The 2026-2027 NBA regular season is finally here! It has to be one of the most anticipated seasons in some time because of the unknowns.
LeBron James took his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers. Giannis Antetokounmpo starts his journey with the Miami Heat.
Kawhi Leonard is back with the Toronto Raptors after leaving the Los Angeles Clippers in absolute ruin. We won’t be seeing Steve Ballmer going crazy courtside for at least one year. The New York Knicks are the defending champs, but can they keep everyone happy?
These are the three biggest storylines heading into the 26-27 season.
MORE: 4 NBA teams that will surprise in 2026-27 season
The King chases a ring with the Philadelphia 76ers
LeBron James’ time with the Los Angeles Lakers ended with a whimper, but it’s showtime in Philly now. On paper, the 76ers look like a handful to deal with. They traded Paul George for Jaylen Brown, and their starting lineup could be a force. It will be interesting to see how all the pieces mesh. Tyrese Maxey,Joel Embiid, and V. J. Edgecombe round out the starting five.
Jaylen Brown ➡️ LeBron James
— NBA (@NBA) October 16, 2026
LeBron James ➡️ Jaylen Brown
76ers lead in Q2 of preseason action on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/wlMGRfXFcu
There were reports that James had already called out Embiid, but #23 shut it down quickly. Drama usually follows LeBron, so it will be interesting to see how everyone in that organization handles everything that comes with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
Nick Nurse has a ton of talent on his squad and championship expectations. The last time they made the NBA Finals was in 2001, and 76ers fans are hoping that changes this year.
Is it revenge tour time for Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs?
The rest of the NBA should be scared because Victor Wembanyama will be on a revenge tour. That bitter taste of losing in the Finals to the New York Knicks will only fuel the 22-year-old. He averaged 25 PPG, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game. All eyes will be on the playoffs and what damage the San Antonio Spurs can do.
WEMBY BLOCK THEN SELF LOB LMAOOOO OMG pic.twitter.com/p3QNmOoEfp
— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) October 17, 2026
San Antonio added Tobias Harris, but most of their roster is intact from last year. They square off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on opening night, so we’ll see if Wemby still owns Chet Holmgren.
MORE: NBA power rankings: All 30 teams ranked entering 2026-27 season
Kawhi Leonard’s second stint with the Toronto Raptors
One of the biggest offseason storylines was what kind of punishment the NBA would levy against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard got fined, but the Clippers were absolutely devastated.
They lost multiple draft picks, Steve Ballmer was suspended for a year, and now they have to pick up the pieces. The Clippers dealt The Klaw to the Raptors, and everyone is now intrigued to see what type of player we’ll get.
Kawhi Leonard buckets are back in Toronto 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ElB0pr5EE8
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 13, 2026
Leonard was All-NBA Second Team last year and one of the most dominant players when healthy. He produced 27.9 PPG while grabbing 6.4 rebounds. Can he stay healthy? Will he care? Those are the types of questions Raptors fans are asking. Pairing him with Scottie Barnes will give opponents nightmares on defense.
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