Fresh Beginnings: Top NBA Players on New Teams for the 2025–26 Season

As in every modern professional sports league, the NBA offseason is always chock-full with movement. The right free-agent signings, trades, and fresh starts, after all, can redefine a player’s career or the direction of a franchise … or both.

Some offseasons are defined but a few key blockbuster signings or trades, while others are notable for steady, more strategic moves that, over time, can shift the balance in the league.

The 2025 NBA offseason was more like the latter.

In an era when stars seemingly change zip codes as often as sneakers, several of the league’s most accomplished and intriguing players are suiting up for new teams this fall. And each of them brings a mix of legacy, risk, and potential revival to their new teams.

Though the current reshuffling doesn’t have quite the seismic “super team” feel as when LeBron announced “The Decision” or when Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant signed with new teams in 2019, this year’s offseason moves still offer a sense of a league in transition.

Here are 10 of the NBA’s top players wearing new uniforms this season.

Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets

It feels strange to call Kevin Durant’s latest move “surprising,” but even after all these years, he still manages to reshape the conversation.

At 37, Durant’s efficiency and shot making remain elite, and his presence alone changes the gravity of a franchise. His move came via a historic seven-team blockbuster trade — a rare deal in scope and impact — and it was a statement that the Rockets are done rebuilding and ready to win.

For the Houston Rockets young core, he’s both mentor and measuring stick. For the league, he’s the living reminder that eras don’t end quietly … and sometimes they can still evolve.

Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic

Orlando has been quietly collecting smart, high-upside talent for years. The addition of Desmond Bane signals a move from patience to purpose.

Bane brings proven shooting, defensive toughness, and a physical edge that fits the Magic’s young identity. He’s the kind of player who can master nearly any role teams ask him to fill. And after growing his career side-by-side with Ja Morant in Memphis, this year’s he’ll be asked to lead.

The move happened through a massive trade package featuring multiple first-round picks, the kind of bold swing that suggests Orlando believes its time is now.

Bradley Beal, Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal’s arrival in Los Angeles feels like both a reset and a test.

Injuries and roster chaos limited his Suns tenure, but the talent never left. Beal landed with the Clippers after a buyout in Phoenix, choosing L.A. as his next home and signing a short-term deal that reflects both opportunity and urgency.

What Beal offers is something subtler than highlights: poise, shooting gravity, and a willingness to fit perfectly within a role. If the Clippers finally make that deep playoff push that’s eluded them for a decade, it’ll likely be an indication that Beal understood his assignment.

UPDATE: Bradley Beal is out for the season with a fractured hip.

Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks

For years, Myles Turner was the league’s most tradable “almost.” Now he’s finally in a situation where his skills make perfect sense.

Milwaukee needed rim protection and perimeter spacing, and Turner delivers on both. Playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo means open threes, easy lobs, and a chance to compete deep into May. But what makes this move interesting is its timing.

Turner arrived via a major free-agent signing, finally leaving Indiana after years of rumors. He enters his prime with something to prove, and the Bucks are betting that stability and structure will unlock a level he never quite reached in Indiana.

Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers

Portland’s been rebuilding since Damian Lillard’s initial departure. So, adding Jrue Holiday during the same offseason the team acquired Lillard gives the roster an immediate compass. That’s because Holiday’s one of the NBA’s quiet constants — never flashy, rarely vocal, but always dependable.

Holiday arrived through a trade that sent a veteran guard east and helped rebalance both rosters. His defensive IQ and leadership offer a stabilizing presence for a young team learning how to win again.

The Blazers don’t expect him to be a savior. But if he can provide consistency, that might be exactly what this team needs.

Jordan Clarkson, New York Knicks

Few players embody controlled chaos like Jordan Clarkson, and that may be just what New York needs this season.

The Knicks have defense, discipline, and a clear identity, but they’ve often lacked that one guy who can simply get hot and take over a game. Well, Clarkson thrives in that space between structure and improvisation. He’s instant offense with the added confidence of a veteran, and under new head coach Mike Brown’s demanding system, he’ll need to balance freedom with trust.

Clarkson landed in New York via a mid-summer free-agent deal, one the Knicks hope provides the scoring spark they’ve long chased.

Kristaps Porziņģis, Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta’s decision to add Kristaps Porziņģis is less about flash and more about adding space. His shooting stretches defenses to uncomfortable places, creating room for Trae Young to operate and giving the Hawks an interior threat who doesn’t clog the lane.

His move came through a three-team trade aimed at restructuring the Atlanta Hawks frontcourt.

As the Hawks chase balance, Porziņģis gives them an opportunity to find it … provided his health holds and his confidence stays steady throughout the grind of the season.

Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns

Jalen Green needed a reset. His talent was never in doubt — he’s electric off the dribble and fearless in traffic — but his Rockets years were frustrating and inconsistent.

Now, in Phoenix, he joins a veteran core that doesn’t need him to carry the load, but rather just to learn what winning basketball looks like. It’s an ideal opportunity for a young player: to evolve in the shadow of superstars.

Green arrived as part of the multi-team Durant blockbuster, giving the Suns a high-upside scorer as they transition into a new identity.

Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers

Brook Lopez brings something the Los Angeles Clippers have quietly lacked: a dependable backline anchor who can also space the floor. Even late in his career, Lopez remains one of the league’s smartest defenders, rarely out of position and always making offenses think twice about driving.

His move to L.A. came via a two-year free-agent deal after his stint in Milwaukee ended, giving the Clippers a veteran big who fits perfectly alongside their perimeter-heavy roster.

Lopez isn’t the type to dominate stat sheets, but his timing, toughness, and floor awareness tend to steady teams. For a group chasing late-stage playoff clarity, L.A. could be an ideal fit.

Russell Westbrook, Sacramento Kings

Russell Westbrook’s arrival in Sacramento adds one more twist to a career defined by reinvention. He’s no longer the nightly triple-double force, but his competitive fire hasn’t dulled a bit.

The Kings wanted veteran intensity and playoff experience, and Westbrook provides both. The challenge will be embracing a smaller role without losing that trademark edge.

For a young team trying to take the next step, his presence could be galvanizing or combustible. Either way, he’ll make them feel something, and that’s exactly what Sacramento needs.

A Season of Change — and Collectibles Worth Owning

From Kevin Durant’s latest chapter in Houston to Russell Westbrook’s fiery new role in Sacramento, the 2025–26 NBA season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. Every offseason move adds another story to basketball history — and for fans, it’s a chance to collect those moments in more ways than one.

At Pristine Auction, you can find authentic, signed NBA memorabilia from legends and current stars — from Durant and Beal to Giannis and LeBron — all authenticated and ready for display. Because while players change teams, great collectibles never lose their value.