2026-27 NBA Season Preview: The Most Important Storylines for Every Team

Every offseason reshuffles the league to some degree, but 2026 moved more star power than most. A two-time MVP and both All-NBA Second Team wings changed uniforms: Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami, Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia and Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. LeBron James left the Lakers after eight seasons and signed with Philadelphia for his 24th season. And lead guards moved in volume, with LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, Ja Morant to Portland and Trae Young re-signing in Washington after a January trade out of Atlanta.

Six teams hired new head coaches, the apron rules in the 2023 collective bargaining agreement forced roster decisions on nearly every contender, and the league handed down the heaviest salary-cap penalty in its history against the Los Angeles Clippers two weeks before camp. Meanwhile, San Antonio arrived early, reaching the Finals with the second-youngest roster in NBA history behind Victor Wembanyama, who won Defensive Player of the Year unanimously.

This guide breaks down every division team by team, before covering the award races drawing early attention and how season-long outcomes are priced as the picture develops.

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The Biggest NBA Storylines Entering the 2026-27 Season

Before diving into all 30 teams below, there are a few league-wide changes that are sure to set the stage for the season ahead.

Which NBA Teams Have New Head Coaches in 2026-27?

Six teams hired new head coaches this offseason:

Several coaches who were not replaced got new deals instead. Steve Kerr re-signed with Golden State on a two-year contract after his previous deal expired. Meanwhile, Jordi Fernandez in Brooklyn, Charles Lee in Charlotte, Darko Rajakovic in Toronto and Quin Snyder in Atlanta all signed extensions. J.B. Bickerstaff extended in Detroit less than 24 hours after the Pistons won their first playoff series in 18 years.

What Were the Biggest NBA Trades of the 2026 Offseason?

Giannis Antetokounmpo Traded to Miami

The two-time MVP was dealt on the eve of the June draft. Miami sent Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the draft rights to No. 13 pick Nate Ament, unprotected 2031 and 2033 first-round picks, a 2033 second and a 2030 first-round swap.

Jaylen Brown Traded to Philadelphia, and LeBron James Followed

Boston sent Brown, coming off an All-NBA Second Team season, to Philadelphia on July 1 for Paul George, two first-round picks and two seconds, a deal that moved the Celtics below the luxury tax. Three weeks later, LeBron James signed with the 76ers on a two-year, $8 million minimum contract with a player option, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, making Philadelphia his fourth NBA team.

Kawhi Leonard Traded to Toronto

Leonard, an All-NBA Second Team pick in 2025-26, returns to the franchise he won a title with in 2019. Los Angeles received Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, Toronto's 2031 and 2033 firsts, a 2027 first-round swap and two seconds.

Lead Guards on the Move

Charlotte traded LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to Minnesota in a four-team deal completed July 10, taking back Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first, three first-round swaps and three seconds. The same deal sent Julius Randle to Brooklyn and Nic Claxton to Chicago.

Five days earlier, Memphis had traded Ja Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. And Atlanta's January trade of Trae Young to Washington became permanent in the summer when Young declined his option and re-signed with the Wizards for roughly $212 million over four years.

Which NBA Stars Changed Teams for 2026-27?

2026 NBA Player Movement Tracker

Where Did the Top 2026 Draft Picks Land?

Washington won the lottery on May 10 from a 14 percent tie for the best odds, the first time since the current format began in 2019 that the league's worst team landed the No. 1 pick. The draft was held June 23-24 at Barclays Center.

In May, the Board of Governors approved a "3-2-1 Lottery" that starts with the 2027 draft, expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams and flattens the odds among non-playoff teams, with the three worst records losing a lottery ball.

Here are all the lottery picks from the 2026 NBA Draft:

What Happened With the Clippers Salary-Cap Investigation?

On September 2, the league announced the findings of a year-long independent investigation into the Clippers and Kawhi Leonard, concluding the team improperly routed off-court endorsement income to Leonard through four companies that did business with the franchise.

The penalties were the heaviest cap-related discipline in NBA history: forfeiture of five first-round picks, one in each year from 2029 through 2033; a $30 million fine; a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer; suspensions for business-operations president Gillian Zucker and basketball-operations president Lawrence Frank; and a five-year league-monitored compliance program.

Leonard was fined $700,000, and his contract was not voided. Ballmer accepted the discipline on September 13, and commissioner Adam Silver said on September 15 that the matter is closed on the league's side.

How Do the Apron Rules Shape the 2026-27 Season?

The salary cap is $164.961 million for 2026-27, with the luxury tax at $200.428 million, the first apron at $209.015 million and the second apron at $221.686 million.

Those thresholds drove some of the summer's biggest decisions:

• Oklahoma City shed more than $38 million in salary in three separate trades to drop out of second-apron territory, cutting a projected tax bill of more than $191 million to under $20 million.
• New York let Mitchell Robinson leave rather than cross the second apron.
• Boston traded Jaylen Brown partly to get below the tax line.
• Denver went over the second apron by matching an offer sheet for Spencer Jones, which cost it the use of its mid-level exception and a $10.2 million trade exception.

No new collective bargaining agreement was negotiated in 2026; these are the existing rules biting harder in their fourth season.

The division-by-division outlook below covers what these situations and more mean for all 30 teams.

Eastern Conference Outlook

The East returned a champion and then rearranged around it. Philadelphia added two All-NBA-caliber names, Miami landed the offseason's biggest, Toronto brought back a Finals MVP, and the conference's best regular-season team settled its All-Star center's contract hours before his qualifying-offer deadline.

Atlantic Division Preview

New York Knicks

New York won its first title in 53 years, beating San Antonio 4-1 behind a unanimous Finals MVP performance from Jalen Brunson, who averaged 32.6 points in the series and scored 45 in the Game 5 clincher on the road. Brunson had left wrist tendon surgery on July 7 and said in late September that he is fully cleared for camp with no restrictions. The roster is largely intact, with Andre Drummond replacing Mitchell Robinson at center on a minimum deal and Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado all re-signed. Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride and Josh Hart are all extension-eligible and unsigned.

Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia had perhaps the loudest summer in the league. The 76ers traded Paul George and four picks to Boston for Jaylen Brown, then signed LeBron James on a two-year minimum deal, and they also added Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Mike Gansey replaced Daryl Morey as president of basketball operations in June, and Nick Nurse was retained.

Boston Celtics

Boston went 56-26 but lost a 3-1 first-round lead to Philadelphia, with Jayson Tatum missing Game 7 with left knee stiffness. Tatum had returned in March from the Achilles rupture he suffered in the 2025 playoffs and played 16 games. Joe Mazzulla won Coach of the Year and Brad Stevens won Executive of the Year, and then the front office traded Brown for George in a move that got the team under the tax. Boston signed Mitchell Robinson for three years and $47.4 million, added Mike Conley and extended Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh.

Toronto Raptors

Toronto's 46-36 season was a 16-win improvement and its first playoff berth since 2022, ending with a Game 7 loss in Cleveland. Darko Rajakovic signed a multiyear extension in July. The Raptors then landed Kawhi Leonard, who is on an expiring $50.3 million deal and averaged a career-high 27.9 points last season, at the cost of Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, two seconds and a swap. Kyle Anderson signed on a one-year deal.

Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn went 20-62, third-worst in the league, and fell to its floor at No. 6 in the lottery, where it took Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. Jordi Fernandez and his entire staff signed extensions in April. The Nets used their cap room to absorb Julius Randle's $33.3 million from Minnesota in the four-team LaMelo Ball deal, sending Nic Claxton to Chicago, and re-signed Day'Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott while adding Keon Ellis and Moritz Wagner.

Central Division Preview

Detroit Pistons

Detroit had the East's best record at 60-22, won its first playoff series in 18 years by beating Orlando in seven, then lost to Cleveland in seven. Cade Cunningham made All-NBA First Team and J.B. Bickerstaff signed an extension in May, putting him at 104-60 over two seasons. The Pistons added John Collins on a three-year, $51 million sign-and-trade, re-signed Kevin Huerter and acquired Isaiah Joe, while Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Stewart left. Jalen Duren agreed to a five-year, $200 million fully guaranteed deal, and Detroit also locked up Ausar Thompson, a first-team All-Defense pick, on a five-year, $155 million extension in September.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland reached its first conference finals since 2018 and was swept by New York. Kenny Atkinson was retained. Donovan Mitchell signed a four-year, $273 million maximum extension in July, according to Sports Illustrated, and James Harden re-signed for three years and $97 million in August after declining a $42.3 million option, according to Eurohoops. The Cavaliers also acquired Peyton Watson in a five-team sign-and-trade worth four years and $88 million, while Dean Wade, Larry Nance Jr., Max Strus and Dennis Schroder all departed.

Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee went 32-50, missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, and then traded Giannis Antetokounmpo. Taylor Jenkins takes over for Doc Rivers. The return gives Milwaukee a young core in Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis plus two unprotected future firsts, and the Bucks drafted twice in the top 13, taking Brayden Burries at No. 10 and Nate Ament at No. 13. Caris LeVert arrived from Detroit, and Gary Trent Jr. re-signed on a four-year, $64 million deal.

Chicago Bulls

Chicago went 31-51 and missed the postseason for a fourth straight year after making a league-high seven trades at the February deadline. Tiago Splitter was hired June 16 after Billy Donovan stepped down. The Bulls drafted twice in the first round, taking Caleb Wilson at No. 4 and Dailyn Swain at No. 15, signed Norman Powell for two years and $44.1 million, and acquired Nic Claxton from Brooklyn for a two-way player. Two days before camp, the Bulls added another veteran scorer, sending Rob Dillingham to Charlotte for Buddy Hield and cash. Zach Collins signed a two-year, $17 million extension.

Indiana Pacers

Indiana went 19-63 a year after reaching the Finals, with Tyrese Haliburton out the entire season recovering from the Achilles he tore in Game 7 against Oklahoma City. Rick Carlisle returns. The Pacers added Kelly Oubre Jr. on a two-year, $16.5 million deal and Larry Nance Jr. on a minimum, and Ivica Zubac, acquired at the February deadline, played only five games before a broken rib.

Southeast Division Preview

Miami Heat

Miami missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019, losing a 127-126 overtime play-in game at Charlotte, then made the offseason's largest trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis. Erik Spoelstra returns, and Pat Riley said in April that he is not stepping aside. Antetokounmpo, who played 36 games last season around two calf strains, said he feels good at camp and played limited minutes in the preseason opener. Klay Thompson signed for two years and $11.5 million after a Dallas buyout, Tim Hardaway Jr. arrived from Denver, and Andrew Wiggins opted in and extended for two more years and $33.8 million. Bam Adebayo returns as the defensive anchor.

Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta went 46-36 and lost a six-game first round to New York, a season that began with Trae Young and ended without him after the January trade to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Quin Snyder signed a multiyear extension in June. The Hawks traded 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher to Dallas in a three-team deal that brought back Luguentz Dort, separately acquired Aaron Wiggins from Oklahoma City, and on September 22 added Dorian Finney-Smith from Charlotte for Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard. Second-round pick Henri Veesaar tore his ACL in a September 15 workout and will miss the season. Atlanta also drafted Kingston Flemings at No. 8 and Zuby Ejiofor at No. 23.

Orlando Magic

Orlando was the No. 8 seed at 45-37 and took a 3-1 first-round lead on Detroit before losing Game 7 in Detroit on May 3, a third straight first-round exit that cost Jamahl Mosley his job. Sean Sweeney was hired June 1 as the 16th head coach in franchise history. The summer was quiet in the market: 13 of 15 players on standard deals returned, with Nikola Vucevic signed to a minimum and Jevon Carter and Jonathan Isaac re-signed. Orlando had no 2026 first-rounder. Desmond Bane, Goga Bitadze and Anthony Black are extension-eligible and unsigned, while Franz Wagner played only 34 games last season between a high ankle sprain and a calf injury.

Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte improved 25 games to 44-38, its best record since 2015-16, starting 11-23 and then going 33-15 from January 3. The Hornets beat Miami in overtime in the play-in before losing at Orlando in the elimination game, extending the league's longest active playoff drought to 10 seasons. Charles Lee signed an extension in May. Charlotte then traded LaMelo Ball, taking back Naz Reid, a 2033 first, three first-round swaps and three seconds. It also added Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale for Miles Bridges, brought in Dennis Schroder, re-signed Coby White for three years and $74 million, and drafted Hannes Steinbach at No. 14 and Christian Anderson at No. 18. In September, the Hornets flipped Dorian Finney-Smith to Atlanta for Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard, then sent Hield to Chicago for 2024 lottery pick Rob Dillingham.

Washington Wizards

Washington had the league's worst record at 17-65 and won the lottery, taking BYU's AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 after he led Division I in scoring at 25.5 points per game. Brian Keefe returns as head coach. The Wizards re-signed Trae Young for about $212.8 million over four years the day before the draft and added Deandre Ayton from the Lakers, Khris Middleton by sign-and-trade from Dallas and Tre Mann from Charlotte. Anthony Davis, acquired from Dallas in a three-team trade completed February 5, is extension-eligible; he and the team agreed to wait until the season starts.

Western Conference Outlook

The West produced the league's best record for a second straight season in Oklahoma City and its conference champion in a San Antonio team that was not supposed to arrive yet. Below the top two, four teams that made the postseason changed a starter or more, and the Clippers spent the summer under investigation.

Northwest Division Preview

Oklahoma City Thunder

Oklahoma City went 64-18 for the league's best record and lost a Game 7 at home to San Antonio in the conference finals, ending its title defense. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second straight MVP at 31.1 points per game in 68 games and also took Clutch Player of the Year; Chet Holmgren made All-NBA Third Team and was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist. Mark Daigneault returns for a seventh season. The Thunder traded Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins to Atlanta and Isaiah Joe to Detroit for second-round picks only, shedding more than $38 million. Isaiah Hartenstein re-signed for three years and $75 million.

Denver Nuggets

Denver went 54-28 and was upset in the first round by Minnesota in six games. Nikola Jokic averaged a triple-double at 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds and 10.7 assists, made All-NBA First Team and finished second in MVP voting, and for a second straight summer declined to sign an extension. David Adelman was retained and added Dave Joerger as lead assistant. Peyton Watson left in a sign-and-trade to Cleveland, and Tim Hardaway Jr. signed with Miami. Denver added DeMar DeRozan on a veteran minimum and matched Oklahoma City's offer sheet for Spencer Jones.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota went 49-33, upset Denver in the first round and lost to San Antonio in six in the semifinals, ending back-to-back conference finals trips. Chris Finch returns for a sixth full season. The Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball and Josh Green in the four-team July deal, sending out Naz Reid, Julius Randle, an unprotected 2033 first, three first-round swaps and three seconds. Jonathan Kuminga signed for two years and about $12.4 million, and Ayo Dosunmu re-signed on a five-year, $112 million deal with a final-year option, according to ESPN. Anthony Edwards was a Clutch Player finalist. Donte DiVincenzo tore his right Achilles on April 25, and his return date is undetermined.

Portland Trail Blazers

Portland went 42-40, beat Phoenix in the play-in to take the No. 7 seed and end a four-year playoff drought, then lost 4-1 to San Antonio. Micah Nori was hired out of the Minnesota staff after a search that included more than a dozen interviews, according to ESPN. The headline addition is Ja Morant, acquired from Memphis for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, with $87 million guaranteed over two seasons. Robert Williams signed a three-year, $43.5 million extension. Deni Avdija was a Most Improved finalist. Portland had no 2026 draft picks. Shaedon Sharpe, who averaged 20.8 points, tore the meniscus in his right knee in an offseason workout and is expected to miss about six months. Damian Lillard, who missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles, is healthy and ready for camp, according to GM Joe Cronin.

Utah Jazz

Utah went 22-60, tied for the league's fourth-worst record, then won a pre-lottery tiebreaker and jumped to No. 2, where it drafted Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. Will Hardy returns. The Jazz let Walker Kessler leave in a sign-and-trade that brought back the Lakers' unprotected 2031 and 2033 firsts plus 2028 and 2030 swaps, and they spent their exceptions on Jaxson Hayes and Josh Okogie while re-signing Jusuf Nurkic, who suffered a partial plantar plate tear in his right second toe in the October 4 preseason opener and will miss the start of the season. Keyonte George signed a five-year, $157.5 million extension in September that starts in 2027-28, pairing him long-term with Peterson in the backcourt.

Pacific Division Preview

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers went 53-29 and then lost LeBron James. JJ Redick enters his third year. Los Angeles re-signed Austin Reaves for four years and $180 million, acquired Walker Kessler from Utah in a sign-and-trade worth four years and about $129.5 million, and added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Kevon Looney and Matisse Thybulle, while Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart left. Luka Doncic made All-NBA First Team and missed the 2026 playoffs with a Grade 2 hamstring strain.

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix went 45-37, lost the 7-8 play-in game to Portland, beat Golden State to claim the No. 8 seed and was swept by Oklahoma City. Jordan Ott returns for a second season. The Suns traded Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and their unprotected 2033 first to Charlotte for Miles Bridges, a 2029 first and a 2027 second, signed Luke Kennard with the taxpayer exception, and re-signed Collin Gillespie, Mark Williams and Jordan Goodwin. Dillon Brooks signed a three-year, $73 million extension beginning in 2027-28. Williams tore the labrum in his left shoulder in an offseason workout and had surgery on September 10. Phoenix drafted Koa Peat at No. 30 and is hard-capped at the second apron.

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers went 42-40 after a 6-21 start, then went 36-19 before losing the play-in to Golden State. Tyronn Lue returns under contract through 2029. The dominant story is the September 2 cap ruling covered above, which cost the franchise five first-round picks, $30 million and a one-year suspension for Steve Ballmer, with GM Trent Redden running basketball operations in the interim. Kawhi Leonard was traded to Toronto on September 14 for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two firsts, two seconds and a swap. Los Angeles also drafted Keaton Wagler at No. 5 with Indiana's pick, added Rui Hachimura and Max Strus, and retained Bradley Beal, who missed nearly all of last season after hip surgery. Darius Garland says he is fully recovered from the toe ligament tear that limited him.

Golden State Warriors

Golden State went 37-45, beat the Clippers in the play-in behind 35 points from Stephen Curry and then lost to Phoenix, missing the playoffs. Steve Kerr, whose contract had expired and who publicly weighed stepping away, re-signed on a two-year deal and remains the league's highest-paid head coach; Frank Vogel joined as top assistant. Draymond Green declined his option to create room for a LeBron James pursuit and then returned on essentially identical terms, and Al Horford, De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and Charles Bassey all re-signed. Kristaps Porzingis signed a two-year, $40 million extension, and Brandin Podziemski signed a five-year, $110 million rookie-scale extension on October 10. Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick, was Las Vegas Summer League MVP. Jimmy Butler, who tore his right ACL in January, was limited to individual court and strength work. Moses Moody had left knee surgery in March.

Sacramento Kings

Sacramento went 22-60 after an 8-30 start, with Zach LaVine, Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray all missing more than half the season. Doug Christie remains head coach, and the team announced several staff additions on September 14. The Kings drafted Darius Acuff Jr. at No. 7 and Alex Karaban at No. 29, re-signed Precious Achiuwa and took minimum fliers on Ben Simmons and Daeqwon Plowden. DeMar DeRozan was waived with a partial guarantee stretched over three seasons, Devin Carter was traded to Atlanta, and Russell Westbrook retired in August after his time with Sacramento. LaVine exercised a $49 million player option that expires after this season.

Southwest Division Preview

San Antonio Spurs

San Antonio went 62-20, beat Portland, Minnesota and then defending champion Oklahoma City in a Game 7 on the road to win the West, and lost the Finals to New York 4-1 with the second-youngest roster in NBA history by average age. Victor Wembanyama won Defensive Player of the Year unanimously, made All-NBA First Team, finished third in MVP voting and was conference finals MVP, then signed a five-year maximum extension projected at $252.3 million. Mitch Johnson enters his second full season and added Billy Donovan as lead assistant, with Gregg Popovich still team president. Tobias Harris signed for two years and $30.8 million, Harrison Barnes re-signed, and Keldon Johnson won Sixth Man of the Year. No. 20 pick Jayden Quaintance had knee surgery in July and will miss time.

Houston Rockets

Houston went 52-30. Ime Udoka enters his fourth season. The Rockets extended Amen Thompson for five years and $208 million on September 3, below the maximum he was eligible for, according to ESPN, and re-signed Tari Eason for five years and roughly $81.5 million. Kevin Durant, who turned 38 on September 29, made All-NBA Second Team, his 12th selection. Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL in a workout just before last season and missed the full year, exercised his $25 million option and has been ramping up contact work. Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic were added; Dorian Finney-Smith was traded to Charlotte as a salary move. Houston had no 2026 first-round pick.

Dallas Mavericks

Dallas went 26-56 and missed the postseason, but Cooper Flagg won Rookie of the Year at 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The front office and bench were both replaced: Masai Ujiri is president of basketball operations with Mike Schmitz as GM, and Dusty May was hired as head coach three months after winning the NCAA title at Michigan, with Jason Kidd dismissed. Dallas acquired Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta and Santi Aldama from Memphis, bought out Klay Thompson and sent Khris Middleton to Washington. Naji Marshall signed a three-year, $52.2 million extension. Kyrie Irving is back from a torn ACL that cost him all of last season and said at media day that he has no physical restrictions, and Dereck Lively II played seven games before season-ending foot surgery. The Mavericks drafted Morez Johnson Jr. at No. 9 and Sergio de Larrea at No. 25.

Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis went 25-57 and closed 5-24 after the All-Star break, then traded Ja Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, its first season since 2018-19 without him on the opening-night roster. Tuomas Iisalo returns. The Grizzlies drafted Duke's Cameron Boozer at No. 3 and Karim Lopez at No. 21. They signed Quinten Post away from Golden State on an offer sheet structured so it could not be matched, and took in Isaiah Stewart, D'Angelo Russell and AJ Johnson plus a protected 2030 first. Russell was waived in September without playing a game for Memphis, Johnson was traded to New Orleans in the September 8 Jordan Hawkins deal, and Hawkins was released less than a month after arriving. Zach Edey played 11 games last season after two ankle surgeries, and second-rounder Richie Saunders tore an ACL in February.

New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans went 26-56, its second straight season under 30 wins, and finished 23rd in defensive rating. Jamahl Mosley was hired May 18 on a five-year deal, according to WFTV. The offseason's main addition came late: Bennedict Mathurin, finalized September 10 on a deal worth $15.375 million over two years with a player option. To create the room, New Orleans traded Jordan Hawkins and Micah Peavy to Memphis for AJ Johnson and Taj Gibson. Dejounte Murray played 14 games last season coming back from a ruptured Achilles, and DeAndre Jordan won Teammate of the Year. New Orleans had no 2026 first-round pick.

2026-27 NBA Award Races: MVP, DPOY, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Most Improved and Sixth Man

Who Are the 2026-27 NBA MVP Favorites?

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his second straight MVP in 2025-26 at 31.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 68 games, with Nikola Jokic second after averaging a triple-double and Victor Wembanyama third. All three were unanimous or near-unanimous All-NBA First Team picks, and all three return to teams that won at least 54 games. Luka Doncic and Cade Cunningham were the other two First Team selections. The 65-game rule remains a factor in the race: LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo were all ineligible for All-NBA votes in 2025-26 because of it.

The Pro Basketball MVP Winner 2026-2027 market lists 11 players plus a Tie/Co-Winners outcome, including all three 2026 finalists and three stars starting over with new teams in Antetokounmpo, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.

Can Victor Wembanyama Repeat as Defensive Player of the Year?

Wembanyama became the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in league history and the youngest winner, and he did it while carrying San Antonio to the Finals with 2.7 blocks per game in the conference finals alone. The other 2026 finalists, Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson, both return to teams that won 64 and 60 games, respectively. Bam Adebayo now shares a frontcourt with Antetokounmpo in Miami, and Amen Thompson's new extension in Houston follows a season in which he was one of the league's most disruptive perimeter defenders.

The Pro Basketball Defensive Player of the Year 2026-2027 market includes all three 2026 finalists along with Adebayo, Evan Mobley, Rudy Gobert and Walker Kessler, now with the Lakers, plus a Tie/Co-Winners outcome.

Who Could Win 2026-27 Rookie of the Year?

Cooper Flagg won the 2026 award as the second-youngest recipient ever behind LeBron James. The 2026-27 class is headed by AJ Dybantsa, who went No. 1 to Washington after leading Division I in scoring, and Darryn Peterson, who went No. 2 to Utah. Cameron Boozer, the national player of the year at Duke, landed in Memphis at No. 3 on a team with minutes available, and Chicago's Caleb Wilson made the Summer League All-Tournament First Team.

The Pro Basketball Rookie of the Year 2026-2027 market lists each of the first 11 picks in the 2026 draft, from Dybantsa at No. 1 through Golden State's Yaxel Lendeborg at No. 11, plus a Tie/Co-Winners outcome.

Which Coaches Are in the 2026-27 Coach of the Year Race?

Joe Mazzulla won the 2026 award in Boston, with J.B. Bickerstaff and Mitch Johnson the other finalists. Six first-year head coaches enter the mix this season in Tiago Splitter, Dusty May, Taylor Jenkins, Jamahl Mosley, Sean Sweeney and Micah Nori, and the award has historically favored coaches whose teams beat expectations by a wide margin. Mike Brown in New York and Charles Lee in Charlotte, whose team improved 25 games last season, are the returning names with the clearest recent trajectory.

The Pro Basketball Coach of the Year 2026-2027 market lists 19 coaches plus a Tie/Co-Winners outcome, including four of the six first-year hires: Dusty May, Taylor Jenkins, Sean Sweeney and Micah Nori.

Who Are the Most Improved Player Candidates?

Nickeil Alexander-Walker won Most Improved in Atlanta, with Deni Avdija and Jalen Duren the other finalists. The award typically goes to a young player handed a much larger role, which points at several situations created this summer: Kel'el Ware and Jaime Jaquez Jr. arriving in Milwaukee with far more minutes available than they had in Miami, Brooklyn's guard rotation reshaped around Mikel Brown Jr. and Julius Randle, Utah's Keyonte George coming off a 23.6-point season and a new five-year extension, and Josh Giddey in Chicago under a new coaching staff.

Who Could Win Sixth Man of the Year?

Keldon Johnson won the 2026 award in San Antonio, ahead of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jaime Jaquez Jr. Hardaway has since signed in Miami, and Jaquez was traded to Milwaukee, where a bench role on a rebuilding team could mean more volume. Denver's DeMar DeRozan, a six-time All-Star joining on a veteran minimum, arrives in roughly the reserve-scoring role Hardaway just vacated, and Golden State's rotation will lean on bench scoring while Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody work back.

The Pro Basketball Sixth Man of the Year 2026-2027 market lists 17 players plus a Tie/Co-Winners outcome, including several players in new places: Anfernee Simons in Philadelphia, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton with the Lakers, Mitchell Robinson in Boston and Bennedict Mathurin in New Orleans.

How Does Preseason Market Pricing Work?

What Moves a Team's Price Between Camp and Opening Night?

A team's price can move meaningfully between the start of training camp and opening night, and again as the regular season plays out. With the NBA, the specific dates worth watching early are October 19, the deadline for rookie-scale extensions including Cason Wallace, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson; October 20, opening night; and February 11, 2027, the trade deadline. You can enter or exit a position at any point before the contract settles, subject to market availability.

For a full explanation of how event contracts work, see our guide on prediction markets. You could lose the entire amount you invest, and there is no guarantee of profit.

Any prices shown are illustrations, not trade recommendations, and subject to change. You may lose the entire amount you invest.

2026-27 NBA Futures Markets

Fanatics Markets provides access to nine event contract markets on future 2026-27 NBA events, from the league champion down to individual awards. Each one is linked below.

See all NBA futures in one place.

Each award market also includes a Tie/Co-Winners outcome. Market availability and listed outcomes are subject to change.

2026-27 NBA Season Preview FAQ

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