Giannis? Jokic? LeBron? 5 NBA Stars Most Likely to Move This Offseason

It’s going to be a chaotic offseason in the NBA.

Some of the league’s best superstars have contracts expiring, rumors are buzzing about what could go down this summer, and oh yeah, LeBron James is going to be an unrestricted free agent.

Here are my five picks for superstars who have the highest chance at wearing a new jersey next season.

More news: Would Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown for Kawhi Leonard and No. 5 Pick?

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Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)

This has to be it, right? The “Greek Freak” has one more year left on his contract, the Milwaukee Bucks are sprinting towards a rebuild, and it seems like both sides are ready to move on.

While it might be in Los Angeles with Luka Doncic or in Boston with Jayson Tatum, it feels like Antetokounmpo will be playing somewhere else once the next campaign begins.

LeBron James (Lakers)

Although James might outright retire this offseason and move into ownership or other business ventures as soon as the time the NBA Draft rolls around next month, there’s also a major chance he merely moves teams for next season.

If he does, expect him to either return home to the Cleveland Cavaliers or turn NBA fanfiction into reality by joining up with Steph Curry in Golden State.

Jaylen Brown (Celtics)

The Celtics seem like they might be open to fielding calls for Brown, and if they do, how fast could that avalanche into a trade happening?

Brown is coming off his best individual season in the NBA, and Boston could reload their bare war chest by flipping him to a team desperate for a star.

Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)

With only one year left on his contract, the other Los Angeles franchise could also part ways with their longtime face of the franchise. Although the consistently injured Leonard might not fetch anywhere near the package he could have had a few years ago, a team on the cusp of a title might part ways with some draft capital to add the two-time Finals MVP.

Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)

Why not? At this point, Denver are in a similar situation as the Bucks. Best player in franchise history, European, one year left on contract, and a roster that seems to be on the downturn. While it’s more likely that the Nuggets would get desperate and swap Jamal Murray to see if they can find new chemistry around Jokic, time is ticking in Denver.

If Jokic doesn’t sign an extension this offseason, and with so many other big names floating around the trade market, who knows what could happen?

In the post-Doncic-to-Lakers NBA, no superstar is ever cemented in one city.

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This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 7:18 PM.