Giannis Antetokounmpo’s move to the Miami Heat may already be setting the tone for a wild NBA offseason, and the league does not appear ready to stop there. His exit from the Milwaukee Bucks is the latest reminder that the biggest stars are increasingly steering their own paths, and another blockbuster trade involving a superstar feels very much on the table in 2026.
Three names stand out as the most obvious candidates to be next.
Jaylen Brown is the clearest one. The Boston Celtics already included him in their trade offer for Antetokounmpo, which tells you how real the possibility was.
Brown just put together the best season of his career, averaging 29 points per game, yet Boston was still willing to consider moving him. The Celtics may want to keep him now that Antetokounmpo is in Miami, but that doesn’t mean Brown will suddenly feel settled.
At 29, he should draw plenty of interest from contending teams hunting for a first or second scoring option.
Kawhi Leonard is another name worth watching. His run with the Los Angeles Clippers after leaving the 2019 title-winning Toronto Raptors has not delivered the kind of payoff anyone expected.
Injuries and playoff disappointment have followed him through six seasons with the Clippers, and the 35-year-old is reportedly open to leaving the Intuit Dome this summer. A return to Toronto is on the table, and it would be a striking final act if Leonard got another shot at a championship with the Raptors.
Then there’s Donovan Mitchell, who looks like a natural trade candidate for Cleveland as well. The 29-year-old has been one of the league’s premier scorers for years, and he has a habit of turning up when the postseason starts.
He helped push the Cavaliers to the Eastern Conference Finals this year, but that may not be enough to quiet the feeling that he needs a different situation to win a title. The Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs are mentioned as two intriguing landing spots, and Mitchell still has two years left on his contract.
In Other News...
Clippers Quietly Locked In A Young Wing Fans Should Notice
While much of the offseason buzz around Los Angeles is centered on the Lakers and their search for frontcourt help, the Clippers made a quieter move that still matters for their own wing rotation. The team has agreed to a four-year deal with restricted free agent Kobe Sanders, a young wing who has already shown enough promise to earn a longer look after beginning his career on a two-way contract.
Sanders rookie season offered a glimpse of why the Clippers wanted to keep him in the fold. He averaged 7.3 points and shot better than 40 percent from three, production that fits neatly with a roster always looking for cost-controlled depth on the perimeter. For a team trying to stay ahead of roster churn in a crowded market, locking in a young wing like Sanders is the sort of move that can look more important later than it does on the day it is announced. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Fans May Not Like Where This John Collins Situation Is Going
John Collins has given the Clippers exactly the kind of frontcourt versatility they tend to covet: enough shooting to stretch the floor, enough athleticism to finish plays, and enough defensive ability to make him more than just a spacer. That is why the team is interested in bringing him back after his latest run, with his blend of size and skill fitting neatly into what L.A. wants around its core.
The problem is that Collins is not a simple retain, because the market is expected to push hard in a way the Clippers may not love. If the price climbs beyond what L.A. is comfortable matching, the team could be left trying to replace a player whose impact is not easy to duplicate, especially in a frontcourt that already depends on functional, two-way pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Rumored Kawhi Preference Could Define Their Next Era
Brandon Ingram has emerged as a name worth watching in the Clippers thinking as they consider how to reshape the roster around a potential Kawhi Leonard move. The fit is easy to see on paper: Ingram brings a smooth scoring game, size on the wing and the kind of offensive versatility that could slide into a team trying to stay competitive while leaning younger and more flexible.
The appeal also says something about the direction this next phase could take, with draft capital and at least one young piece likely part of the conversation if the Clippers decide to get serious. There are still other paths they could explore, but the fact that Ingram keeps surfacing suggests the front office may be looking for a more polished return than a simple reset, and that choice could shape the franchise's next era. [Read more 🡒]