Category: Sports News

Athleticism is not a blanket term when it comes to its application in NBA games. There are a thousand different ways athleticism can manifest itself on a basketball court beyond slamming home an alley-oop. These days, it feels like NBA teams are looking less at how a player tests on their max vertical leap, and more at their balance, deceleration, and body control. I realize the incoming exercise is a bit silly for this reason, but I’m going to do it anyway.

A year ago at this time, we previewed the best shooters in the NBA. While that list doesn’t feel like it’s changed much over the last 12 months, any look at the sport’s best athletes has significantly more fluidity. Zion Williamson, Aaron Gordon, and Zach LaVine would have been a lock a few years ago, but they aren’t on this list today. It might seem obvious that someone like Ace Bailey should have been on this list a year from now, but he was one of the final cuts this year.

With the start of the 2026-27 NBA season just around the corner, here’s our list of the best athletes in the NBA. The focus here was mostly on explosiveness. Who did I overlook? Leave your snubs in the comment section below.

Amen Thompson, G, Houston Rockets

Thompson was one of two players to dunk 200+ times last season despite being only 6’7 and lacking a jump shot that defenses have to respect. The 23-year-old should be a staple on All-Defensive teams moving forward, and his ridiculous explosion gives him a strong foundation to continue to develop his skill level offensively. I predicted Thompson would be the most athletic player in the league from day one when he was entering the 2023 NBA Draft, and I think I nailed it.

Ausar Thompson, G, Detroit Pistons

Ausar Thompson might be a tenth of a step below his twin brother in terms of burst, but he’s still an overwhelming athlete on the wing for the Detroit Pistons. He could be the scariest on-ball defender in the league going forward while also being excellent as a defensive playmaker away from the ball.

VJ Edgecombe, G, Philadelphia 76ers

It was easy to see Edgecombe was going to be a freak athlete during his one year at Baylor, and he’s already making game-breaking plays in the NBA after one year in the league. It’s going to be fascinating to see how he’s deployed as the Sixers’ fifth option this season.

Shaedon Sharpe, G, Portland Trail Blazers

Sharpe is the best dunker and most explosive leaper in the NBA when he gets a runway. Unfortunately, he’s already out with a meniscus tear entering the season.

Anthony Edwards, G, Minnesota Timberwolves

I remember speaking to Edwards in his high school classroom for a story about how he’d become the NBA’s next thing. That was a rare good call by your boy. I’ll never stop thinking about his dunk on John Collins.

Caleb Wilson, F, Chicago Bulls

Wilson dunked 67 times in 24 games as a freshman at North Carolina, and some of his best highlights came on the defensive end. His combination of extreme explosiveness, self-awareness, and a hard-charging work ethic gives him a chance to become the star player the Bulls have been desperate for.

Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks

Flagg’s shot-blocking looked like it might make him Gen-Z Shawn Marion or Andrei Kirilenko entering Duke. His coaches have understandably tried to turn him more into the second coming of Jayson Tatum in the time since. He’s one of the more explosive young players in the league, and it feels like he’ll only continue to get scarier as his frame develops.

Dyson Daniels, G, Atlanta Hawks

Daniels is perhaps the NBA’s best thief on the defensive end, setting several age-based steals records during his first season in Atlanta in 2024-25. He can’t shoot at all, but his athleticism still makes him a pretty decent offensive player with his ability to hit the glass and fly in transition.

Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat

Adebayo is a wrecking ball defensively in the middle of the Miami defense with rare mobility for a player who is so strong with such a low center of gravity. His intersection of size, strength, quickness, and explosiveness allows him to play so much bigger than his size, and serves as the foundation for one of the NBA’s best overall defenders.

Joan Beringer, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

Beringer basically got redshirted by the Wolves as a rookie last season, but he has some ridiculously fluid highlights for an NBA center whenever he steps on the floor. Minnesota will be counting him on him to backup Rudy Gobert this season, and I bet he’ll produce some spectacular moments.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Miami Heat

Giannis is the oldest guy on this list at age-31. He still has incredibly rare movement ability for his size. It will be fascinating to see how he ages into his mid-30s with a game so dependent on being the biggest athletic freak around.

Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors

Barnes has become one of the best forwards in the league, and he could be primed for an All-NBA season next to Kawhi Leonard this year in Toronto. He’s so long and strong and mobile, and plays with a ferocity on the glass, all of which should make him an annual contender for an All-Defense spot. I can’t wait to see Barnes, Leonard, and Collin Murray-Boyles defend together.

Kel’el Ware, C, Milwaukee Bucks

Ware is a great lob threat with a huge catch radius and crazy bounce for a 7-footer. Helping Ware put it all together will be one of the top objectives of new Bucks coach Taylor Jenkins after the Giannis trade.

Victor Wembanyama, C, San Antonio Spurs

I wouldn’t keep Wemby off this list. Guys who are 7’5+ are usually statues, but Wembanyama is ridiculously flexible and fast. There’s never been anyone like him before, and his overall athleticism is a huge part of the appeal.

AJ Dybantsa, F, Washington Wizards

Dybantsa is truly a quick-twitch athlete at 6’9, 220 pounds, with a 7-foot wingspan. His wicked first step and explosion around the rim is going to make him an elite scorer before long.

Ron Holland, G, Detroit Pistons

Holland hasn’t really established himself yet as he enters this third season, but his crazy explosiveness makes him one of the league’s better per-minute wing defenders and a great transition scorer. He may have too much overlap with Thompson as non-shooters to make it in Detroit, but if the Pistons move on, some team should be willing to take a chance on him as a “second draft” type. Read my feature on Holland’s journey to the NBA here.

Josh Minott, F, Brooklyn Nets

Minott has been a super disruptive defender who flies in the open floor and can jump out of the gym when he gets the chance. He’s improved his shooting and handle enough to get a real chance this season in Brooklyn.

Jonathan Kuminga, F, Minnesota Timberwolves

Will Kuminga’s production finally match his press clippings as he moves to Minnesota this year? We’ll see! He’s the third Timberpup on this list. I guess that makes them the most athletic team in the league.

Stephon Castle, G, San Antonio Spurs

Castle looks like a linebacker playing basketball, only there’s never been a linebacker who could detonate one of the greatest tomahawk dunks of all-time in the NBA Finals. Like many of the players on this list, he’s another great defender and poor shooter. The Spurs should hope he can cut down on the turnovers as much as improve as a shooter.

Peyton Watson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers

Watson is the platonic ideal of a toolsy wing who needed to grow into his body and his game. He took some strides over a small sample last year with the Nuggets, and now the Cavs are betting big on him to help take their team to the next level.

Ja Morant, G, Portland Trail Blazers

I was on the fence about putting Morant on this list, but ultimately still believe he’s one of the league’s most explosive guards. I kind of hate the fit next to Damian Lillard in Portland this year, but at the same time Morant still feels like a good bounce-back candidate after a couple disappointing seasons.

Matas Buzelis, F, Chicago Bulls

Buzelis finished No. 7 in total blocks last year while also crushing 79 dunks in 77 games. Him and Wembanyama were the only players in the NBA with such a lofty intersection of dunks, blocks, and made threes.

Jalen Duren, C, Detroit Pistons

Duren looks like he was cut out of stone as a 250-pound big with a 7’5 wingspan and rare explosiveness. He crushed 189 dunks last year, fourth most in the league, but his athleticism often shows up in more impressive ways when he’s attacking off the dribble.

OG Anunoby, F, New York Knicks

Anunoby still deserves a spot on this list at age-29. He plays with great balance on both ends for someone with such a strong frame. His tip-in to win Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals will be replayed for as long as the NBA exists.

Derrick Jones Jr., F, Los Angeles Clippers

Jones felt like the most explosive guy in the league in his young days, and he’s still a freak at age-29. He won the 2020 dunk contest, and not just because Dwyane Wade rigged it.

In his first two seasons with the Toronto Raptors, Ja’Kobe Walter has put up solid numbers. His rookie campaign saw him average 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game in 20 minutes of action. He followed that up with a sophomore season averaging 7.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in similar floor time. 

It’s easy to panic when looking at the slight decrease, but in reality, the slight drop isn’t concerning at all. The opposite actually. Despite a marginal decline, there was actually a drastic increase in his efficiency. His field goal percentage climbed from 40.5% his rookie year to 44.6% his sophomore season. Considering exclusively long range shots, that goes from 34.9% to 40.9%. 

He was actually making more of the shots he was taking, even though he wasn’t taking as many.

And this is where Ja’Kobe’s biggest value to the team lies. He may not get a ton of shots every night, but he will make the ones he does get.

October vs. April 

Early on in the season, some fans were raising concerns over the decrease in the offensive abilities of Walter, amongst some of the other young Raptors. To some extent, the numbers were worrying. Shooting below 29% from long range on barely 2 points per game, the start of the season looked rough for Ja’Kobe. He showed some gradual improvement, but prior to the All-Star break, he was scoring 5 points per game and only 35% from long range. 

There was a steady improvement upon returning though, and by April, he was shooting 50% from 3-point range and scoring almost 10 points a game. His post-season was solid too, as he managed two 20-point appearances in the seven playoff games the Raptors had. 

This shows the continuous effort and development not only throughout the season, but also holistically as a player. 

It has to be everyone’s hope that he will continue on this trajectory.

The 3-Point Shooter

Floor spacing is a commodity in the NBA that teams will pay top dollar for. It’s not a positional skill anymore either, with even centers developing an outside shot. 

This is an area that Toronto has struggled in the last few years. They’ve brought a few people in over the years like Bruce Brown and Ochai Agbagi, took chances with draft picks like Gradey Dick, and even tried to develop their own players, but nothing has looked more promising than Ja’Kobe Walter. 

Ja’Kobe started in the same spot everyone does, by developing a solid corner 3-pointer:

He shoots about 50% from both corners, more than 12% better than the league average. His teammates clearly trust him out there, as they continue to feed him the ball. More than 99% of his 3-point shots were assisted. He’s not creating the shot entirely on his own, he’s creating opportunities, and capitalizing on them. He’s almost as good from the left wing, where he is also significantly better than the league average:

It’s clear he’s found his niche. In his rookie year almost 37% of his shots were inside the paint, where now less than a quarter of them are. They’re not coming from the midrange either, where only 1% of his points are generated. Ja’Kobe is developing his long range game from every location on the floor. It’s not situational either. He is happy to get out in front of the action or trail and wait at the top of the arc for a long range opportunity:

While he is predominantly a spot-up shooter, he’s starting to find ways to be incorporated in more complex actions that involve single and double screens for him to get open from almost anywhere:

If he continues to excel as a long range shooter, he could be one of the Raptors’ most valuable pieces, either as a starter, or coming off the bench. His ability to spread defenses out to open up space for guys like Kawhi, Scottie, RJ, and Poeltl who all like to operate in and around the paint could be crucial for Toronto’s success this season.

The (not) 3-point shooter

With the Raptors’ continued push towards ball movement under Darko Rajaković, everyone has seen some dramatic changes. Across the board, almost every Raptor has seen a significant drop-off in the points they’re scoring unassisted. Scottie’s unassisted scoring fell from 50% to 40% in only one season, while Barrett, Quickley, and Walter all simultaneously saw similar >10% drops. 

Once teams find out how good you are at shooting, noting that your team keeps finding you, they’re going to start running you off the line. Ja’Kobe is showing the ability to adjust to this, and score anyways:

If he’s being tightly guarded and doesn’t see an opening for himself beyond the arc, he’s happy to cut inside as well:

This movement makes him harder to guard outside the arc since he isn’t relying only on that shot. He’s becoming more versatile and adjusting to what defences are giving him. If they are giving him the long range shot, he’ll take it. If they’re not, he’s happy to find other ways to score. 

The Clutch Scorer

Close games are never an easy thing for a young player to navigate. Even tight possessions can wreak havoc on players’ shooting splits, as the added pressure can greatly affect performance. Already as a sophomore this didn’t seem to bother Ja’Kobe though, as he led the team in 3-point shooting efficiency with less than 4 seconds on the shot clock. Shooting 9-for-24 in those circumstances, he’s pretty young to already have the confidence and ability to knock down shots like that. Despite how poorly a possession can go, having someone you can kick the ball out to as a last option and actually have them convert it is invaluable. 

Ja’Kobe is starting to prove he can be that guy.

The Perfect Fit

Besides ball movement, the Raptors also capitalize on fastbreak points and defence. When Ja’Kobe is on the floor, 1.3 of his points per game (almost 18% of his scoring) comes from a fastbreak. Most of these are generated off of steals, which he is continuously getting better at as well. When he’s on the floor, he accounts for almost 26% of the Raptors’ steals. 

He fits their system and is continuing to develop within it.

Next Steps

Ja’Kobe has now had a fairly long summer to work and develop. There’s already been a few videos surfacing online showing some of the work he’s been doing, but it’s pretty clear that his development, skills, and fit within Toronto’s system will make him a huge asset that they’re willing to invest in. 

What would benefit him more than anything else is continued defensive development. In his rookie season, he held a 111 defensive rating. That improved marginally to 110.7 this past season. He’s not necessarily a liability, but there is definitely room for improvement. 

He also needs to continue to develop his shot from the right wing, the only spot in 3-point territory that he has been struggling. 

While small goals, hopefully those were his points of focus over the summer. 

Ja’Kobe doesn’t need to be able to do everything, but if he can defend and continue to be a scoring threat from anywhere beyond the arc, he could help the Raptors be a championship contender, providing space for everyone else to operate, and knocking down crucial baskets when he’s needed.

Hoo boy. OK, so the obvious place you have to start with Gary Trent Jr. is his contract. It is the elephant in the room. There’s natural resentment toward Trent because of the contract. I get that. However, to me, the ire of fans shouldn’t go toward the player; it should go toward the GM, who—in his flailing desperation to put the best team possible around Giannis last offseason—made a deal with the devil that could have much harsher implications than simply having what is, for all intents and purposes, $64m of dead money on your cap over the next four seasons.

Selfishly, I hope the league cannot prove a handshake deal was made and thus chooses not to prosecute, but as I understand it, they don’t need to. All the NBA needs to deduce is that, aside from cap circumvention, there is no other reasonable conclusion for why one of the NBA’s worst players last year inked such a lucrative deal. Look, there are smokescreens Jon Horst can throw out that are at least somewhat plausible—“he took minimums to play with Giannis, and now the Bucks have cap space and have to spend it on someone”—but none of them pass the smell test. That said, I also want to highlight that the “take consecutive minimum deals to get early Bird rights and then sign a big contract” tactic has been used by everyone over the years; GT’s deal just stands out more because he played so poorly the season before signing it.

In any event, it happened, and we will see what transpires from here. If the Bucks are penalised—and especially if the penalties are severe—Horst should be on thin ice; it’s tough to have much faith in his decision-making after this whole fiasco (if it wasn’t before that). Now let’s move on to the basketball side of things. As has been well-documented, Trent is coming off what was essentially his worst year in the league last season. Other than his rookie campaign, the 27-year-old has never had a worse shooting season. He averaged just 21.8 minutes per game—also the lowest since he was a rookie—and even spent stretches out of the rotation completely. Anecdotally, Trent’s defensive effort and engagement were some of the worst I’ve seen—and it’s not as if the bar for him was all that high.

Having said all of this, it’s worth mentioning that the team was a complete and utter mess all year—both on-court and off it—with Doc Rivers constantly switching up the starting lineup, rotations, etc. One could be forgiven for failing to find a groove amidst that mess. Crucially, Trent isn’t a player who thrives regardless of context; he’s at his best when he plays off elite talent and knows where his looks are coming from, which was far from the case last year. And to top it all off, there was some pseudo-tanking going on towards the back end of the year as well, which wouldn’t have helped.

Let me say this: I feel confident that in a more settled environment where the team 1) understands what is trying to be achieved from an on-court standpoint, and 2) doesn’t have to deal with rampant off-court drama, Trent will revert to the mean somewhat. Now, will he play to the level that he ends up being worth the coin he’s earning? There’s just no way; that contract is a howler. All I’m trying to say is that this man isn’t as bad as he played last season. He’s just not. This will be a bounce-back season for the eight-year vet—you heard it here first.

Who do y’all have at 12?

Every day, we’ll take a closer look at another member of the 2026-27 Phoenix Suns, examining what they bring to the roster and what their role could mean for the season ahead as we count down to training camp and the preseason.

Oso Ighodaro

Center, 6’11”, 235 pounds, 24 years old, 3rd season

Oso Ighodaro has had a lot of discussion surrounding his name in his short tenure here in Phoenix. Early on, he was viewed as a potential draft steal as a second-round pick, but fans ultimately had higher expectations. With last year being his first full season in the rotation, the big man is still looking to make a lasting imprint, as others in his role are in the same position.

With the tenth overall pick in Khaman Maluach expecting more leeway, and Mark Williams on the roster as well, the room does seem crowded. That said, Ighodaro has the trust of head coach Jordan Ott to get more burn, especially since Williams suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. This then prompted the team to sign Duop Reath to a training camp deal for insurance, but it also gives Ighodaro more competition and a bigger opportunity ahead.

Now, with training camp starting soon, Ighodaro has a chance to take the starting job and never let go of it if he chooses. He has said he is working on parts of his game to help him make that leap in his third season, and every fan is watching: who is the future center for this team?

Last Season

The Suns’ big man was the true iron man for this squad, as he was the only one to register minutes in all 82 games this year. This is kind of an anomaly in the Valley, as we have seen the injury bug strike a bunch recently, so Oso dodging it is quite a miracle. With him available for every game, he could build momentum early, especially with Williams being out during the preseason and the first few games.

Unfortunately for Ighodaro, he ran into top-tier big men in Domantas Sabonis and Nikola Jokic early in the year, and those proved to be tough battles from the jump. This prompted many fans to turn on him and switch their stance from “draft steal” to “not needed.” Fortunately for Ighodaro, he didn’t let that get in his way in his sophomore season.

He proved that when Ott trusted him in big-time minutes, he could deliver, and he quickly formed a strong pick-and-roll duo with guard Collin Gillespie. This connection helped him on the court by letting the bench unit generate easy looks and points on these plays. With this tandem on the court, they elevated the bench play and brought promise to both of their games in this new system.

Contract and Roster Construct

Ighodaro is in the third year of his rookie-scale contract. He signed a 4-year contract just shy of $8M when he was drafted a few years back. Next year, he is on a club option, allowing the team to decline it and sign him to a comfortable extension or bring him back for just under $ 2M as they work out whether he will be part of the future.

Regardless, it seems he will remain in Phoenix, as the contract is too good to pass up; the extension will depend on how well he does this year.

What He Brings

Ighodaro brings a lot to the bench unit as a complementary big man who helps in most areas. His strengths, though, are definitely his passing and strong defensive utility. The big is truly one of the league’s better passers, and that is why his connection with Gillespie is so influential to their success. He is a very smart basketball player with a great IQ for knowing what to do or where to be in certain scenarios. This is why Ott does trust him and can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Oso.

He is also a sound defender who, with his high IQ, knows how to do it well. He can be a solid rim protector and block shots; he can switch and guard on to smaller defenders and be solid on the perimeter. He has quick feet and can match those who try to beat him to the basket. These areas prove he has a role in this league; it just may not be the grand one everyone envies.

What Does He Need to Improve

His shooting. Flat out in every area, he has to be better at making his shots. The big man has shied away from taking threes, which has limited the plausibility of having a stretch five here lately. Malauch has been working on it (and we have seen the growth), but Ighodaro also has to attend that camp alongside him. This truly limits his ability to grow as a player, so not having it in his bag limits the potential he can reach.

Not to mention, he is also a terrible free-throw shooter. Last season, opponents sometimes played “Hack an Oso” late in games, and it cost the Suns their lead or their ability to get back into the contest. This is one area of his game that Ighodaro knew he needed to improve this offseason and has been working on.

If he can at least pick up his free-throw shooting, then it is not a catastrophe if he is left in the game for a crunch-time moment. If the Suns are injured and need Oso (like they are now), this needs to be something they can bank on. As much as we want to see Malauch get more time, we can not throw him recklessly into the fire this season if we were against it last year. That means Ighodaro has to be more of a vet in this space and be ready for these moments.

Prediction

As I said last year, Ighodaro will have a bigger role than people anticipated heading into this season once again (even without the Williams injury). Even if he is relegated to the bench at some point this year, he will show he can be a solution at center for years to come and become a staple for fans.

Stat Prediction: 80 games, 8.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg. 3.0 apg, 1.1 stl, 1.0 blk, 68/8/60 shooting splits

Final Word

Ighodaro has a lot to prove this year, as he can earn a long-term extension if everything pans out this season. Now, with Malauch behind him, he needs to earn a real role, but he doesn’t need to be the best in the building. As long as he shows he can keep growing and be someone worth investing in, he will find himself a nice paycheck from Mat Ishbia and crew, which will bring a smile to his face and mine.

Ramp to Camp: What is Brad Stevens' next big Celtics move? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Maybe you’ve spent the better part of the past three months wondering why Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens elected to trade Jaylen Brown to an in-division rival. Maybe you refuse to worship at the altar of Optionality. But the arrival of a new season demands that we all stop obsessing about what happened, and shift the focus to what comes next.

While many panned Boston’s decision to trade Brown, fresh off a top six finish in MVP voting, for 36-year-old Paul George and a pair of future first-round picks, the reality is that the trade can’t fully be judged until we see what Stevens does with the assets acquired in the swap.

To kick off the third and final week of our annual Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict Stevens’ next big move.

Trading Brown certainly highlighted the roster reshuffling the Celtics have embarked upon in the aftermath of Banner 18. But it’s still very much a work in progress. Entering the 2026-27 season, Boston is banking that a healthier Jayson Tatum, coupled with increased opportunity for players like Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, along with the arrival of newcomers Paul George and Mitchell Robinson is enough to keep the Celtics competitive near the top of the East.

But the team’s ability to truly chase Banner 19 might hinge heavily on what Stevens does next.

Stevens hasn’t been bashful in admitting there’s risk involved in a deal of this magnitude. He’s suggested that, even after finishing second in the East last year, the team simply didn’t feel it was truly positioned to chase another title. Boston struggled against the league’s elite then fumbled away a 3-1 series lead to the same 76ers team that they’d eventually deal Brown.

“At the end of the day, you just have to do what you think is the best thing for the organization. And it’s not always gonna be the popular thing,” Stevens said during an appearance on Sirius XM last week. “And it may be right, it may be wrong, who knows, right?

“But I think that, ultimately, we were really lucky. We had Jaylen Brown here for 10 years. And 10 years is a long run in the NBA. And 10 years with that kind of success, and the experience that he brought to the table, and all of his teammates around him brought to the table, and what they were able to do collectively, was a heck of a run. And we’re just trying to sustain this now, so that we can be sustainably in the mix moving forward.”

The Celtics essentially decided that their best path forward was to reshape the core around Tatum. With the pieces acquired in the Brown trade, Boston can now at least get in the conversation for any player that lands on the trade market. Couple that with the potential to reset pesky repeater tax penalties if Boston spends another season below the tax line, and there are multiple pathways to adding impact talent moving forward.

The question is who would be the sort of player that they’d cash in their optionality to pry away and could pair best with Tatum.

The safe answer here is the next disgruntled star. Maybe that’s Nikola Jokic pondering his future if things go sideways for Denver. Maybe that’s Anthony Edwards if the LaMelo Ball experiment fizzles in Minnesota. Or maybe there’s a non-max player that Stevens believes best complements Tatum, while preserving the cap flexibility that didn’t exist with Tatum and Brown commanding such monster slices of the cap.

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

With George soon to be an expiring contract, and with two attractive future picks acquired in the Brown swap, the Celtics can kick around a bunch of possibilities that didn’t exist before the trade. We get it: Optionality isn’t a whole lot of fun until there’s a tangible return. Tom Petty told us the waiting is the hardest part.

The next big name available on the open market might be a surprise; the fact that someone lands there shouldn’t be. It happens every year, but we act surprised when a Luka Doncic or a Jaylen Brown get dealt. Especially now in the apron era, teams are going to be forced to make tough roster decisions and pivoting even faster than ever.

The Celtics clearly entertained some big-name hunting this summer with the Giannis Antetokounmpo flirtation. It’s hard to see any of the NBA’s biggest names seeking new homes now, but things change fast in the association. A bad start, some roster drama — it doesn’t take much to ignite the next trade rumors.

What sort of timeline might the Celtics operate on? Again, that might depend on the player that becomes available. If a megastar hits the market before the end of the 2026-27 season, the Celtics have to at least kick it around. George is probably easier to move once he’s truly an expiring contract but, again, the Celtics have options moving forward.

Our guess would be Boston hunts the big swing, knowing that competing with teams like Oklahoma City and San Antonio in the near term is going to require the most talent possible. But it’s also possible that the pathway to the deepest team possible involves pondering options outside the top 20 players in the NBA.

If the Magic don’t ever figure things out, can we rule out someone like Paolo Banchero becoming available? The Thompson twins just signed big-money extensions but this armchair GM would be tripping all over himself if one of them eventually got disgruntled. There’s some very intriguing pathways to building the deepest roster possible alongside Tatum, all while not getting sucked into the two max-contract vortex again.

The better question on this pathway is maybe who does Stevens believe is the next Derrick White? Can Stevens and Co. hunt another All-Star-level contributor who doesn’t make All-NBA money?

Stevens’ next move feels especially important. It could dictate whether this team is truly capable of competing for titles through Tatum’s prime. When you make the bold decisions to move off Brown, you better have faith in your plan to get back to a spot where you’re a legitimate championship contender.

Josh Canu: Editor

Steph Curry or Nikola Jokic If you want to try to win again in Jayson Tatum’s prime these are the two names that come to mind. Both are on aging teams that appear far away from contention and both players could be looking for one last run at a championship. The Paul George contract will be very valuable next season being a large expiring deal and could be used to land either Curry or Jokic.

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

BIG move? Let’s have fun with this one. Stevens and the C’s send a package headlined by Paul George and draft capital to New Orleans in exchange for Trey Murphy, who was heavily linked to Boston throughout the offseason. Mark it down as my official trade deadline prediction.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Trading for a disgruntled superstar in 2027 when the Celtics have more roster/salary cap flexibility.

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

What are you new here? You think I, or anybody on this planet, can predict anything Brad Stevens is going to do? I’m not answering this question. I know what I don’t know.

Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy

It seems like it will be centered around the 2028 pick they got in the Jaylen Brown trade. Obviously, they don’t control exactly what that pick becomes but I think it will become a very important chip for whatever the next big move is. And that may include using it in the draft for a top 5 player, or moving it as part of a trade package.

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

It’s the obvious move: Package Paul George and other assets next summer for the next star that wants to be traded. Anthony Edwards? Devin Booker? Does San Antonio see the cap trouble coming for them fast and move Stephon Castle? J-Dub? It’s going to be fascinating to see who it will be.