30 NBA Teams Begin 2026-27 Season After Offseason Star Shuffle

ESPN published its full 2026-27 NBA season preview on Oct. 19, ranking all 30 teams and cataloging the offseason trades and signings that rearranged rosters before opening night, according to the outlet's NBA staff.

Which stars switched teams this summer?

According to ESPN's preview, Giannis Antetokounmpo is "finally" in Miami, Jaylen Brown is "stunningly" in Philadelphia, and Ja Morant made a "somewhat stunningly" move to Portland. The same rundown reports Kawhi Leonard is back in Toronto — "it took a bit" — and that LaMelo Ball is pairing with Anthony Edwards in Minnesota's backcourt, a fit ESPN says "might take a bit" to gel. The Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN writes, added a new lob threat for Luka Doncic, a move the preview notes "worked last time" the team tried a similar pairing.

What does the 41-year-old's move mean for the league?

ESPN's staff also flagged a "41-year-old legend defying Father Time" who "changed coasts" this offseason, a shift the preview says set up "the league's newest superteam" and "a major conference shift." ESPN did not use that line to name the player directly, but the same preview package includes a separate item from NBA insider Brian Windhorst, titled "What Madison Square Garden means to LeBron James," filed under the New York Knicks.

How does New York's ticket rollout fit the bigger picture?

The Knicks' offseason business moves line up with that broader league narrative. The team released single-game tickets after what HTT News described as the end of a title drought, giving New York fans a chance to buy into a roster that ESPN's preview places at the center of league-wide star movement and Eastern Conference realignment heading into 2026-27.

What rookies will shape opening night?

ESPN's preview credits part of the season's intrigue to "a deep 2026 rookie class," joining the list of veteran moves — Antetokounmpo, Brown, Morant, Leonard and Ball among them — that the outlet's insiders say will determine East and West standings this year.

NBA offseason terms to know

• Lob threat: A roster addition specifically suited to catching alley-oop passes, cited by ESPN in reference to the Lakers' new piece alongside Luka Doncic.
• Superteam: ESPN's shorthand for a roster stacked with multiple All-Star-caliber players through trades or free agency, used in the preview to describe the fallout from the 41-year-old's team change.
• Conference shift: A change in which conference a notable player or team competes in, referenced by ESPN as a consequence of this offseason's biggest move.
• Rookie class: The group of first-year players entering the league in a given draft cycle — in this case, 2026 — whom ESPN's preview flags as a storyline across multiple teams.

ESPN's rankings and team-by-team breakdowns, along with the Knicks' ticket sales tied to last season's title run, give fans two concrete entry points — on-court moves and box-office demand — for gauging how the 2026-27 season opens.