By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, 2025-10-03 20:00:00
由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
距离2025-26赛季开幕已不足三周，纽约尼克斯队与费城76人队于周四在地球另一端的阿布扎比，拉开了NBA季前赛的序幕。
在这个充满变动的休赛期，许多球员和管理人员正踏入未知的领域：一位控球后卫正在适应新东家，一位新教练接管了一支背负着巨大期望的球队，还有一些年轻天才正面临着千载难逢的机遇。这一切都让他们可能成为本赛季NBA格局的定义者。
我们在一年前发布了这份榜单的初版，其中不乏像76人队中锋乔尔·恩比德 (Joel Embiid)、洛杉矶湖人队主教练JJ·雷迪克 (JJ Redick) 以及（现已是前任的）波士顿凯尔特人队大老板维克·格劳斯贝克 (Wyc Grousbeck) 等人的身影。
需要明确的是，这并非一份联盟最佳或最重要人物的榜单。像丹佛掘金队中锋尼古拉·约基奇 (Nikola Jokic)、俄克拉荷马城雷霆队后卫谢伊·吉尔杰斯-亚历山大 (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) 以及湖人队后卫卢卡·东契奇 (Luka Doncic) 这样的名字并不会出现在这里。
接下来，让我们深入解析将对新赛季产生决定性影响的十大关键人物——无论是在赛场表现，还是在交易截止日、选秀和自由球员市场等层面。
扬尼斯·阿德托昆博 (Giannis Antetokounmpo)，密尔沃基雄鹿队前锋
整个NBA世界都在翘首以盼，想看看这位希腊超级巨星是否会选择离开密尔沃基——这座在他12年NBA生涯中唯一称之为家的城市。
雄鹿队一直在努力满足阿德托昆博对阵容升级的渴望，先是在2020年引进了朱·霍勒迪 (Jrue Holiday)，接着又在2023年用霍勒迪换来了达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard)。但今年夏天，球队通过裁掉并使用延伸条款支付利拉德的合同，从而签下前印第安纳步行者队球星迈尔斯·特纳 (Myles Turner)——这一休赛期最令人震惊的操作之一——是否足以第三次留住他的心呢？
周一，因感染新冠病毒而通过视频会议接受采访的阿德托昆博承认，在连续三年季后赛首轮出局后，他整个夏天都在思考自己的未来。
“如果你不想在高水平上竞争，如果你希望自己的赛季在四月就结束，那简直是对篮球这项运动的辜负，”他说道。“（我的想法）和以前差不多，这不是第一次了。我去年有过同样的想法，两年前也有过。”
随后，当被问及雄鹿队老板韦斯·伊登斯 (Wes Edens) 曾表示，他在六月份与阿德托昆博的交谈中，后者称自己“心系密尔沃基”时，阿德托昆博表示自己记不起那次对话了。
讽刺的是，在球场上，阿德托昆博可能正处于他生涯最佳数据赛季的边缘。上赛季末段利拉德缺阵时，当球权完全集中在他手中，阿德托昆博的数据一路飙升。可以预见，主教练道格·里弗斯 (Doc Rivers) 本赛季会再次采用这种策略，而阿德托昆博也将因此成为一台恐怖的数据机器。
如今，距离阿德托昆博成为完全自由球员已不足两年，而球队阵容中除了特纳之外又充满了不确定性——可以肯定的是，关于阿德托昆博未来的话题短期内不会平息。
保罗·班凯罗 (Paolo Banchero)，奥兰多魔术队前锋
今年五月，魔术队篮球运营总裁杰夫·韦尔特曼 (Jeff Weltman) 在一次电台采访中表示：“我们准备好翻过重建的篇章，让球队进入下一阶段，并更多地从赢在当下的视角来看待问题。”
随后韦尔特曼付诸行动，在一笔重磅交易中将数个未来的选秀权送至孟菲斯灰熊队，换来了德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane)。在上周的休赛期调查中，多位受访者都将此举誉为今夏最佳运作之一。
然而，这笔交易能否如他和魔术队所愿收获回报，关键并不在于贝恩、杰伦·萨格斯 (Jalen Suggs) 甚至弗朗茨·瓦格纳 (Franz Wagner)。真正的决定因素在于班凯罗——这位刚刚在休赛期签下五年2.39亿美元顶薪续约合同的年轻人——能否蜕变为一名真正的超级巨星。他能否带领奥兰多自2010年以来首次赢得季后赛系列赛，并可能队史第三次闯入NBA总决赛？
这条路是可能实现的。作为2022年的NBA状元秀，班凯罗拥有6英尺10英寸、250磅的强健身躯，并集身高、力量和技术于一身，而且直到11月12日他才年满23岁。但在他的三个赛季里，班凯罗的生涯三分命中率仅为32%，上赛季的真实命中率才首次勉强突破50%。
贝恩的加盟无疑将大有裨益，他是一位出色的外线射手，也是一个额外的持球威胁点。此外，瓦格纳若能终结自己长达两年的外线投射低迷期——他的三分命中率从三个赛季前的36%下滑至过去两年的不足30%——也将起到关键作用。
奥兰多的上限，取决于班凯罗能把他们带到多高。在一个因印第安纳步行者队的泰瑞斯·哈利伯顿 (Tyrese Haliburton) 和凯尔特人队的杰森·塔图姆 (Jayson Tatum) 跟腱受伤而格局大开的东部（这个主题将在榜单后续再次出现），魔术队或许能走得很远——前提是班凯罗能如魔术队所坚信的那样，在本赛季及未来迈出关键的下一步。
迈克·布朗 (Mike Brown)，纽约尼克斯队主教练
当你解雇了一位带领球队时隔一代人之后首次连续三个赛季赢得季后赛、并时隔四分之一个世纪首次杀入东部决赛的教练时，你对继任者的期望已昭然若揭。
这正是布朗今夏接替汤姆·锡伯杜 (Tom Thibodeau) 后所面临的处境。尽管布朗，包括在上周的媒体日上，一再表示“没有人比他自己的期望更高”，但这并非完全属实。
尼克斯队与他们的球迷之间存在一种独特的共生关系，球迷们已经等待了超过半个世纪，渴望打破他们的冠军荒。这或许是自帕特里克·尤因 (Patrick Ewing) 领导的尼克斯队在1994年闯入NBA总决赛以来，他们夺冠的最佳机会。与过去几个赛季尼克斯队超出相对较低的预期不同，在一个格局开放的东部，任何未能进入总决赛的结果都可能被视为纽约一个失败的赛季。
布朗对高压环境并不陌生。他曾在2007年执教勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James) 杀入NBA总决赛，也曾是湖人队的主教练。但可以说，他从未面临过本赛季这般巨大的压力——而且他的阵容中也没有任何球员经历过这种情况。
A.J. 迪班萨 (A.J. Dybantsa)，杨百翰大学美洲狮队前锋
迪班萨是四位将在本赛季争夺2026年NBA选秀大会状元热门的球员之一——另外三位是堪萨斯大学后卫达林·彼得森 (Darryn Peterson)、杜克大学前锋卡梅隆·布泽尔 (Cameron Boozer) 以及田纳西大学前锋内特·阿门特 (Nate Ament)。
当联盟各队的赛事吸引着大量目光的同时，球探们的考察工作也将备受关注。包括华盛顿奇才队、布鲁克林篮网队和犹他爵士队在内的几支球队，很可能会为争夺明年春天选秀乐透的最高中签率而战。这还不包括像新奥尔良鹈鹕队、菲尼克斯太阳队和费城76人队这样的队伍。如果他们的战绩下滑，他们的选秀权可能会分别送至亚特兰大老鹰队、孟菲斯灰熊队和俄克拉荷马城雷霆队（就费城而言，前提是他们的选秀权跌出明年六月选秀大会的前四顺位）。
上赛季，在达拉斯独行侠队意外获得状元签之前，各支球队都曾幻想过选中库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 的场景。而2026年状元签的三到四方争夺战，可能会为这场角逐增添更多悬念。
德阿龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)，圣安东尼奥马刺队后卫
关于马刺队中锋维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 的回归，外界依旧充满了巨大的兴奋与期待，尤其是在他跃升至ESPN年度NBA球员排行榜第五位之后。
但文班亚马纵然才华横溢，想要进入MVP票选名单和最佳阵容，仅仅依靠个人卓越表现是远远不够的。这还需要球队能够与这位年轻球星共同进步，并有实力跻身季后赛——即便是在竞争异常激烈的西部。
如果马刺队本赛季要达到这一高度，那很可能意味着福克斯需要成为文班亚马身边足够出色的二当家。
在二月份两人短暂的同场时间里，效果好坏参半（尽管120分钟的样本量不应过度解读）。马刺队在二月通过一笔重磅交易得到福克斯，并在八月他获得续约资格时，立即为他奉上了一份顶薪续约合同。他们对福克斯的投资表明，他们相信他是文班亚马最理想的左膀右臂。福克斯还必须与榜眼秀迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 以及卫冕年度最佳新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔兼容。这三名后卫之间缺乏稳定的投射能力，可能会让他们的组合显得有些尴尬。
（插句题外话，我为文班亚马提议一个绰号：The Anomaly [异类]。我想说他配得上“异类”这个称号，而且我感觉这比叫他“外星人”好多了。）
勒布朗·詹姆斯 (LeBron James)，洛杉矶湖人队前锋
自从中学时代左右以来，即将开启个人第23个NBA赛季的詹姆斯，首次不再是他所在球队的绝对核心。这个角色，现在当然属于卢卡·东契奇，湖人队在今夏与他签下了一份为期三年的续约合同，并已公开表示将围绕他来构建球队的未来。
这是一个完全可以理解的决定。但我们谈论的可是勒布朗·詹姆斯。
随着本赛季的进行，可以预见关于詹姆斯和他未来的问题将从未停歇——这些疑问始于六月，当时他的经纪人里奇·保罗 (Rich Paul) 向ESPN的沙姆斯·查拉尼亚 (Shams Charania) 就詹姆斯的未来发表了一份模棱两可的声明。
在本赛季结束后，除非双方中有一方明确表态这段合作关系的未来将走向何方——无论是分是合——否则这些疑问将持续存在。而如果湖人队本赛季表现挣扎，可以预见从现在到二月份的交易截止日，围绕这一话题的讨论热度将会急剧升温。
科怀·伦纳德 (Kawhi Leonard)，洛杉矶快船队前锋
关于快船队涉嫌利用前赞助商Aspiration规避工资帽的调查，将继续成为整个赛季的热议话题。
但故事还有赛场上的部分。伦纳德上赛季再次因伤缺席了大部分比赛，但在常规赛末段和季后赛首轮与丹佛掘金队的七场大战中，他伤愈复出并展现了极具影响力的表现。在他身边，快船拥有一套深度极佳（尽管年事已高）的阵容。如果伦纳德能保持健康，快船队可能成为西部一支真正的劲旅。
并且，考虑到这将是伦纳德的34岁赛季，如果不能在2025-26赛季取得成功，他让自己的快船生涯功成名就的机会就所剩无几了。
亚当·萧华 (Adam Silver)
即便在快船队的调查成为焦点之前，对于即将进入第12个完整任期的NBA总裁萧华来说，这已注定是一个影响深远的赛季。萧华将如何裁决此案，将成为本赛季乃至他整个总裁任期内最持久的故事之一。
但这还不是全部。在过去几个月里，萧华反复谈到联盟有兴趣向欧洲扩张，并在那里创建一个新联盟，以挑战欧洲篮球联赛 (EuroLeague)——NBA之外最好的联赛。该联赛的建立可能会催生数支新的扩军球队，为30支NBA球队的老板带来数十亿美元的扩军费，并为财力雄厚的新买家提供收购NBA球队的机会。
此外，联盟内部的热门话题还有本土扩张。当上个月被问及欧洲扩张是否优先于本土扩张时，萧华坚决否认了这一说法，表示两个项目可以——并且正在——双线并行。
扩军仍然被视为一个“何时发生”而非“是否发生”的问题。西雅图显然是一个理想的扩军市场，而多个所有权集团也有意在拉斯维加斯寻求拥有一支球队。但未来几个月将可能向我们展示，萧华关于“双线并行”的论点有多么可靠，以及NBA的扩军究竟需要多长时间才能实现。
阿门·汤普森 (Amen Thompson)，休斯顿火箭队后卫
作为2023年NBA选秀的4号秀，汤普森迅速证明了自己是NBA最引人入胜的天才之一，并已准备好迎来一个爆发赛季。
弗雷德·范弗利特 (Fred VanVleet) 在休赛期训练中遭遇前十字韧带撕裂，这意味着休斯顿本赛季将失去他的外线投射、防守和领导力。但这为汤普森创造了一个巨大的机会。上赛季，他承担了更多的持球角色，在带球过半场的次数上仅次于范弗利特和已经离队的贾伦·格林 (Jalen Green)，位列队内第三。如今，舞台已经为汤普森搭好，他将有机会领导球队，并为休斯顿的全明星球员凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 和阿尔佩伦·申京 (Alperen Sengun) 创造机会。
火箭队完成凯文·杜兰特的交易，不是为了让本赛季成为一个过渡年。而如果汤普森——一位有力的年度最佳防守球员竞争者和一名出色的传球手——能抓住这次机会，他完全有可能成为一名全明星球员、本赛季NBA的进步最快球员，并让休斯顿继续成为在西部挑战俄克拉荷马城雷霆队的真正威胁。
特雷·杨 (Trae Young)，亚特兰大老鹰队后卫
不久之前，杨还被视为顶薪续约合同的当然人选。但那是在现行劳资协议出台之前的日子了。自2023年春天以来，各支球队在给出此类合同方面变得更加犹豫。
在新任首席篮球决策者奥恩西·萨利赫 (Onsi Saleh) 的带领下，亚特兰大在休赛期备受赞誉，即将迎来多年来最受期待的一个赛季。如果双方未能达成协议，这可能会在明年夏天推动杨在自由球员市场上的行情。
我们可能正在进入一个NBA球队建设和开支的新时代，而杨的合同问题，或许就处于这场变革的风暴中心。
点击查看原文：Why these 10 names could define the 2025-26 NBA season
Why these 10 names could define the 2025-26 NBA season
With less than three weeks until the start of the 2025-26 season, the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers kicked off the NBA’s preseason schedule on the other side of the globe in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
In an offseason full of movement, many players and personnel are stepping into uncharted waters: a point guard adjusting to a new home, a new coach in charge of a team with massive expectations and some young talent staring at massive opportunities. It sets them up to be among the people who will define the NBA this season.
We published our first version of this list a year ago, featuring names such 76ers center Joel Embiid, Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick and (now former) Boston Celtics majority owner Wyc Grousbeck, among others.
This is not a list of the best or most important people in the league. Names such as Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Lakers guard Luka Doncic won’t be found on this list.
Let’s break down 10 names who will play major roles in defining the upcoming season – both on the court and as far as the trade deadline, draft and free agency play out.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks forward
The NBA universe has collectively waited to see if the Greek superstar will ever choose to leave Milwaukee, the only city he has called home across his 12-year NBA career.
The Bucks have satisfied Antetokounmpo’s desires for upgrades, first by landing Jrue Holiday in 2020 and then using Holiday to acquire Damian Lillard in 2023. But will waiving-and-stretching Lillard’s deal to land former Indiana Pacers star Myles Turner – one of the most shocking moves of the summer – be good enough to do so a third time?
Speaking via videoconference Monday because of a bout with COVID-19, Antetokounmpo acknowledged he spent the summer thinking about his future after three straight first-round playoff exits.
“It’s a disservice to basketball and just to the game, to not want it to compete in a high level, to want your season to end in April,” he said. “It’s pretty much the same. It’s not the first time. I had the same thoughts last year. I had the same thoughts two years ago.”
Later, when asked about Bucks owner Wes Edens saying he and Antetokounmpo had a conversation in June in which the superstar said he was “committed to Milwaukee,” Antetokounmpo said he couldn’t recall the conversation.
The irony of this is that, on the court, Antetokounmpo could be on the brink of his best statistical season. With Lillard sidelined late last season, Antetokounmpo’s numbers skyrocketed with the ball in his hands all the time. Expect coach coach Doc Rivers to do that again this season, and for Antetokounmpo to be a massive stat machine as a result.
With now less than two years separating Antetokounmpo from unrestricted free agency – and a roster that, outside of Turner, is littered with questions – it’s safe to say the topic of Antetokounmpo’s future won’t be going away anytime soon.
Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic forward
In May, Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman in a radio interview said: “We’re ready to kind of turn the page on our rebuild and enter the next stage of our team and look through a more win-now lens.”
Weltman then took action, sending several future draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster trade for Desmond Bane. It was lauded by multiple respondents in last week’s offseason survey as one of the best moves of the summer.
But if that move is going to pay off in the way he and the Magic hope it will, it won’t be because of Bane, Jalen Suggs or even Franz Wagner. Instead, it will be because Banchero, fresh off landing a five-year, $239 million maximum contract extension this offseason, is blossoming into full-blown superstar status. Could he lead Orlando to winning a playoff series for the first time since 2010 and possibly reach the NBA Finals for the third time in franchise history?
That path is possible. Banchero, the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft, has a rare blend of size, strength and skill within his 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame, and doesn’t even turn 23 years old until Nov. 12. But, in his three seasons, Banchero has hit 3-pointers at a career 32% clip and barely crept over 50% true shooting last season for the first time in his career.
The addition of Bane, a terrific outside shooter and additional ballhandling threat, will help plenty. Having Wagner end a two-year cold streak shooting from deep – he went from 36% three seasons ago to under 30% each of the past two years – will, too.
Orlando will go as far as Banchero can carry them. And, in a wide-open Eastern Conference because of Achilles injuries to the Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (a theme of this list that will come up again), that could be quite far – assuming he takes the steps forward the Magic believe he can this season and beyond.
Mike Brown, New York Knicks head coach
When you fire a coach after he led your team to playoff victories in three consecutive seasons for the first time in a generation and to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in a quarter century, it’s clear what the expectations are for his successor.
That’s the situation Brown has walked into after replacing Tom Thibodeau this summer. And while Brown has repeatedly said, including at last week’s media day, that “no one has higher expectations than he does,” that’s not exactly true.
There’s a unique symbiosis between the Knicks and their fans, who have been waiting more than half a century to snap their championship drought. It might be the best chance to do so since the Patrick Ewing-led Knicks reached the NBA Finals in 1994. Unlike the past couple of seasons when the Knicks surpassed relatively low expectations, a wide-open East could make anything short of a Finals appearance a lost season for New York.
Brown is no stranger to high-pressure situations. He coached LeBron James to an NBA Finals in 2007, and he was the head coach of the Lakers. But he arguably has never faced the kind of pressure he is under this season – and no one on his roster has either.
A.J. Dybantsa, BYU Cougars forward
Dybantsa is one of four players – alongside Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and Tennessee forward Nate Ament – who will spend the season being debated for the top spots in a loaded 2026 NBA draft class.
While there will be plenty of eyes on what’s happening across the league, there also will be plenty on the scouting trail, with several teams – including the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz – probably in positions to fight for the top odds in next spring’s draft lottery. And that doesn’t include teams such as the New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns and Philadelphia 76ers. If they fall lower on the standings, they could be sending their pick to the Atlanta Hawks, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Oklahoma City Thunder, respectively (in Philadelphia’s case, if it lands outside of the top four picks in next June’s draft).
Teams had visions of picking Cooper Flagg last season before the Dallas Mavericks unexpectedly landed the No. 1 pick, but the three-or-four-way competition for the No. 1 pick in 2026 could add extra intrigue.
De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs guard
There remains a tremendous amount of excitement and anticipation about Spurs center Victor Wembanyama’s return, especially after he leaped to No. 5 in ESPN’s annual NBA Rank.
But for as brilliant as Wembanyama is, landing on Most Valuable Player ballots and All-NBA teams doesn’t just come down to individual excellence. It also requires a team being able to make strides alongside its young star, and be in a position to make the playoffs – even in the ultracompetitive Western Conference.
For the Spurs to reach those heights this season, it’s very likely to be because Fox is a good enough co-star alongside Wembanyama.
In the brief time the two shared the court in February, the results were mixed (though the sample size of 120 minutes should be taken with a grain of salt). Fox was acquired in a blockbuster trade in February and then bestowed a maximum contract extension in August when he was eligible to receive it. Their investment in him is a sign they believe he is an optimal right-hand man for Wembanyama. Fox will also have to fit alongside No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. The lack of consistent shooting between the three could make that an awkward fit.
(As an aside, I’m proposing a nickname for Wembanyama: The Anomaly. I’d say he qualifies as an anomaly, and I like it a lot more than calling him an alien).
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers forward
For the first time since he was in middle school or so, James – about to enter his 23rd NBA season – is not the focal point of his team. That, of course, is Luka Doncic, whom the Lakers inked to a three-year contract extension this summer and have openly oriented their franchise around going forward.
It’s an entirely understandable position. But this is LeBron James we are talking about.
As this season goes along, expect there to be nonstop questions about James and his future – questions that began in June when his agent, Rich Paul, gave a cryptic statement to ESPN’s Shams Charania about James’ future.
Until one side or the other definitively says what the future of this partnership will look like after this season – one way or the other – expect those questions to continue. And if the Lakers struggle this season, expect the intensity surrounding this topic to ramp up between now and February’s trade deadline.
Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers forward
The investigation into potential salary cap circumvention by the Clippers involving Aspiration, a former Clippers sponsor, will continue to be a topic of discussion throughout the season.
But then there’s the on-court part of the story. Leonard again sat out much of last season because of injuries but returned to be an impactful player down the stretch and in LA’s seven-game loss to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. With a very deep (albeit old) roster around him, if Leonard can stay on the court, the Clippers could be a true factor in the West.
And, with this being Leonard’s age-34 season, there won’t be many chances for him to make his Clippers tenure a success if it doesn’t happen in 2025-26.
Adam Silver
Even before the Clippers investigation took center stage, it was already setting up to be a consequential season for the NBA commissioner as he enters his 12th full season on the job. How Silver chooses to rule on the case will be one of the enduring stories of this season and possibly his tenure as commissioner.
But that’s not all. Over the past several months, Silver has repeatedly talked about the league’s interest in expanding into Europe and creating a new league there to challenge EuroLeague, the best league outside of the NBA. That league could potentially see the creation of several new expansion teams, with billions in expansion fees for the 30 NBA owners and new deep-pocketed options to buy NBA teams.
Then there’s domestic expansion, which remains a hot topic within league circles. When Silver was asked about whether Europe was a priority over domestic expansion last month, he vociferously shot the idea down, saying both projects can operate on parallel tracks – and that they are.
Expansion is still seen as something that is a matter of when, not if. Seattle continues to be an obvious market to expand into, while several ownership groups are interested in pursuing a team in Las Vegas. But the next several months will potentially show us just how legitimate Silver’s argument about parallel tracks is, and how long it might take for expansion to arrive in the NBA.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets guard
The No. 4 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Thompson took no time to establish himself as one of the NBA’s most intriguing talents and is primed for a breakout season.
Fred VanVleet suffered a torn ACL in offseason workouts, meaning Houston will be without his outside shooting, defense and leadership this season. But it creates a massive opportunity for Thompson. Last season, he took on a larger ballhandling role, third on the team in terms of bringing the ball up behind VanVleet and the since departed Jalen Green. The stage is set for Thompson to lead the team and set the table for All-Stars Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun in Houston.
The Rockets didn’t make the Kevin Durant trade for this season to be a gap year. And if Thompson – a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year contender and a terrific passer – seizes this opportunity, he could easily be an All-Star, the NBA’s Most Improved Player this season and have Houston remain as a true threat to challenge Oklahoma City in the West.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks guard
Not too long ago, Young would have been seen as an automatic candidate for a maximum extension. But those days were before the current collective bargaining agreement. Since the spring of 2023, teams are more hesitant to hand out that type of deal.
Atlanta is entering the most anticipated Hawks season in years after a lauded offseason under new lead basketball decision-maker Onsi Saleh, which could drive Young’s market in free agency next summer if the two sides don’t come to an agreement.
We could be entering a new era of team building and spending in the NBA, and Young’s deal could be at the epicenter of it.
By Tim Bontemps | ESPN, via ESPN