According to ESPN‘s Shams Charania, the stunning deal swaps two of the Eastern Conference’s elite two-way wings and completely redraws the balance of power atop the league.

With both rosters undergoing an immediate, top-tier facelift, the personnel shift drastically alters how both championship contenders will look on the floor next season. Here is a breakdown of the new-look projected starting lineups for both the Celtics and the Sixers:

• Boston Celtics:
  • PG: Jrue Holiday
  • SG: Derrick White
  • SF: Paul George
  • PF: Jayson Tatum
  • C: Luke Kornet (or Neemias Queta / Xavier Tillman)

• Philadelphia 76ers:
  • PG: Tyrese Maxey
  • SG: Jaylen Brown
  • SF: Kelly Oubre Jr. (or Caleb Martin)
  • PF: Guerschon Yabusele (or a free agent/trade acquisition)
  • C: Joel Embiid

How the Brown–George blockbuster alters the Eastern Conference landscape

The earth-shattering trade completely reshapes the power balance atop the Eastern Conference. By swapping perennial All-Stars and shifting draft equity, both front offices have fundamentally altered their identities and timelines.

This is what the Sixers could have with Brown on the roster:

• Pairing the 29-year-old Brown with franchise cornerstone Tyrese Maxey hands Philadelphia one of the most athletic, high-scoring perimeter duos in the NBA, securing a championship-caliber window for the next half-decade.
• Brown’s elite downhill attacking and lethal transition scoring offer a massive structural upgrade over George’s more deliberate, jump-shot-reliant style. Brown’s ability to routinely collapse opposing defenses will inevitably afford Joel Embiid much wider lanes to operate in the half-court.

This is what the Celtics could have with George on the roster:

• George arrives in Boston as a highly efficient, high-volume threat from deep (41.3% last season). His immense perimeter gravity should optimize Jayson Tatum’s playmaking, clearing out the clogged paint that often resulted from Brown’s downhill drives.
• This deal was heavily motivated by the second-apron constraints of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. While Brown is locked into a massive supermax contract, George is only under contract for two seasons. The incoming draft capital—anchored by Philly’s highly coveted, unprotected 2031 first-rounder—gives Brad Stevens the war chest needed to hunt for frontcourt reinforcements down the line.

“THANK YOU! Truly an honor to wear the purple and gold jersey while trying to continue the greatness and legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint,” James posted on his social media accounts, responding to a tribute video shared by the Lakers organization.

While speculation runs rampant regarding LeBron’s next destination—including a blockbuster rumor pairing him with Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis on the Golden State Warriors—one definitive truth remains: an iconic era in Los Angeles has come to an end.

The move signifies that the veteran will seek a new home for the twilight of his legendary career. Meanwhile, the Lakers will pivot their franchise blueprint entirely around superstar Luka Doncic, who was unfortunately sidelined by injuries this past season, hampering the duo’s final championship push together.

LeBron’s legacy in Los Angeles

Since arriving in 2018, LeBron James carried the immense weight of Hollywood expectations. While his tenure only yielded a single NBA Finals appearance, it was marked by historic individual milestones that cemented his place in Lakers lore:

• Tenure: Spent eight seasons with the franchise (arrived in 2018, playing through the 2025–26 season).
• 2020 NBA championship: Guided the Lakers to their 17th franchise title inside the Orlando “Bubble” and took home Finals MVP honors.
• All-Time scoring record: Surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Feb. 7, 2023, to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer while donning purple and gold.
• The 40,000-point club: Became the first and only player in NBA history to cross the elusive 40,000 career points milestone (March 2, 2024).
• Inaugural NBA Cup champion: Captured the first-ever In-Season Tournament title in 2023, earning tournament MVP honors.
• Father-son history: Made unprecedented NBA history by sharing the floor with his son, Bronny James, marking the league’s first active father-son duo.
• Perennial All-Star: Maintained his flawless streak of consecutive All-Star appearances and racked up multiple All-NBA selections throughout his entire L.A. run.

What’s next for the King?

Now an unrestricted free agent, LeBron is reportedly exploring options for a definitive “Last Dance” in the NBA. While front-office negotiations across the league remain fluid, the most persistent rumor continues to link him to a landscape-shifting move to the Bay Area.

However, secondary reports suggest romantic homecoming returns to either the Miami Heat or the Cleveland Cavaliers are not out of the question for the consensus top-two player of all time. The NBA’s official free agency signing moratorium lifts on July 6, which is the earliest date James can formally put pen to paper and reveal the final chapter of his career.

ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on X, “BREAKING: LeBron James will continue his NBA career for the 2026-27 season and has informed the Los Angeles Lakers that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.”

The decision ends a significant era in Los Angeles and immediately raises major questions about where James will play next, as the four-time NBA champion remains active and continues to evaluate his future heading into the upcoming season.

Where could LeBron James play next?

According to ESPN, sources told Charania on Monday that the Golden State Warriors are planning to pursue LeBron James once the free‑agency negotiating window opens Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET. The Warriors reportedly aim to have a strong lineup by pairing LeBron with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and potentially Anthony Davis.

With free agency approaching, James’ next destination remains officially unannounced, keeping the 2026–27 landscape wide open as teams prepare for a potential blockbuster move.

What does LeBron James leaving the Lakers mean?

LeBron’s departure signals a major roster and identity change for the Lakers, who now face the challenge of restructuring their team without one of the greatest players in NBA history leading the franchise.

According to Shams Charania, the Grizzlies are trading the two-time NBA All-Star to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. It is a somewhat unusual move considering the depth the Portland squad already possesses.

Here is how the rosters shake out following the trade:

Portland Trail Blazers projected lineup

• PG: Ja Morant
• SG: Damian Lillard
• SF: Deni Avdija
• PF: Toumani Camara
• C: Donovan Clingan

Memphis Grizzlies projected lineup

• PG: Ty Jerome
• SG: Cedric Coward
• SF: GG Jackson
• PF: Cameron Boozer
• C: Zach Edey

The current situation in Memphis

The Grizzlies have now traded all three of their former franchise cornerstones—Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr.—since being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. Once considered one of the league’s most talented young cores, the Grizzlies won just one series in four playoff appearances with that trio on the roster and are now looking to refresh the roster.

A necessary split between Morant and the Grizzlies

Morant was already experiencing numerous issues within the organization. Morant has played only 79 games in three seasons due to off-court issues and injuries since his second consecutive All-Star appearance in 2023. His production dipped to 19.5 points while shooting career lows of 41.0% from the floor and 23.5% from the 3-point line in the 20 games he played last NBA season.

Morant served an eight-game suspension in March 2023 due to conduct detrimental to the league and a 25-game suspension to open the 2023-24 season, both of which stemmed from incidents of him displaying a firearm on an Instagram Live stream.

The Grizzlies suspended him for one game in November of last season due to a heated confrontation with coach Tuomas Iisalo following a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Morant has also dealt with a variety of injuries over the last three years, including shoulder and elbow ailments that have required season-ending surgeries.

While the move officially makes Green a free agent, Charania’s report indicate it is a strategic play designed to give the Warriors the financial flexibility necessary to launch an aggressive, blockbuster offseason pursuit of both LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green is declining his $27.7 million player option to become a free agent, sources tell ESPN. This move gives the Warriors flexibility to pursue LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade to form a Big 4,“ Charania reported on X.

The Warriors have dominated NBA headlines as they look to aggressively retool their roster for another championship run. With James and Davis now firmly on Golden State’s radar following Charania’s report, anticipation is reaching a fever pitch across the league to see if the front office can actually pull off a landscape-shifting summer.

On the heels of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s recent blockbuster trade from the Bucks to the Heat, the Warriors are poised to send further shockwaves through the league if they can successfully orchestrate the arrivals of both James and Davis to pair with Stephen Curry.

Projecting the Warriors’ potential new-look lineup

With the potential end of a historic era looming, the Warriors could look entirely different by opening night. Assuming Golden State trades Jimmy Butler, here is how a potential veteran “Big 4” lineup could look in the Bay Area with LeBron included:

• PG: Stephen Curry
• SG: Brandin Podziemski
• SF: LeBron James
• PF: Draymond Green
• C: Anthony Davis

What about Jimmy Butler?

To make the math work on a potential Davis trade, the Warriors would almost assuredly have to part ways with Jimmy Butler. Butler, who is nearly four months removed from ACL surgery, carries an expiring $56.8 million salary that serves as the perfect match for Davis’ $58.4 million figure.

While the Warriors initially planned to keep Butler as a cornerstone for the upcoming season, the sudden opportunity to acquire both James and Davis completely rewrites the front office’s blueprint.

According to a report from Yahoo Sports Senior Analyst Kevin O’Connor, the organization also wants to land powerhouse big man Anthony Davis. This dual pursuit represents an aggressive strategy to reshape the roster with legendary talent before free agency opens.

To make this dream scenario work, the front office is looking to leverage its remaining assets and future draft capital. Packaging these contract pieces and future assets would serve as the foundational blueprint for a transformative trade.

How the trade would work

Following O’Connor’s breakdown, the transaction would require moving Jimmy Butler and his expiring contract to make the salaries balance out. The team would also have to sacrifice two future first-round draft picks along with four pick swaps to finalize the deal.

Financially, landing both elite talents requires clearing significant space and potentially convincing the legendary forward to sign for a mid-level exception. This financial sacrifice would allow the roster to stay under the league’s strict hard cap constraints.

Statistically, both targets remain elite, with the veteran forward averaging 20.9 points and 7.2 assists, while the dominant big man posted 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds last season. Their individual production proves they are still highly impactful contributors at the highest level.

How can James and Davis help the Warriors?

Inserting this superstar duo alongside Steph Curry gives the offense unmatched versatility, combining elite playmaking, historic shooting, and reliable high-low execution. Defensively, the addition of a premier rim protector completely anchors the paint, transforming the defense back into a championship-caliber unit.

According to Shams Charania, the Bucks are trading Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks (including the No. 13 pick), one pick swap, and one second-round pick. It represents a fair price for the former MVP and NBA Champion.

Projected Miami Heat starting lineup

With this blockbuster trade finalized, the new-look Miami team is set to field a formidable starting five. The projected lineup features:

• PG: Davion Mitchell
• SG: Norman Powell
• SF: Andrew Wiggins
• PF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
• C: Bam Adebayo

Bucks predicted starting five

• PG: Tyler Herro
• SG: Ryan Rollins
• SF: Kyle Kuzma
• PF: Jaime Jaquez
• C: Myles Turner

Celtics left empty-handed

The Miami Heat won the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes on Monday night in a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving the Boston Celtics on the outside looking in.

Why didn’t the Celtics win the deal? Well, it just sounds like Miami offered more for Giannis. Shams Charania detailed Boston’s trade package, which included Jaylen Brown and two first-round picks. Miami threw in three first-round picks along with a bevy of impact players, which looks to have made the Heat’s offer more competitive.

It is still surprising that the Celtics did not hesitate to offer Jaylen Brown, the very player who kept them alive and carried them to the playoffs in a season where many had written them off due to Jayson Tatum’s injury. But Brown was there, and some even believed he deserved MVP recognition for his efforts.

Expectations for the Heat

The Heat, alongside Pat Riley, want to get back to competing immediately. It is tough to move on from Tyler Herro, who is an All-Star and was arguably above Bam Adebayo in terms of overall team impact. However, the Miami squad now has a highly promising roster and it will clearly be considered a legitimate contender with that explosive duo of Bam and Giannis.

Brunson secured his first ring three years older than Curry, who was just 26 when he won his first NBA Finals. However, the Golden State Warriors legend shares the distinction of winning the title in his very first Finals appearance.

Compared to James, Brunson is two years older than the Lakers star was during his first championship run. James was 27 when he got his first ring against Oklahoma City. Had Brunson not won, Victor Wembanyama could have done it at 22 but he came up short in his first trip to the Finals.

Brunson left his mark on the Finals

Brunson didn’t just help bring a title to New York; he also posted some massive individual numbers this postseason. He logged his fourth-highest playoff scoring average while pulling down a postseason career-high 4.1 defensive rebounds per game.

In the decisive Game 5 against the Spurs to clinch the title, Brunson dropped 45 points, another feat that holds up against James and Curry. It’s a performance that will undoubtedly go down in franchise history as an iconic moment, anchoring the team’s comeback to win the Finals.

Brunson didn’t cruise to this ring, either. The Knicks battled through some regular-season turbulence and missed out on the top seed in the Eastern Conference. But once the playoffs started, they found a second gear, dropping just three games total and avoiding a single Game 7.

Just like Wembanyama, James suffered a painful defeat in the 2007 NBA Finals while playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers. His team was swept 4-0 by the San Antonio Spurs, the very same franchise that looks much better today with the talented, towering Frenchman on the roster.

On the other hand, Stephen Curry also enters the conversation when comparing what Wembanyama accomplished in his first Finals appearance. But the Golden State Warriors guard fared much better, winning his first big trophy in 2015 with the team he has played for since 2009.

A great learning experience for Wembanyama and the Spurs

What Wembanyama accomplished in just his third NBA season, helping the Spurs put together a deep playoff run and knocking out the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder along the way, was incredibly impressive. It’s a valuable learning experience he can use down the road to get his revenge against the Knicks.

That’s pretty much exactly what James did after losing his first Finals back in 2007. It wasn’t until 2013 that he finally got his revenge against the Spurs, winning a thrilling 4-3 series against San Antonio as a member of the Miami Heat.

Wembanyama can also look at how well Curry has fared with the Warriors, having lost just two Finals in his career. One of those losses came during his second trip to the championship stage, falling to none other than James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Brunson ended with 45 points, but it fell a bit short of Curry’s best NBA Finals performance. Back in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, Curry had 47 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against the Toronto Raptors.

On the other hand, LeBron James‘ best NBA Finals game came in Game 1 of the 2018 series vs. the Golden State Warriors. James scored 51 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in that game. Alongside his 45 points, Brunson had just three rebounds and three assists.

There’s a key difference in Brunson’s performance compared to Curry and James’

While scoring 45 points is nothing to be ashamed of, the box score alone signal James and Curry games as better than Brunson’s. Not only on the points statistics, but also on rebounds and assists.

However, Brunson wouldn’t trade his performance with either of them. After all, James and Curry both lost those games, while Brunson’s gave the Knicks their first NBA Championship in more than five decades. There’s no price tag in what Brunson just achieved.

Brunson’s NBA Finals performance puts him in elite company

Per Underdog NBA, there’s only been four players in NBA history scoring 45+ points in a closeout game in the NBA Finals. Brunson is the fourth guy on that list, joining top-talent names:

• Jalen Brunson
• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Michael Jordan
• Bob Pettit

New York seized control of the series after a dramatic 107-106 victory in Game 4, putting the Spurs on the brink of elimination. The game will be played in San Antonio, where the Spurs hope to extend the series and keep their title hopes alive.

With the Larry O’Brien Trophy potentially on the line tonight, here’s what each possible outcome would mean. After a historic 29-point comeback by the Knicks, anything is possible.

What happens if the Knicks win Game 5?

If the Knicks win tonight, they will capture the 2026 NBA championship. The victory would give New York a 4-1 series triumph and secure the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973. It would complete one of the most memorable playoff runs in team history and cement this group among the greatest Knicks teams ever assembled.

What happens if the Knicks lose Game 5?

If the Spurs win, the series would shift back to New York for Game 6. The Knicks would still lead the Finals 3-2, but San Antonio would gain momentum and another opportunity to extend the series.

Game 6 would be played Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks would have another chance to clinch the championship in front of their home fans. Should the Spurs also win Game 6, a winner-take-all Game 7 would be necessary.

What happens if Knicks vs Spurs is tied after regulation?

If the score is tied at the end of regulation, Knicks and Spurs would play a five-minute overtime period to determine a winner. If the game remains tied after the first overtime, another overtime period would be played.

That process would continue indefinitely—double overtime, triple overtime, and beyond—until one team finishes with more points and wins the game. Every NBA Finals contest must produce a winner.

How close are the Knicks to the championship?

The Knicks enter Game 5 in a commanding position, needing just one more victory to secure the title. Historically, teams leading an NBA Finals series 3-1 have gone on to win the championship the vast majority of the time. It has happened 38 of 39 times with the only exception in 2016 when LeBron James and the Cavaliers came back against the Golden State Warriors led by Stephen Curry.