Five wild NBA moves that would make the 2026-27 season absolutely bonkers

The NBA Finals aren't even over, but 28 front offices are already deep into offseason mode, plotting trades, compiling draft boards and crafting free-agent pitches.

So let's join them. Better yet, let's help them. 

Here are five moves (or chains of moves) that would make the 2026-27 season the most entertaining season in recent memory. 

1. 'The Expendables' tour comes to Golden State

This one requires a few dominoes. First, the Warriors send Jimmy Butler's expiring contract and an unprotected first-round pick to Washington for Anthony Davis. AD's Wizards jersey joins the ranks of Rasheed Wallace's Hawks jersey and Carmelo Anthony's Hawks jersey in the Obscure Jersey Hall of Fame.

Next, Golden State drafts at No. 11 Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound do-everything forward with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. Lendeborg, who dragged the Wolverines to a national title, gives the Warriors an ultra-athletic defender who will turn 24 during the season.

Then comes the real domino: LeBron James, disrespected by the Lakers' front office one last time, signs in the Bay at a discount. Kristaps Porzingis also re-signs, giving Golden State a perfect complement off the bench to Davis and Green.

Steph, LeBron, AD, Draymond, KP, Al Horford, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos and Lendeborg — that's actually a pretty formidable squad!  

It's "The Expendables" in shorts — a veteran crew of mercenaries joining forces for one seemingly impossible job: end the youth movement in the West.

Would it work? Maybe — the regular season would be an absolute grind for these guys. But if they could get into the playoffs with a relatively clean bill of health, they could absolutely compete with any of these teams in a seven-game series — even the Spurs and Thunder.

2. The Spurs and Wolves solve each other's problems

Stephon Castle's leap and Dylan Harper's emergence sped up San Antonio's biggest dilemma: what happens to De'Aaron Fox. Unfortunately for Fox, as we've seen in these playoffs, Castle and Harper are already better players.  

So, does San Antonio move the All-Star point guard to the bench? Or does it trade him in his prime while he still has trade value? The latter makes the most sense.

Enter Minnesota, which got bounced by San Antonio in the second round. It would be weird for rivals to trade with each other. Do it anyway. The Wolves desperately need a point guard to lighten Anthony Edwards' load, and they're carrying two starting-caliber centers. Send the speedy Fox north for Rudy Gobert straight up — or for the contracts of Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo. 

The Spurs don't have many flaws, but as these playoffs are proving, they could do better than Luke Kornet at backup center. Chase-down block aside, Kornet has looked like more of a regular-season big man. Just look at his minus-15 net rating per 100 possessions in the postseason. 

Why not turn that weakness into a strength? Gobert or Reid would allow the Spurs to keep Victor Wembanyama's minutes low in the regular season, and also give the team a big-man variation to play around with. 

It's a win-win for everyone.

3. The Thunder get real aggressive

Oklahoma City packages Chet Holmgren, picks No. 12 and No. 17 in the NBA Draft — and another future first if Chicago needs sweetening, which, knowing the Bulls, they'll probably botch anyway — for the No. 4 pick and Patrick Williams' horrendous contract.

Then Thunder GM Sam Presti drafts North Carolina's Caleb Wilson and unleashes his Kevin Garnett-esque blend of size (6-foot-10), bounce and snarl on a league that already can't score on Oklahoma City. Chicago, a franchise seemingly allergic to acquiring first-round picks and not especially good at using the ones it does have, finally gets a haul: a 24-year-old All-NBA big man in Holmgren plus two firsts in a loaded draft.

And the defending champs — who just lost a Game 7 at home to San Antonio — get younger, meaner and more athletic at the position where the Spurs bullied them. SGA, Jalen Williams and a teenage Kevin Garnett starter kit? Sign me up!

4. Giannis finally gets his fresh start — in Orlando

Giannis Antetokounmpo spent all season talking in circles — letting his camp voice displeasure through reporter Shams Charania while refusing to actually demand out. End the nonsense.

The Magic and Bucks swap Giannis for Paolo Banchero. The Magic are already all-in, having traded a ton of draft capital for Desmond Bane last offseason, so trading a 23-year-old star for a 31-year-old superstar is fine. And the Bucks aren't going to get a more talented player than Banchero in return for Giannis.

After landing the Greek Freak, Orlando keeps its foot on the gas and sends Jalen Suggs to Portland for Giannis' old running mate, Jrue Holiday. The Magic's closing five becomes Giannis, Franz Wagner, Desmond Bane, Holiday and Wendell Carter Jr., with Anthony Black as the sixth man. That gives incoming head coach and defensive guru Sean Sweeney the tools to build the East's best defense and an obvious contender if healthy. 

5. Kawhi Leonard brings the Hawks their Finals moment

Atlanta won 46 games, pushed the Knicks harder than anyone in the East playoffs and has assets to help build a contender in 2026-27. Make it happen: pick No. 8 in the 2026 NBA Draft, Jonathan Kuminga, Zaccharie Risacher and Buddy Hield go to the Clippers for Leonard. 

The Clippers, who already own pick No. 5, jump-start their rebuild around Darius Garland, the two lottery picks and the former lottery-pick reclamation projects in Kuminga and Risacher.

The Hawks suddenly have a core of Kawhi, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu and Asa Newell — giving them a long, athletic and interchangeable lineup that would be a nightmare to match up against in the playoffs. 

Atlanta can re-sign CJ McCollum or try to trade him for another veteran bucket-getter to round out the squad. Leonard's health is obviously still a question, but if he is healthy, the Hawks could contend with him in the East.