low-leverage situations isn’t really helpful, so any judgement of McLaughlin has to rely on the eye test, which is kind to him. As a break-in-case-of-emergency ball handler and veteran stabilizer, he looked the part. He never impressed, but he rarely looked out of place or helpless when he was on the floor, as others in the deep bench did.

Looking ahead

While McLaughlin was fine in his role last season, he benefits from the comparison to the horrendous platoon of veteran centers and an underwhelming Lindy Waters III, who showed some intriguing flashes but couldn’t crack the rotation. The expectations from everyone on the periphery of the roster were low, so McLaughlin meeting them doesn’t feel like a significant achievement.

There was a case to be made for a change in the fourth guard spot heading into 2026/27. Knowing what you are going to get from someone can be comforting, and the still youngish and supremely talented Spurs need veterans who will be fine with little to no minutes, but taking the long view, finding someone with more oomph to their game than McLaughlin might have been a good idea. After all, at some point the logjam at point guard will eventually disappear as a result of the increasing cost of the roster, and San Antonio will need actual production from a backup.

For now, though, McLaughlin (and the two-way guards) will do. The vet won’t complain about the many, many games in which he won’t get to see the floor and hopefully will continue to hit open threes to complement his solid floor game and tenacious defense.

If this is, as it probably should be, J-Mack’s last season in San Antonio, he has the opportunity to leave a good impression just by being ordinary instead of a liability in the few minutes he gets, which seems like something he should be able to accomplish.

Top performance

6 points, 1 assist in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against OKC. McLaughlin got few but important minutes in De’Aaron Fox’s absence and did well enough under the bright lights.

Final grade: C+

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Next up: Carter Bryant

LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia may have been billed as his “last decision,” but one small detail buried inside his new two-year, $8 million contract with the 76ers leaves the door open for an unexpected plot twist. 

Unlike his contracts with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers, James’ new deal with the Sixers does not include a no-trade clause because under NBA rules it legally couldn’t. 

James wasn’t eligible for a no-trade clause because players must have at least eight years of NBA service and four consecutive seasons with the team they are signing a contract with. James will embark upon a record-breaking 24th season this fall, making the former part of the rules not a problem, but because he has never played with the Sixers before, the latter was the issue. Had James re-signed with the Lakers he would have been eligible for a full no-trade clause. 

James was able to negotiate a player option for the second year of the contract, and added a 15% trade kicker, which guarantees James a 15% bonus on the remaining guaranteed salary should he be dealt during the first year of the contract. With the veteran minimum salary James is making, that should not deter any team from wanting to acquire him. 

LeBron James has officially signed his two-year, $8 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers with a player option — plus a full 15% trade kicker, per sources. https://t.co/mXZspfkTug

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 26, 2026

Without James’ power to veto a trade, Philadelphia retains the right to trade the four-time NBA Champion should their season go sideways. 

Realistically, the Sixers trading LeBron is a long shot. At just under $4 million dollars this season, James is the biggest bargain in professional sports. His value off the floor in ticket sales, television ratings, jersey sales, merchandise, and sponsorships will far exceed his salary. Even if his production on the court falls off a cliff, he’s still worth more to the Sixers than almost any other player in NBA history making the veteran minimum. 

Still, Philadelphia’s fan base has a history of turning on their stars quickly. If injuries or dysfunction derail the Sixers season, and they suddenly find themselves staring at the lottery instead of the playoffs come the All-Star break, then James’ contract gives them an escape hatch. 

pic.twitter.com/YFR01TviVw

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) July 27, 2026

There’s a precedent as well. Many teams have hit the eject button on their experiments with “untouchable” stars. The Golden State Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell just 33 games after signing him to a four-year contract. The Brooklyn Nets dismantled the Kevin Durant-James Harden-Kyrie Irving experiment faster than you’d remove a bandage. Even the Lakers moved on from their Russell Westbrook experiment after one year. 

LeBron says this is his final chapter and it most likely is, but without a no-trade clause, the ending isn’t entirely his to write.

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There is no question that LeBron James isn’t the same level of player heading into this season as he was for most of his career. In fact, it would be absurd to think he would be. But with that being said, he’s still a high-end player who can do things on the court that few others in the history of the game ever could.

Last week LeBron James announced he would be signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, immediately making them possibly the most interesting team in the NBA. But what does that mean on the court? In addition to James, the Sixers traded for Jaylen Brown over the offseason, adding both All-Star players to a roster that already includes Joel Embiid, VJ Edgecombe, and Tyrese Maxey. There is no reason this team can’t compete with anyone in the league. But it doesn’t necessarily mean they are the best team in the league, or even the Eastern Conference for that matter.

With the defending world champion New York Knicks right down the road, a still intriguing Boston Celtics, a revamped Miami Heat, and a challenging Cleveland Cavaliers, the East is anything but a cake walk. So for this week’s NBA Reacts survey, we want to know who you think is the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Get your votes in now and be on the lookout for results later this week!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Despite all the player movement this summer — including Jaylen Brown and now LeBron James landing in Philadelphia — the Celtics are still squarely in the Eastern Conference mix.

Think of it this way: Boston finished unexpectedly with 56 wins last seasons. Since then, they’ve effectively traded Jaylen Brown for a healthy Jayson Tatum, now more than a year removed from his Achilles injury, and added veterans Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr. to shore up some holes in their lineup. With another year of development for their wing depth, they should fare better next year.

Sure, James and Kawhi Leonard are back in the East. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now in Miami. The Pacers are getting back Tyrese Haliburton and added Ivica Zubac. The Hawks and Hornets retooled their rosters, too. And the defending champs will have Madison Square Garden rocking again.

But if you’re a betting man or woman, our friends at FanDuel still have the Celtics just behind the Knicks and 76ers and ahead of the Raptors in the East for the Eastern Conference title. Analytics-based prediction models like Sporting News’ Stephen Noh’s WinProjectionModel.com has Boston in a three-way tie with Toronto and New York with 54 wins; Cleveland and Philly trail behind at 51 and 47 respectively.

Are you buying the hype behind this Boston team?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Washington Wizards fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

In this week’s SB Nation Reacts survey, we revisit a topic that Kevin Broom wrote over the weekend: the fact that AJ Dybantsa played just two games during the 2026 NBA Summer League.

With that in mind, should the Wizards have played Dybantsa more? Let us now in the survey below. We will share results this weekend!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mavs fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

I suppose your answer to this question will largely depend on if you think the front office is done. But even if nothing else happens and the guys roll into the regular season with this group, there’s a lot to be happy about.

More on this as we work through the week!