The fireworks of free agency and trade season have (mostly) calmed down, leaving us with many faces in new places and plenty to be excited about for the 2026-27 NBA season.
There are still two months until regular season action tips off, but in the meantime, we can do some looking ahead. With that, Lakers Nation is breaking down their list of the 100 best players in the league.
This ranking looks at players only for the 2026-27 campaign, with no regard for future seasons. Our series will have seven installments, beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 4 with players 76-100. We will follow that with players 51-75 later this week, then in five sections of 10 for the top 50 over the next couple weeks.
Without further ado, we begin Lakers Nation’s series on the 100 best players entering the 2026-27 NBA season.
Nos. 76-100 on Lakers Nation’s Top 100
76. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
Pritchard took a step forward across the board with elevated responsibility due to Jayson Tatum’s achilles injury. Look for him to keep that productivity and efficiency in a similar role with Tatum healthy, Jaylen Brown off to Philadelphia and Paul George taking his place.
77. Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder
The All-NBA Defensive Second Team selection isn’t asked to do much in the Thunder’s offensive system, allowing him to play a fifth starter/first reserve role that perfectly suits his skillset.
78. Josh Giddey, Chicago Bulls
Giddey finished two rebounds and one assist shy of averaging a triple-double in 2025-26. However, while his counting stats were up, his efficiency and advanced metrics dipped as he was asked to do more to lead a weak Bulls team.
79. Naz Reid, Charlotte Hornets
Reid dons a new jersey for the first time in his NBA career after being dealt to Charlotte in the LaMelo Ball trade. Reid has ranked in the top five of Sixth Man of the Year voting three years running, but should take on a starting role for his new team.
80. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers
The last time we saw Nembhard playing meaningful basketball, he was a pivotal piece on a Pacers team that finished one win shy of an NBA title. His role should return to its most effective place this season with Tyrese Haliburton back in the mix.
81. Jrue Holiday, Portland Trail Blazers
Holiday enters his age-36 campaign amid a crowded Trail Blazers guard rotation. But make no mistake, the veteran guard still brings high-level championship experience on both ends of the floor.
82. Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers
Clingan had a remarkable sophomore campaign holding down the paint in Portland. He led the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.5) and rebounding percentage (23.1).
83. VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers
Edgecombe was one of the headliners of a strong 2025 rookie class, instantly becoming a core piece of the 76ers backcourt alongside Tyrese Maxey.
84. Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks
The Great Barrier Thief is averaging a whopping 2.5 steals per game over his last two seasons, landing him on back-to-back All-NBA Defense teams. A regressed three-point shot dropped him to the mid-80s on this list, but a return to the 34.0% he shot in 2024-25 could be a difference-maker for Atlanta.
85. Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves
Dosunmu inked a massive five-year, $112 million deal to stay in Minneapolis after the team acquired him at last season’s trade deadline. He now is slated to be a starting guard next to Ball coming off of a career year.
86. Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers
Camara is the third Trail Blazers player to appear in this section of our list. He lands here due to his elite defensive versatility, paired with a more-than-passable 37.0% from three on high volume.
87. CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks
McCollum found a comfortable home in Atlanta after a mid-season trade from the Washington Wizards. He was among the best players on the floor in the only playoff series to see the champion New York Knicks lose more than one game.
88. Peyton Watson, Free Agent
Watson broke out for the Denver Nuggets last season, increasing his efficiency and counting stats in a significant way from the year prior. Watson remains a restricted free agent as the Nuggets – and other teams – decide how much of last season’s 54-game output was a fluke vs. reality.
89. Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
The 25-year-old starting point guard for the Magic saw his usage take a big hit with his team’s acquisition of Desmond Bane. However, advanced metrics showed an improvement on both ends of the floor in a smaller role.
90. Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets
Johnson was among the players seen as most likely to be dealt this offseason. However, the Nuggets have chosen to hold on to him so far after he shot 43.0% from three in 54 games last season.
91. Collin Murray-Boyles, Toronto Raptors
Murray-Boyles making an All-NBA Defensive team at some point in his career feels like a likely bet, as he burst onto the scene in his rookie campaign with elite athleticism and size on the wing for the surprise playoff-bound Raptors.
92. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
The 36-year-old enters his 15th NBA season as one of the league’s most accomplished players. His athleticism has taken a step back, as has his shooting efficiency, but his defensive and playmaking IQ still rank among the best in the sport.
93. Coby White, Charlotte Hornets
White has been a model of consistency over his last three NBA campaigns, and now takes over the starting point guard role in Charlotte after the Ball trade.
94. Walker Kessler, Los Angeles Lakers
L.A.’s premier offseason acquisition could already be one of the league’s best rim protectors and rebounders, and playing next to Luka Doncic may unlock an offensive efficiency we haven’t yet seen through his first four NBA seasons.
95. Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards
Much like Kessler, we will get to see Sarr in a winning situation for the first time in his career. He has already shown high potential as a two-way big through his first two seasons.
96. Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs
Champagnie supplanted Harrison Barnes as a starter in San Antonio, and responded with high-efficiency scoring in the team’s unexpected early ascension to Finals contender.
97. Tobias Harris, San Antonio Spurs
It’s unclear whether Champagnie and Harris will start together, or if Harris will start with Devin Vassell. Either way, Harris brings his veteran savvy and scoring ability to a team looking to capture the Larry O’Brien trophy.
98. Mitchell Robinson, Boston Celtics
Robinson was essential in giving the New York Knicks a bruising big man option off the bench. They let him walk due to financial constraints, and he lands in a perfect situation in tandem with promising young center Neemias Queta.
99. Jaime Jaquez Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
Jaquez relocated to Milwaukee in the blockbuster Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, but the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up should see an increased role on a Bucks team without any star power.
100. RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors
Barrett is averaging exactly 20.0 points per game over his last five seasons, and there’s no reason to believe he’ll do any differently in 2026-27.
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