play0:33LeBron James: ‘I have no idea’ if I’ll play a 24th seasonLeBron James says he just wants to live and doesn’t know if he’ll play for a 24th season.
play1:53Shams: Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis is over after Porzingis acquisitionShams Charania breaks the news that the Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.
Victor Wembanyama will be the next $250 million player. Which rookie extension candidates could join him?
Stephen A.: Luka-Giannis on Lakers highly unlikely, but can never say never (2:22)While Stephen A. Smith doesn’t believe Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic teaming up with the Lakers will happen, he explains why it can’t be completely ruled out. (2:22)
LeBron James: ‘I have no idea’ if I’ll play a 24th seasonLeBron James says he just wants to live and doesn’t know if he’ll play for a 24th season.
Brian Windhorst chimes in on accusations that the Utah Jazz have been “tanking” late in games and says they’re not the only franchise doing it
Shams: Warriors’ pursuit of Giannis is over after Porzingis acquisitionShams Charania breaks the news that the Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.
Shams Charania breaks the news that the Warriors are trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis.
Bobby MarksFeb 19, 2026, 07:43 AM ETCloseFollow on XMultiple Authors
play1:40Windhorst: Jazz tanking more ‘egregious,’ but still within the rulesBrian Windhorst chimes in on accusations that the Utah Jazz have been “tanking” late in games and says they’re not the only franchise doing it
How will the Lakers continue building around Luka Doncic?
Besides James and Reaves, which other free agents should we watch?
Why are the next two months so important for teams jockeying for lottery position?
Will veteran extensions impact the 2027 free agent class?
Besides Antetokounmpo, which players under contract should we watch?
The next step in the saga between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks is high on the list. So is the future of the Los Angeles Lakers roster, which features major free agent decisions for LeBron James and Austin Reaves. Leaguewide, plenty of franchises will face decisions that could alter the NBA’s hierarchy.
We’re breaking down the 10 most important questions of the summer, including superstars at a crossroads, top free agent and trade targets and why June’s draft is so important for a handful of lottery-bound teams.
Jump to a section: Summer of Giannis | LeBron’s decision Lakers’ options | Free agents to watch High-stakes draft | Extension storylines Wemby’s next deal | Trade landscape Next for Warriors | Thunder vs. the apron
“I want to win a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks,” Antetokounmpo told ESPN’s Malika Andrews during All-Star Weekend. “And if that is not on the table, maybe I have to pivot because I really want to win.”
Headed to the lottery for the first time since 2016, the Bucks will add a valuable 2026 draft pick to their list of tradable resources. Milwaukee can also trade first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 and can swap picks in 2031, 2032 and 2033. Convincing Antetokounmpo to sign an extension in the fall could depend on where June’s pick lands and whether the franchise plans to use those picks in a deal.
Improving via free agency could prove more difficult. Milwaukee has nine free agents this summer, five with player options (Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr., Gary Harris, Taurean Prince and Jericho Sims). The Bucks are also projected to be over the cap this offseason, thanks in part to signing center Myles Turner last offseason and owing Damian Lillard $20.2 million per season through 2029-30 after waiving and stretching his contract.
Outside of using Turner, Kyle Kuzma or Bobby Portis’ contracts in a trade, Milwaukee will have the $15.1 million non-tax midlevel, $5.5 million biannual and veteran minimum exceptions available to sign players.
The Bucks explored trades for Antetokounmpo before the deadline and will likely do so again if there is an indication he is not committed long term. The market for Antetokounmpo should expand this summer for several reasons.
Teams that were limited in tradable draft picks at the deadline will have more selections available starting the night of the draft. The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, will see their tradable first-rounders increase from one to three. The Miami Heat will have up to four firsts to trade instead of two at the deadline. The New York Knicks will go from zero to two.
More importantly, there is always a sense of urgency from the front office when a team loses early in the playoffs. The Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic were eliminated in the first round last season, then traded for Kevin Durant and Desmond Bane, respectively. Would New York or the Cleveland Cavaliers choose to go all-in for Antetokounmpo if they suffer similar playoff fates?
LeBron James: ‘I have no idea’ if I’ll play a 24th season
LeBron James says he just wants to live and doesn’t know if he’ll play for a 24th season.
Last week, after he became the oldest player to record a triple-double, the 41-year-old James discussed one major factor that could determine how long the NBA’s all-time leading scorer stays in the league.
“My game is not going anywhere. It’s just my body,” James told reporters after the Lakers’ win over the Dallas Mavericks before the All-Star break. “[But] how long can I stay in love with the process?
“Because that’s always been my thing. If I can’t continue to stay in love with the process, then if [my mental commitment] goes, then my body’s going to go. And once my body goes, then it’s a wrap.”
Remarkably, James, who has averaged at least 33 minutes and 20 points in every season of his career, is on pace to add a 23rd consecutive year to the list.
Re-signing with Los Angeles would come with a significant pay cut from his current $52.6 million. But, few contenders are projected to have cap space this summer. For example, it’s likely that the Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets and Knicks could only offer LeBron the veteran’s minimum exception.
Since trading for Doncic in February 2025, the Lakers have been operating under two timelines: LeBron’s and Luka’s.
“Having optionality now is really a positive thing for us this coming offseason,” president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said after this season’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.
This offseason, the franchise’s top priority is re-signing Austin Reaves, who will likely decline his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 to pursue a long-term extension.
Before injuring his left calf on Christmas, Reaves was averaging a career-high 26.6 points and shooting better than 50% from the field. (In five games since returning, Reaves has averaged 20.0 points on just 25.4 minutes.) “I’ve said it a million times. I want to be in L.A. I love it,” Reaves told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin in November.
“Even though the other extension was turned down, that doesn’t mean that I’m trying to go get a f—ing gigantic number that doesn’t make sense. I want to be here; I want to win.”
The Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are among the teams with enough spending power to sign Reaves to a lucrative contract. But as the Bucks showed when they waived and stretched Lillard’s contract last season, teams without cap space have methods to manufacture cap space.
Because of Reaves’ $20.9 million free agent hold, the Lakers could have up to $50 million in cap space this summer, the most of any team. To create that room, however, Los Angeles would need to renounce every free agent on the roster — including LeBron.
“With the new CBA and the second apron, things of that nature, [the Nuggets] wanted to stay out of that,” Watson told the Denver Post in October. “As a business, you’ve gotta operate [based on] what’s best for your business. And when it comes time for me to make my decision next summer, I’ve gotta operate as a business myself.”
Watson is a restricted free agent this offseason, allowing Denver to match any offer sheet. The Nuggets are projected to be $3.6 million below the second apron next season.
Watson, named a Western Conference Player of the Week in January, is averaging career highs in points and shooting efficiency this season. And in 39 starts, he is averaging 17.5 points with a 50.4 field goal percentage and 41.7% shooting from 3.
He scored a career-high 30 points in a Feb. 3 win against the Portland Trail Blazers and has at least six assists in 16 games this season. The Suns are plus-4.8 points per 100 possessions when Gillespie is on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Gillespie is eligible to sign a four-year, $66.6 million contract with Phoenix. Because he has early Bird rights, the contract must be a minimum of two seasons (not including an option).
Windhorst: Jazz tanking more ‘egregious,’ but still within the rulesBrian Windhorst chimes in on accusations that the Utah Jazz have been “tanking” late in games and says they’re not the only franchise doing it
Windhorst: Jazz tanking more ‘egregious,’ but still within the rules
We’ve closely documented the 2026 draft class for some time, with a historically strong group of college freshmen creating one of the deepest lottery groups in recent memory. Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer have long been headliners. Fellow freshmen Caleb Wilson, Kingston Flemings, Keaton Wagler, Nate Ament, Darius Acuff Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. currently round out our top nine.
The trade deadline amplified the stakes for teams such as the Jazz, Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers, who might flirt with fate on lottery night due to the protections on their first-round selections. The reason for those teams to lose games is obvious: maximize their chances of keeping their picks.
The subtext behind this exciting draft is that NBA teams haven’t been as bullish on the 2027 and 2028 draft classes, as they continue to scour for talent domestically and internationally. It’s far too early to treat that as conclusive, but those drafts appear short on archetypal star power. It’s no coincidence that long-mired teams such as Washington and Utah are positioned to take a step forward next season. There is simply less incentive to lose games in 2026-27.