NBA Offseason Predictions: Expert Picks for Giannis, LeBron, Kawhi Landing Spots and More

The NBA offseason is here, and we're still waiting on the first big domino to fall. With the 2026 NBA Draft less than a week away, eyes are on Giannis Antetokounmpo as the Bucks possibly prepare to trade away their longtime star. Antetokounmpo is not the only All-Star who could have an introductory press conference to put on a new team's jersey for the first time in the coming weeks.

So, today, we're making some early offseason predictions. We'll be looking at five of the biggest names on the trade/free agency markets and predicting where they'll be on Opening Night of the 2026-27 season. Those five names? Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James , Jaylen Brown , Kawhi Leonard and De'Aaron Fox . Got it? Good. Let's get to it.

Top 50 NBA offseason trade candidates: Giannis Antetokounmpo leads a list filled with big names Sam Quinn

Giannis Antetokounmpo

John Gonzalez

Robby Kalland

Sam Quinn

Cameron Salerno Heat Celtics Celtics Timberwolves

Gonzalez : It's long past time for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to part ways. The moment Damian Lillard blew out his Achilles, the Giannis era in Milwaukee was done. It just took the Bucks a while to realize it. The Heat have a way of attracting star talent. Giannis would fit in well in South Beach. I'm not sure that a starting lineup of Giannis, Bam Adebayo , Norm Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell cracks the top four in the Eastern Conference, but it's better than the situation he was dealing with in Milwaukee.

Kalland: The Celtics have the resources and the motivation to get this done after a disappointing playoff flameout. They know they need a frontcourt upgrade and there isn't a better one out there than the Bucks star. Their ability to add Jaylen Brown to get more picks from a third team to Milwaukee makes their potential offer so much better than what Miami can put together.

Quinn : The Celtics , as presently constructed, are not good enough to win a championship. I suspect they know that after their first-round loss. Antetokounmpo is the single player in all of basketball best equipped to address their need for rim pressure, and if their stiffest competition is Miami, the Celtics can outbid them pretty easily using Jaylen Brown. If you're going to pay supermax money for multiple players, one of them probably needs to be MVP-caliber. Antetokounmpo is. Brown is not.

Salerno:  In our bold predictions, I said that Giannis would get traded to the Timberwolves. So, it's only right to double down and predict he ends up in Minnesota. Is it the most likely destination? No. Is it possible? We will see. It would be a fun fit.

NBA offseason bold predictions: Stars on the move, LeBron James leaves Lakers, Draft shocker and more Brad Botkin

LeBron James

John Gonzalez

Robby Kalland

Sam Quinn

Cameron Salerno Lakers Lakers Warriors Lakers

Gonzalez : The Lakers played their best basketball in the second half of the season when James was third in usage rate behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves . At 41, he can be the best third option in the league. Beyond that, his family is in Los Angeles and so are his many business interests. Apart from going back to Cleveland for one last run, there's no better spot than the Lakers to give LeBron the season-long retirement send-off he's earned when he's finally ready for it.

Kalland : The most recent reporting suggests the two sides are already talking and will try to have the framework of a deal done before James even hits free agency. As fun as it may be to imagine LeBron and Stephen Curry teaming up in Golden State, LeBron really loves being at home in Los Angeles and, at 41 years old, he'll just run it back one more time with the Lakers.

Quinn : Is "it would be cool" a good enough answer? LeBron is old. He has eight years of pent-up grievances against the Lakers, who would be irresponsible not to prioritize younger players with their cap space. Maybe they come through with a big offer. If they don't, James can take the mid-level and go ride out the end of his career, living out an all-time teammate fantasy with Stephen Curry .

Salerno : I'll take the easy answer and say LeBron re-signs with the Lakers and plays his final season in Los Angeles. The Lakers can offer him the most money and a chance to play one final season with Luka Dončić.

What's next for LeBron James? Re-setting the odds for his next team, plus why retirement seems less likely now Sam Quinn

Jaylen Brown

John Gonzalez

Robby Kalland

Sam Quinn

Cameron Salerno Celtics Rockets Trail Blazers Celtics

Gonzalez : What are we doing here? Pundits and fans have been trying to break up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum almost since the moment they started playing together. The whose-team-is-it discourse has been stale and pointless for just as long. They won a championship together three seasons ago, and with Tatum fully healthy, they're already the betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference next season. Let's not make this more complicated than it has to be.

Kalland : Ime Udoka has plenty of history with Brown, the Rockets learned the hard way that they just don't have enough firepower to compete right now and Houston still has a decent number of picks and young players they can throw in to make a three-team deal happen with Milwaukee. If I'm Boston, I'd love to acquire Giannis  and  send Brown to the West rather than another Eastern Conference contender -- and same goes for Milwaukee in redirecting Brown.

Quinn : Milwaukee has little reason to accept Brown. Several other teams have been linked to him throughout the Antetokounmpo trade saga, but Portland controlling Milwaukee's picks makes the Blazers the obvious choice. Portland might not be able to secure an extension from Antetokounmpo himself, but with Brown locked up for several more years, that's not an issue in this case, and the Blazers suddenly start to look like a scary Western Conference sleeper.

Salerno : The only way I see the Celtics trading Brown is if it's in a deal with the Bucks for Giannis. Obviously, because I'm predicting Giannis to end up in Minnesota, that's not possible. The Celtics will ride their core of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum for at least one more season.

Kawhi Leonard

John Gonzalez

Robby Kalland

Sam Quinn

Cameron Salerno Clippers Heat Warriors Heat

Gonzalez : We're still waiting on the league to reach a conclusion after investigating the Clippers for allegedly circumventing the salary cap and getting Leonard a lucrative no-show endorsement deal. According to Pablo Torre's reporting, there's also a case to be made that the organization tampered with Kawhi before signing him away from the Raptors as a free agent. In addition to fines and taking away draft picks, the commissioner should also declare Leonard a Clipper for life. I can't think of a harsher penalty for the player.

Kalland : Desperate times, desperate measures. Pat Riley is not leaving this summer without making some kind of splash and if they miss on Giannis, he might as well take a swing on Leonard.

Quinn : That's right, I'm calling a Golden State double whammy. Jimmy Butler and draft picks go to the Clippers. Leonard goes to Golden State. His presence is part of what compels James to take the mid-level exception, because it suggests to him that the Warriors are capable of high-level contention. A number of teams could be in the mix for Leonard, but the Warriors' mixture of age and desperation makes them the suitor most likely to meet what will surely be a high asking price.

Salerno : Here is where it gets spicy. If the Heat misses on Giannis, they should pivot to pursuing Leonard. Miami has had plenty of well-documented swings and misses over the last several years in the pursuit of landing a star. Kawhi would check those boxes.

What's next for the Spurs? Why the path to building a champion around Wemby could include trading De'Aaron Fox Sam Quinn

De'Aaron Fox

John Gonzalez

Robby Kalland

Sam Quinn

Cameron Salerno Mavericks Spurs Spurs Spurs

Gonzalez : Yeah, yeah, the Mavs keep saying that Kyrie Irving is unavailable. But what if the Spurs attach some draft picks to Fox's cringey contract and the Mavs get a slightly younger guard for Kyrie? Fox doesn't need to help the Mavs win now, and Kyrie would land on a team that has title-or-bust aspirations. Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper need to play as much as possible, but in this scenario, it's less about who starts than having two of the three guards on the floor at all times and then potentially closing with all three of Irving, Castle and Harper.

Kalland : The Spurs seem dead set on keeping Fox, and I can understand why. For one, trying to trade him right now when everyone's lasting impression was him struggling in the Finals (on an ankle injury) seems suboptimal. Second, they think their team is better with all three of their guards on the roster -- and in the regular season, they're probably right to want that depth. A deal at the deadline seems more likely than an offseason trade to me.

Quinn : The Spurs probably should trade Fox. Even if his NBA Finals showing wasn't an accurate representation of who he is when healthy, San Antonio shouldn't mess around with his four-year, $221 million contract. If he gets hurt or struggles in the playoffs again, it becomes unmovable. But every signal the Spurs have sent through the press thus far has been that they are committed to Fox. Is that blustering? Maybe, but in conjunction with the limitations that contract imposes on his value, I'd say a return next season feels likelier than not.

Salerno : The Spurs won't be able to move Fox's contract without giving up significant assets. It might just be the worst current contract in the NBA because his extension doesn't even kick in until the start of this upcoming season. Fox is the third-best guard on the Spurs and San Antonio needs to prioritize getting Dylan Harper in the starting lineup by any means necessary. Whether that's starting Fox, Castle and Harper together, or making Fox a very expensive reserve, it has to happen.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-offseason-predictions-experts-pick-landing-spots/)._