NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates 
NBA Champions — like the Knicks heading into this season — preach continuity.
Continuity is boring. At least to many NBA fans it is — player movement is the lifeblood of the sport for many, especially on social media. The more, the better. It’s what drives ratings and draws eyeballs. This offseason saw a host of name players switch teams, but which of those moves will matter? Who are the players who changed teams and will have the biggest impact? Here are seven names to watch.
Advertisement
Jaylen Brown/LeBron James (76ers)
While these were separate moves — with the 76ers trade for Brown influencing LeBron’s decision to sign there as a free agent — we’re grouping them here, and their combined impact has them at the top of this ranking.
Landing Jaylen Brown was a coup for new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey. This is the 2024 Finals MVP coming off his best season as a pro — 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game — and he steps right into the rotation next to Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and Joel Embiid. Brown brings more shot creation, defense and leadership — Brown has won a ring. He has been where the 76ers want to go.
So has LeBron James, who at age 41 last season showed he knows how to fit into a team, be the glue that binds different stars together, and take over when needed. LeBron steps in at four and will be asked to body up some bigger bodies on defense while also serving as a facilitator on offense, picking and choosing his spots to score. At this point in his career, this role is a great fit for LeBron on the court.
The question in Philadelphia isn’t talent (although there are legitimate defensive questions), and it’s not even all about health (even though they obviously need LeBron and Joel Embiid on the court in the postseason). Rather, the question is whether everyone makes the sacrifices to their own games needed to make this all work. LeBron and Brown have done that before and will lead the way.
Advertisement
“In order for us to be great, we have to do things that are just not comfortable. We have to be comfortable being uncomfortable,” LeBron said at media day. “That…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-season-2026-27-preview-165148300.html
Author :
Publish date : 2026-10-02 16:51:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
