For some people, the early parts of the NBA offseason can be the best time of the year. You have the draft, free agency, and endless trade speculation.
This year has not disappointed. The 2026 NBA Draft was rich with talent and transactions. Meanwhile, the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Julius Randle, and LaMelo Ball have all already changed teams. But it doesn't seem like the madness is close to over. So, here is the latest rumor roundup:
Cam Johnson to the Lakers?
The Los Angeles Lakers may very well lose LeBron James this offseason. That may not be the worst thing as it is time for the Lakers to put better role players around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. They started this endeavor in the draft by selecting the springy and dynamic wing out of Baylor, Cameron Carr. And now, it looks like they are trying to add one of the best shooters in the league.
According to recent reports from NBA Insider Michael Scotto, the Lakers (along with the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic) are interested in trading for Johnson, as the Denver Nuggets look for creative ways to dodge the second apron while getting younger around Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.
Johnson will thrive offensively with all the open shots that Dončić and Reaves can create for him. However, I worry about playing another average/below-average defender alongside that tandem. I'm also not certian what they can give the Nuggets that some of those other teams (like the Celtics and Magic) can't.
New York Knicks could be losing key pieces
Everyone will be monitoring the New York Knicks for a couple of reasons this offseason. First, they are the freaking Knicks. Second, they are the defending freaking champions. And lastly, James Dolan, their infamous owner, is being a freaking cheapskate.
Dolan has made it clear that he will not go into the second apron to retain some of the bench pieces that helped make the 2026 NBA Championship possible. This means that they may be losing their best bench big (Mitchell Robinson) and guard/wing (Landry Shamet).
Robinson is one of the best rebounders in basketball and a huge part of the team's ability to dismantle people on the offensive glass (fifth in offensive rebounding rate in the regular season). With Robinson being 27 years old, he will likely be looking to cash in while he is still in his prime. And with Robinson coming off his healthiest season since 2021-22, there is sure to be a team that is willing to pay him.
Shamet has long been viewed as one of the best shooters in basketball (career 38.6% from downtown), and he was scorching hot from beyond the arc this postseason (47.5%). However, Shamet also had a reputation as a below average defender for his position. But he's worked hard to shed that label in recent years, turning himself into something of a three-and-D ace. Shamet took a discount (signing for the veteran's minimum last summer) to stay with the Knicks. Something tells me that will not be the case this go-around.
Trail Blazers emerge as new suitor in the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes
With Antetokounmpo finally traded, the new megastar on the trading block is Jaylen Brown. We've heard rumblings of him being connected to the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets, and I also really like his fit with the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, it looks like a new suitor has emerged.
According to numerous reports, the Portland Trail Blazers are very much interested in getting into the Jaylen Brown business. The Blazers have a ton of draft capital, young players, and matching salary to make the deal work. Also, the prospect of pairing Brown with Deni Avdija could help them ascend from Western Conference fodder to a true contender if everything swings their way (especially if Damian Lillard comes back as a reasonable facsimile of himself).
I love the idea of the Trail Blazers going big-game hunting. They took a lot of steps in the right direction last season. However, I don't think their young talent outside of Avdija is good enough to simply bank on internal development. Brown wouldn't be a perfect fit (neither he nor Avdija are strong outside shooters), but he definitely makes them a more formidable team.
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