24 NBA players who look super weird in new jerseys this season, LeBron, Giannis, Ja Morant, and more

It wasn’t that long ago that the NBA Finals felt like they were already a formality when teams announced that camp would begin for the new season. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland have faced each other in four straight championship series from 2015-2018, part of LeBron James’ team’s longest streak of eight straight trips to the NBA Finals. All that changed in 2019 when Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson both suffered devastating injuries, allowing the Toronto Raptors to capture an unlikely championship and start irresponsibly at the same age.

The NBA has now seen eight individual champions. No team even made back-to-back finals appearance over that time Durant’s Warriors are the last team to win consecutive championships just in 2017 and 2018. The league is harder to predict than ever before, and most teams think they are one or two away from a legitimate championship threat. That idea inspired the summer’s most serious offseason moves, which sent several superstars to new homes and reorganized the league’s hierarchy behind three championship-proven teams.

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There are so many old faces in new places entering the 2026-27 season. The mid-day felt particularly discordant this year with players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown wearing new uniforms. It also felt exciting to see a bunch of players like Lu Dort, Naz Reid, and Mitchell Robinson put on their new jerseys after spending an entire season with one franchise. Check out our Eastern Conference regular season standings, Western Conference predictions, and full NBA championship standings for the 2026-27 season. Here are the biggest names that changed teams over the summer in their new jerseys to start the season.

This is similar to Photoshop. I can’t get over it. LeBron actually signed with the Sixers, and he was actually able to fix his biggest offensive problems.

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I hate that the Hornets have decided to end the LaMelo Ball era after finishing with the best netting rates in the NBA after the first day of January. There’s certainly a lot of risk involved for Wolves, but his ball game and cartoon-rising ceiling can be lifted if he can stave off frequent ankle injuries.

Morant needed a fresh start, but this still feels like a weird fit. Damian Lillard is also dead really Is Portland starting to last in the backcourt with so many defensive issues?

The Clippers got naked and Kawhi was free. The Raptors hope they can party like 2019 again with Leonard back in Toronto.

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Jaylen Brown, F, Philadelphia 76ers

I really thought Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum would spend their entire careers with the Celtics. I will blame the other steward, I guess. I really think Boston would be dead without Brown this season, and I totally understand the reason for trading him. It will be a very interesting year in Philly to say the least.

Tyler Herro got punched in the face by Bam Adebayo, and got traded from Miami to the Bucks over the offseason. I love the city of Milwaukee, but summer feels heavy.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Miami Heat

Surely he will end the speculation about the future of Giannis. It is time for him to stay healthy long enough to prove that he is the best player in the East.

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The bad guys traded each item to land Kessler, who immediately upgraded their rim protection behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. I thought it was too bad in the bargain, but Kessler fixes LA’s biggest problem and gives them a chance to dream of Cinderella making it to the NBA Finals.

Klay Thompson, G, Miami Heat

Klay Thompson’s Warriors jersey will stay forever one day, and it will look weird as hell on any other part of the uniform. I’m not a good bully in Miami, but he’s such a cool player that I hope he proves me wrong.

This is kind of misleading because Davis played at the trade deadline last February with the Wizards, but I count because he didn’t play a game with them. Davis is in the market for a contract extension, which is part of the reason I’m not confident he’ll be in DC long-term. Enjoy this photo of Davis in a Wizards jersey while you still can.

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I Powell bet a different outfit fatal feb. He essentially signed his two-year contract with a team option at the end of the contract. There must be a solid market for his services from an all-time star.

The Nuggets couldn’t afford Watson without a second-round pass, so they traded him to Cleveland for a future first-round pick. Can Watson be the fifth starter the Donovan Mitchell-era Cavs have ever lacked? It’s a talent to do that, but I find myself in a deeper business on the Denver side.

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Naz Reid should have been a Timberwolf for life. This just looks amazing.

Paul George has played for the Thunder, Clippers, and now the Celtics from the Indiana Pacers. Maybe I’m delusional, but I think he could be a really good fit in Boston this season.

Ranulph has had a rough 2026 game, but he can still be a really good player in the right format. 1 thin nets head coach Jordi Fernandez is going to unlock him the same way that Michael Porter Jr. last year (and Cam Johnson the year before that).

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Bobby Portis Buck will always be in my heart. It’s pretty cool that he followed Giannis to Miami, but it still looks weird in these threads.

Mitchell Robinson, C, Boston Celtics

Robinson spent his entire career with the Knicks, but was let go to their major Eastern Conference rival because the second-tier belt refused to keep him. We will see how one works for everyone involved.

I am the supreme priest over Isaiah the Raven for the acquisition of the Baker. Remember the three-pointer Malik Beasley made in Detroit two years ago? Raven can have a similar impact if he gets enough minutes.

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Take the heat, but Lu Dort is nothing more than a Thunder jersey that is dumber than LeBron in Philly or Giannis in Miami. This just isn’t right. Agreed to trade Dorsey for both OKC and Atlanta.

Rui Hachimura was a major toy riser at the Jets. I’m going to go on a limb and say he won’t get the chance to prove himself in his 16-game season with the Clippers.

Beef Stew was Detroit Baker’s identity. It still feels like a natural Grit-n-Grease thread. Memphis will love him.

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DeRozan can still get buckets at age 37, but it’s a wonder if his deliberate style can mesh with Nikola Jokic. I was expecting him to lift support for Denver’s weak planning units if nothing else this year.

Not quite Anthony Bennett, but Risacher is undoubtedly one of the most disappointing No. 1 overall read ever. Maybe he can turn it around in Dallas. The rest of my 2024 NBA Draft list looks bad, but I was right that Risacher was not a top 10 prospect.

Harris will be in a smaller role in San Antonio than he was in Detroit, but the scoring center can still help spur a team that expects to play high in the playoffs.