A number of league insiders who spoke to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps about what will happen in the NBA in 2026 believe that this will be the year the Giannis Antetokounmpo saga in Milwaukee reaches an inflection point, according to Bontemps.
“The rubber is going to finally hit the road, one way or the other,” one Western Conference executive said.
However, several of those sources believe the situation will carry over into the offseason, with one Eastern Conference scout suggesting that the Bucks star would have “maximum leverage” if he waits until the summer to request a trade.
“They aren’t trading him in-season,” a Western scout predicted.
In fact, many of the executives surveyed by Bontemps are anticipating a relatively quiet trade deadline, with resolutions on players like Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, Zach LaVine, and Trae Young potentially not coming until June or July (or later). One Eastern Conference exec suggested that a “crazy summer” could be on tap if February’s deadline ends up being somewhat uneventful.
“All these guys are going to be stuck where they are (at the trade deadline),” another Western Conference exec said. “I don’t think it will be as busy as people think, and I don’t think the available players will be that good.”
Here’s more from Windhorst and Bontemps:
- According to Windhorst, league executives believe there will be three paths available to LeBron James after this season: Re-sign with the Lakers at a reduced salary, join another team in free agency, or retire. In other words, they don’t expect Los Angeles to continue paying the four-time MVP maximum or near-max money. While James is no longer performing at his peak level, he would continue to be a coveted player if he decides not to retire, one head coach said: “LeBron is still averaging 20 points and shooting 50%. You just have to find the right situation.”
- The NBA is reportedly weighing rule changes to further disincentivize tanking, and ESPN’s sources expect the outcry for changes to grow as the season progresses, Windhorst writes. “This is only going to get louder,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “By the spring, I think one out of every three games we’re going to play is going to be against a team that’s tanking.”
- While commissioner Adam Silver has said the NBA will make a decision on expansion in 2026, stakeholders who have been working with the league on possible domestic expansion and a new European league are skeptical that the NBA would be able to move forward on both endeavors simultaneously, says Windhorst. The NBA reportedly hopes to launch its European league in the fall of 2027, so perhaps the NBA would aim to expand a year or two after that.
LBJ is like the wine, better with ageđˇBTW. age is so overrated until notâŚ
Serious commentary about how 1/3 of the league is tanking and then immediately talking about expansion is quite an interesting dichotomy of ideas for a singular association.
LeBron will take it as being unwanted to sign for less money so most likely he is gone. If he signs for less money its to the Cavs.
LeBron will sign with whichever team pays him the most money. He already made this clear when he saw how much soccer stars were getting paid by Persian Gilf league teams. He wants the biggest payday. My prediction, one of the teams with cap space this offseason will shock everyone by signing him to a max contract.
Lebron should sign for the min in Cleveland, win a title and retire.
Don’t want tanking? Give the best odds to the best teams that just miss the playoffs. Teams will try to make the playoffs and if they don’t, then they get rewarded with the best odds. You may end up with a Dallas situation from a few years ago where they sat everyone the last couple of games so they could keep their pick, but you will have teams trying through 95% of the season, which is more than you have now.
Hope the âNew Decisionâ will be to move on and start building around Luca asap!