Sep 11, 2026 · 1h 32m
NBA contenders face a season of unresolved bets
Most Intriguing Headlines Going Into the 2026-27 Season | Ringer NBA
The episode tests which stars have the clearest path to another championship while mapping the roster, health, and organizational questions shaping 2026–27.
- 1Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tops the repeat-champion ranking, while Steph Curry lands at the bottom amid age and team-context concerns.
- 2Nikola Jokic remains a championship threat despite Denver’s declining infrastructure, prompting an extreme hypothetical trade with Houston.
- 3Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, and the Sixers’ new core headline a season defined by uncertain team identities.
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The hosts imagine Denver sending Nikola Jokic to Houston for Kevin Durant, Alperen Şengün, and draft picks, then debate whether Denver’s instability could make it conceivable.
The brief
Howard Beck and Michael Pina rank former Finals MVPs by their chances of winning again, weighing star power against age, health, supporting casts, and organizational stability.
The ranking puts Shai Gilgeous-Alexander first and Steph Curry last, while Jokic’s placement exposes the central argument: elite talent cannot fully overcome a deteriorating team structure.
The season preview turns to Durant in Houston, a hypothetical Jokic-for-Durant blockbuster, and Minnesota’s attempt to make Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball work together.
Other pressure points include Orlando’s stagnation, Luka Doncic leading the post-LeBron Lakers, Toronto’s unresolved Kawhi pursuit, and Philadelphia’s LeBron–Jaylen Brown experiment.
The standout tension is Denver’s future: the hosts debate whether ownership and roster decisions could eventually push Jokic toward requesting a trade, despite the scenario’s extremity.
Across the episode, every contender is measured against the same question: can its infrastructure convert superstar talent into a championship before the window closes?