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

(Photo by Jaden Coleman/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images It wasn’t long ago that the NBA Finals felt like they were already a formality when teams reported for training camp to start the new season. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers faced off in four straight championship series from 2015-2018, which was part of a longer run of LeBron James’ team making eight straight trips to the NBA Finals. Everything changed in 2019 when Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson both suffered devastating injuries, allowing the Toronto Raptors to capture an unlikely championship and unofficially starting the parity era. The NBA has now seen eight unique champions. No team has even made back-to-back Finals appearances over that time. Durant’s Warriors are the last team to win consecutive championships way back in 2017 and 2018. The league is harder to predict than ever before, and most teams think they’re one or two moves away from being a legitimate championship threat. That belief spurred a dramatic summer of offseason movement that sent multiple superstars to new homes and rearranged the league’s hierarchy behind three proven championship-caliber teams. There are so many old faces in new places entering the 2026-27 season. Media day felt especially jarring this year as players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jaylen Brown put on new uniforms. It also felt wild to see role players like Lu Dort, Naz Reid, and Mitchell Robinson put on their new jerseys after spending their entire careers with one franchise. Check out our Eastern Conference regular season rankings, Western Conference predictions, and full NBA championship rankings for the 2026-27 season. Here are the biggest names who changed teams over the summer in their new threads to start the season. LeBron James, F, Philadelphia 76ers This looks like Photoshop. I can’t get over it. LeBron really did sign with the Sixers, and he really could fix their biggest offensive problems. LaMelo Ball, G, Minnesota Timberwolves I hated that the Hornets decided to punt on the LaMelo Ball era after finishing with the best net-rating in the NBA after Jan. 1 last season. There’s certainly a lot of risk involved for the Wolves, but Ball’s playmaking and pull-up shooting raises their ceiling if he can fend off recurring ankle injuries. Ja Morant, G, Portland Trail Blazers Morant needed a fresh start, but this still feels like a weird fit. Are Morant and Damian Lillard really going to last as Portland’s starting backcourt with so many defensive questions? Kawhi Leonard, F, Toronto Raptors The Clippers got nuked and Kawhi got away scot-free. The Raptors hope they can party like 2019 again with Leonard back in Toronto. Jaylen Brown, F, Philadelphia 76ers I really thought Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum would spend their entire careers with the Celtics. Blame the second-apron, I guess. I actually think Boston is going to kill it without Brown this season, and I totally understand the case for trading him. It will be a very interesting year in Philly to say the least. Tyler Herro, G, Milwaukee Bucks Tyler Herro got punched in the face by Bam Adebayo, and got traded from Miami to the rebuilding Bucks over the offseason. I love the city of Milwaukee, but that feels like a tough summer. Giannis Antetokounmpo, F, Miami Heat At least the endless will-he-or-won’t-he speculation about Giannis’ future is over. It’s time for him to stay healthy long enough to prove that he’s still the best player in the East. Walker Kessler, C, Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers traded every available asset to land Kessler, who immediately upgrades their rim protection behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. I thought the Lakers gave up too much in the deal, but Kessler fixes LA’s biggest problem and gives them a chance to dream about making a Cinderella run to the NBA Finals. Klay Thompson, G, Miami Heat Klay Thompson’s Warriors jersey will hang forever one day, and he looks weird as hell in any other uniform. I am not bullish on his fit in Miami, but he’s such a cool player that I hope he proves me wrong. Anthony Davis, C/F, Washington Wizards This one is kind of cheating, because Davis got dealt to the Wizards at in February at last season’s trade deadline, but I’m counting it 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 D.C. long-term. Enjoy this photo of Davis in a Wizards jersey while you still can. Norman Powell, G, Chicago Bulls I would bet Powell is wearing a different uniform by the Feb. trade deadline. His two-year contract with a team option at the end was was essentially signed to be traded. There should be a solid market for his services coming off an All-Star season. Peyton Watson, F, Cleveland Cavaliers The Nuggets couldn’t afford to pay Watson without crossing the second-apron, so they traded him to Cleveland for a future first-round pick. Can Watson be the fifth-starter the Donovan Mitchell-era Cavs have always been missing? He has the talent to do it, but I find myself higher on the deal from Denver’s side. Naz Reid, F, Charlotte Hornets Naz Reid should have been a Timberwolf for life. This just looks bizarre. Paul George, F, Boston Celtics Paul George has played for the Thunder, Clippers, and now the Celtics since leaving the Indiana Pacers. Maybe I’m delusional, but I think he can be a really good fit in Boston this season. Julius Randle, F, Brooklyn Nets Randle had a rough 2026 playoffs, but he can still be a really good player in the right system. I thin Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez is going to unlock him the same way he unlocked Michael Porter Jr. last year (and Cam Johnson the year before that). Bobby Portis, F, Miami Heat Bobby Portis will always be a Buck in my mind. It’s pretty cool that he’s following Giannis to Miami, but he still looks weird in these threads. Mitchell Robinson, C, Boston Celtics Robinson spent his whole career with the Knicks, but they let him go to their biggest Eastern Conference rival because they didn’t want to enter the second-apron to keep him. We’ll see how that one works out for everyone involved. Isaiah Joe, G, Detroit Pistons I’m super high on the Isaiah Joe acquisition for the Pistons. Remember when Malik Beasley led the league in three-pointers made in Detroit two years ago? Joe can have a similar impact if he gets enough minutes. Lu Dort, G, Atlanta Hawks Hot take, but Lu Dort is anything other than a Thunder jersey is weirder than LeBron in Philly or Giannis in Miami. This just isn’t right. I liked the Dort trade for both OKC and Atlanta. Rui Hachimura, F, Los Angeles Clippers Rui Hachimura was a major playoff riser with the Lakers. I’m going to go out on a limb and say he’s not going to get the opportunity to keep proving himself as a 16-game player during his time with the Clippers. Isaiah Stewart, F/C, Memphis Grizzlies Beef Stew was the Detroit Pistons’ identity. He still feels like a natural in the Grit-n-Grind threads. Memphis will love him. DeMar DeRozan, G, Denver Nuggets DeRozan can still get buckets at age-37, but it’s fair to wonder if his deliberate style can mesh with Nikola Jokic. I’d expect him to help lift Denver’s weak bench units if nothing else this year. Zaccharie Risacher, F, Dallas Mavericks He’s not quite Anthony Bennett, but there’s no doubt Risacher is one of the most disappointing No. 1 overall picks ever. Maybe he can turn it around in Dallas. The rest of my 2024 NBA Draft board looks pretty bad, but I was right that Risacher wasn’t a top-10 caliber prospect. Tobias Harris, F, San Antonio Spurs Harris will be in a smaller role in San Antonio than he was in Detroit, but his halfcourt scoring can still help a Spurs team that expects to be playing deep into the playoffs.

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