NBA Supercoach | New Season, New Team & New Opportunities

Welcome back, SuperCoaches. A new season brings fresh prices, renewed optimism and the annual temptation to convince ourselves that every offseason move has unlocked somebody’s fantasy ceiling.

This year, that temptation is stronger than usual. Giannis Antetokounmpo is in Miami. LaMelo Ball is running Minnesota’s offence. LeBron James and Jaylen Brown are together in Philadelphia.

Kawhi Leonard has returned to Toronto, while Ja Morant is getting a fresh start in Portland. The jerseys have changed, but the question remains: does the new situation make the player a better selection?

A trade can create opportunity, but it can also bring more competition for touches, reduced availability, or a role that looks better in terms of real basketball than in SC. Price matters. Position matters. The opening schedule matters.

Most importantly, we need to separate the names that dominate the headlines from the players whose fantasy and SuperCoach landscapes have genuinely improved.

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The starting point

The table below compares each player’s 2025/26 output with their new starting price and first four rounds of the 2026/27 season. Prices are shown in millions. The schedule column lists games in Rounds 1 to 4.

Player	Avg	GP	25/26 Start	25/26 Finish	26/27 Price	Team	R1-R4
Giannis Antetokounmpo	33.1	36	$23.39m	$19.17m	$21.64m	MIA	3-3-4-3
LaMelo Ball	21.6	72	$14.48m	$13.12m	$14.14m	MIN	3-4-4-2
Jaylen Brown	26.9	69	$13.92m	$15.57m	$17.58m	PHI	4-3-4-3
Paul George	19.9	35	$11.87m	$12.63m	$13.03m	BOS	2-4-4-3
Tyler Herro	21.3	32	$15.19m	$12.60m	$13.93m	MIL	3-3-4-4
Brandon Ingram	21.5	75	$13.53m	$11.86m	$14.02m	LAC	3-3-3-3
LeBron James	25.9	58	$18.70m	$15.47m	$16.92m	PHI	4-3-4-3
Walker Kessler	28.0	5	$16.12m	$16.30m	$16.47m	LAL	3-4-4-4
Kawhi Leonard	30.2	63	$14.70m	$17.15m	$19.72m	TOR	3-3-3-4
Damian Lillard	0.0	0	$16.52m	$16.52m	$13.90m	POR	2-3-4-3
Ja Morant	20.1	18	$14.25m	$12.69m	$13.14m	POR	2-3-4-3
Julius Randle	23.4	77	$13.41m	$12.09m	$15.29m	BKN	3-3-4-2
Kel’el Ware	19.6	75	$10.32m	$10.95m	$12.81m	MIL	3-3-4-4

Giannis Antetokounmpo | Miami Heat | $21.64m

Giannis remains the highest-scoring player in this group after averaging 33.1, but only 36 games last season turned a premium investment into a frustrating one. He begins life in Miami at $21.64 million, below his 2025/26 starting price of $23.39 million, but still expensive enough (5^th highest cost in SC to open) to demand both elite scoring and availability.

Miami will build around Giannis and Bam Adebayo, creating one of the league’s most imposing frontcourts. Giannis should remain the primary offensive force, although sharing rebounding territory and interior possessions with Bam could trim some of the statistics that make him a SuperCoach monster. The Heat’s 3-3-4-3 start is steady without providing an overwhelming schedule advantage.

This is less a question of talent than trust. If Giannis is healthy, very few players can match his weekly ceiling. At more than $21 million, however, coaches need more than a ceiling. They need games. He is an entirely defensible premium selection, but the injury discount does not automatically make him the best investment among this year’s new faces.

If he is ready and able, and hell-bent on a “revenge tour” after last year’s narratives, then he is a primo I will hate to be without if he starts the season going nuclear.

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Kel’el Ware | Milwaukee Bucks | $12.81m

Ware is one of the clearest opportunity plays on the board. He averaged 19.6 from 75 games last season and now arrives in Milwaukee at $12.81 million as one of the centrepieces of the Giannis trade. The Bucks have not acquired him to hide him on the bench. They need Ware to develop quickly and, just as importantly, they need the return for their franchise icon to look meaningful.

The immediate basketball fit is fascinating. Myles Turner remains the likely centre, leaving Ware capable of starting at power forward and sliding to the five when Turner rests. That creates paths to increased minutes, rebounds and defensive scoring. Yet SC has listed Ware only at centre, despite his genuine capacity to play the four.

That becomes even more curious when compared with Walker Kessler (who we’ll discuss later), who has received power-forward eligibility despite playing almost exclusively at centre.

Ware’s 3-3-4-4 opening run is useful rather than spectacular, but it gives coaches two early rounds to inspect the rotation before the schedule improves. At this price, we are buying role growth and proven premium production when provided the opportunity. Milwaukee’s incentive to showcase its major acquisitions makes that gamble particularly appealing.

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Tyler Herro | Milwaukee Bucks | $13.93m

For Herro, this is more than a new jersey. The Wisconsin native returns home with something to prove after a discombobulated 2025/26 campaign in which he managed only 32 games and averaged 21.3. At $13.93 million, he could re-establish himself as an All-Star-calibre player at a more palatable starting price than he had last year in Miami.

Herro will share backcourt duties with Ryan Rollins, a SuperCoach darling after last season’s breakout, but the pairing does not necessarily damage Herro’s outlook.

Rollins can assume point-guard responsibilities while Herro can also operate as a playmaker in Milwaukee whilst playing off-ball as a leading perimeter scorer and secondary creator. Kevin Porter Jr. appears to be the player more likely to lose touches, minutes and prominence.

Like with Ware, the organisational context matters here too. Milwaukee surrendered Giannis for a package headlined by Herro and Ware. The Bucks will want supporters to see an immediate return from that monumental decision, and both players should be given every opportunity to shine. Herro’s 3-3-4-4 schedule allows him to settle before the volume rises.

His health history creates risk, but the motivation, role, and investment surrounding him all point in the right direction.

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Jaylen Brown | Philadelphia 76ers | $17.58m

Brown arrives in Philadelphia after averaging 26.9 across 69 games and is priced accordingly at $17.58 million. The four-game opening round is immediately attractive, but his new environment may prove more complicated than the schedule suggests.

The 76ers have assembled an extraordinary collection of established scorers and creators. Brown now shares the floor with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid and LeBron James. That gives Philadelphia enormous real-world upside while creating a SuperCoach concern: there is only one basketball.

Brown should retain a major role, but the touches required to justify a near-premium price are less secure than they were in Boston.

His durability and Round 1 volume keep him relevant. The challenge is identifying the path to meaningful price growth when his starting figure already reflects last season’s production. Brown may be safer than several names we’re discussing here, but safety and value are not always the same thing.

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LeBron James | Philadelphia 76ers | $16.92m

LeBron’s fifth NBA home opens with the same 4-3-4-3 schedule as Brown and a $16.92 million price after averaging 25.9 in 58 games. Even this late in his career, his ability to accumulate points, rebounds, and assists keeps him firmly within the SC conversation.

The question is how Philadelphia manages the regular season. LeBron no longer needs to carry every possession, and the presence of Maxey, the previously mentioned Brown, and Embiid gives the 76ers every reason to preserve him. That could mean fewer minutes, carefully managed workloads, and more volatility when the schedule becomes congested.

In many ways, this is the Backseat Bron Era. The King will still be capable of elite production, yet comfortable (and more frequently) willing to toss the keys to a new driver, and the 76ers are going to need him to accept that role if they are to fulfil their full potential.

The four-game first round makes him tempting, particularly for coaches who trust the 76ers to open at full strength. Yet his price asks us to believe that a crowded roster and deliberate workload management will not restrict his output. LeBron can still deliver enormous individual weeks; he is simply harder to treat as a set-and-forget selection.

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Paul George | Boston Celtics | $13.03m

George travels in the opposite direction as part of the Brown trade and begins at only $13.03 million after a disrupted 35-game season produced a 19.9 average. The discount is obvious. So is the danger.

Boston offers George a cleaner positional fit and an immediate opening on the wing. Brown’s departure vacates scoring, defensive responsibility, and minutes, while the Celtics’ structure should allow George to contribute without manufacturing every possession. If his body cooperates, a return toward his established level would make this starting price look generous.

The opening schedule provides the strategic wrinkle. Boston plays only twice in Round 1 before moving into consecutive four-game rounds and then a three. Starting George means accepting an early volume disadvantage. But he is very capable of early cash generation.

With a breakeven of 40 and no chance of rest in Week 1, I would expect him to deliver above his average from last year in his new Massachusetts home. Watching him through Round 1 and targeting him before that 4-4 stretch may be a sharp play. He is one of the best candidates in this group to become an early correction rather than an automatic opening-night selection.

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LaMelo Ball | Minnesota Timberwolves | $14.14m

LaMelo may be the most intriguing blend of established upside and attainable price in the entire group. Let it be known I am not a “LaMelo Truther”. He can play and is fun, sure. But also boneheaded, and therefore the appeal of being a fan has always been tempered.

Last season, Ball averaged 21.6 across 72 games and starts 26/27 at $14.14 million, only slightly above his finishing price. Most importantly, he arrives in Minnesota with a clearer chance to operate within a competitive and stable environment.

Playing alongside Anthony Edwards will reduce the need for LaMelo to create everything, but it should also improve the quality of the opportunities around him. Minnesota needs a high-level organiser who can accelerate the offence, find Edwards in advantageous positions and generate easy looks for its frontcourt. LaMelo does all these things.

And in Ball’s defence, he has never played with another All-Star-level alpha like Edwards. This presents us with an interesting proposition, as LaMelo can still score, rebound and create while carrying less of the defensive attention that followed him (and frequently derailed him) in Charlotte.

The schedule is front-loaded at 3-4-4 before falling to two games in Round 4. That gives coaches an excellent early runway to benefit from the move, assess the Edwards partnership, and then reconsider before the quiet week. LaMelo’s health will always sit in the conversation, but 72 games last season and a mid-tier price make this feel far more like calculated upside than blind faith.

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Julius Randle | Brooklyn Nets | $15.29m

Randle moves from Minnesota to Brooklyn after averaging 23.4 across 77 games. His $15.29 million price represents a significant rise on last season’s finish, but the move also places him in a situation where his experience and physical creation should be needed immediately.

Brooklyn can offer Randle substantial frontcourt responsibility, although his fit alongside Michael Porter Jr. creates a balance between opportunity and shared usage. Randle’s durability remains a major strength, and his ability to contribute across scoring, rebounding, and playmaking gives him a stable fantasy base.

We saw him attain excellent SC results last season in the absence of Anthony Edwards in Minnesota, and MPJ is not as ball dominant as Edwards, so arguably the fit is fine. However, Brooklyn’s youth movement is something to watch, with Demin poised to take on an increased role and rookie Mikel Brown Jr. looking to take the starting point guard position.

The 3-3-4-2 opening schedule is less compelling than other options, with a particularly awkward fourth round. Randle should matter to the Nets, but at more than $15 million, he may be priced closer to his likely output than coaches would prefer. He is watchable without being one of the clearest investments.

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Ja Morant | Portland Trail Blazers | $13.14m

Few players need a fresh start more than Morant. He played only 18 games last season, averaged 20.1, and now lands in Portland at $13.14 million. The price reflects both his extraordinary talent and the uncertainty that has surrounded his availability.

Portland will want Morant to inject speed and rim pressure into an offence that has lacked a consistent point-of-attack force. The challenge is the crowded guard room. Damian Lillard (who is up next), Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson will all get minutes, even if health, age and role eventually separate the rotation. Morant has the highest athletic ceiling among them, but the Trail Blazers will need to establish who controls the offence.

A two-game opening round makes him difficult to select from the outset. The following 3-4-3 run offers improvement, so Morant could become another early observation target. His upside at $13.14 million is undeniable; the first job is confirming that his new team has unlocked a true fresh start in Rip City.

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Damian Lillard | Portland Trail Blazers | $13.90m

Lillard’s return is already one of the league’s great homecoming stories. He missed the entirety of 2025/26 while recovering from an Achilles injury and is priced at $13.90 million without a recent average to guide us. However, his previous worst average in SC is 24.7. So consider me tantalised.

Now, the arrival of Morant transforms Lillard’s role, as Portland no longer needs Dame to be the sole engine of its offence, which could help manage his workload and allow him to spend more time as an off-ball shooter. Also, the rise of Deni Avdija in Portland as a focal point may be a positive for his body and the Blazers, but it could also reduce the ball-dominant production that once made him a premium.

The two-game opening round gives coaches little reason to take an immediate risk. However, Lillard deserves time to show how much explosiveness and workload he has recovered, and how the possessions are divided among Portland’s guards. The story is irresistible; the Round 1 SuperCoach selection is not.

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Kawhi Leonard | Toronto Raptors | $19.72m

Kawhi’s return to Toronto carries obvious emotion and championship history, but his 2025/26 production also deserves attention. He averaged 30.2 across 63 games and climbed from $14.70 million to $17.15 million. SuperCoach has recognised that output by setting his new price at $19.72 million.

Toronto has brought him back to lead. The Raptors possess younger talent around him, but Kawhi should remain the first option, and the player trusted to control high-leverage possessions alongside Scottie Barnes. His ability to score efficiently while generating rebounds and defensive numbers gives Leonard a genuine premium profile.

Also, after the Clippers “situation” (let’s just call it that), he needs to reassert his credibility as one of the NBA’s best, whilst showing his willingness to lead in the North to spin the narrative around him, if even slightly.

The difficulty is paying almost $20 million before learning how aggressively he will come out of the gate, and Toronto will manage him. A 3-3-3-4 schedule provides no early volume spike to offset that risk. Kawhi could again be one of the competition’s best scorers on a per-game basis, yet his price makes him easier to admire than to prioritise.

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Brandon Ingram | LA Clippers | $14.02m

Ingram heads to Los Angeles in the same Kawhi deal after averaging 21.5 across 75 games. His availability was a major positive last season, but the move comes with a $14.02 million starting price and a flat 3-3-3-3 schedule. However, availability is now not relevant as he has a partially torn Achilles and won’t be ready to start the season.

The Clippers exchanged Kawhi’s enormous ceiling for a younger scorer who may be easier to keep on the floor. Ingram would have seen significant wing usage, and the organisation had every reason to make him central to its next phase. Gradey Dick also arrived in the trade, but Ingram is the proven creator expected to absorb the largest share of Kawhi’s offensive responsibility.

There was a pathway to reliable mid-tier production, but his injury and current price leave no obvious upside over the strongest names in the final five.

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Walker Kessler | Los Angeles Lakers | $16.47m

Kessler produced the most explosive number in the spreadsheet: a 28.0 average. The problem is that it came from only five games. His $16.47 million starting price therefore asks coaches to decide how much weight to place on an extraordinary but tiny sample.

The Lakers’ fit is almost ideal. Kessler gives Luka Doncic a vertical target and provides the rim protection and rebounding their roster needed. Doncic has repeatedly elevated lob threats and interior finishers, and Kessler does not require high usage to generate SC points.

Blocks, rebounds, efficient scoring, and putbacks can all arrive without plays being called for him, or him stretching the floor from deep like he began to show in that small sample size last season.

Then there is the curious position designation. Kessler has received power-forward eligibility despite playing almost exclusively at centre (much like Victor Wembanyama). That flexibility could become extremely valuable when building a side, covering absences and navigating the schedule.

Kessler also opens with 3-4-4-4 games, the strongest schedule in this group. The five-game 25/26 sample makes him risky, but the combination of role, teammate fit, positional flexibility, and fixture volume makes him impossible to leave outside the leading recommendations.

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The 5 That Matter Most…

These are not simply the five best NBA players on the list. They are the five whose price, opportunity, role, and early schedule create the most compelling SuperCoach decisions.

5) Paul George | $13.03 million

George is the deliberate watch-and-pounce selection. Boston has a meaningful role available after Jaylen Brown’s departure, and George is priced for last season’s disrupted output rather than his established ceiling.

The two-game opening round discourages an immediate commitment, but the following 4-4-3 stretch could make him one of the first major correction targets.

4) Tyler Herro | $13.93 million

The Wisconsin homecoming gives Herro both motivation and opportunity. Milwaukee needs its return for Giannis to succeed publicly and immediately, and Herro should be given significant scope to re-establish himself as an All-Star-level scorer.

His immediate role and organisational investment are the attraction, combined with a decent 3-3-4-4 opening month.

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3)  Walker Kessler | $16.47 million

The price is substantial for a player whose 28.0 average came across only five games, but almost everything else lines up. Doncic should maximise Kessler’s finishing, the Lakers need his defence and rebounding, PF eligibility creates unusual flexibility, and the 3-4-4-4 schedule supplies elite early volume.

He is a possible health gamble (although the Lakers organisation says he is healthy and ready to go) with a clear path to paying off.

2) Kel’el Ware | $12.81 million

Ware combines youth, durability, price and organisational incentive. Milwaukee has traded away its franchise icon and will want one of the deal’s headline acquisitions on the floor.

Starting beside Turner can expand Ware’s role without forcing him to battle exclusively against centres, and his ability to shift to the five creates further opportunity. The missing PF designation is frustrating, but the basketball role remains extremely attractive.

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1) LaMelo Ball | $14.14 million

A “truther” I now might be. LaMelo owns the best balance of proven production and realistic price. He played 72 games last season, moves into a stronger environment, and begins with a 3-4-4 schedule before the quiet Round 4.

Edwards may absorb usage, but he should also give LaMelo space, better targets, and less defensive attention. The move to Minnesota can raise the quality of LaMelo’s possessions without removing the all-around production that makes him a potential SuperCoach difference-maker.

A new team can change a player’s role overnight, but it does not erase price, availability or schedule. Giannis and Kawhi may remain the best pure scorers in this group.

Brown and LeBron may help Philadelphia win a great deal of basketball. And Lillard’s return to Portland may be the best story of all.

Yet, none of those truths automatically make them the best SC investments.

These are the 5, for me, whose new situations all coalesce into potential return and SuperCoach success.