The 2026-27 NBA season sees plenty of impact players in new places, on new contracts and with new teammates, making for what should be a highly-anticipated campaign.
Lakers Nation continues our series ranking the 100 best players in the league for that upcoming anticipated season.
A reminder that this list ranks only with the 2026-27 season in mind, and no regard for any future campaigns. Nos. 51-75 can be seen here and Nos. 76-100 can be seen here.
We now get into the top 50, featuring the biggest and brightest stars the game has to offer.
Nos. 41-50 on Lakers Nation’s Top 100
41. Darius Garland, L.A. Clippers
The two-time All-Star was sent from Cleveland to L.A. at last season’s trade deadline in a blockbuster deal. That – plus a slew of injuries – has dampened Garland’s league-wide reputation. But his offensive impact is nothing shy of elite when playing at full strength. A Clippers team built around him should show that.
42. Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic
Bane was not the solution to all of Orlando’s problems, but he was remarkable in his debut season with the Magic. He averaged 20.1 points per game on 48.4/39.1/90.8 shooting splits and positive advanced metrics on both sides of the ball.
43. Ivica Zubac, Indiana Pacers
Zubac was acquired by the Pacers in a massive deal with the Clippers at the trade deadline, and while he only played five games before being shut down for the season, he is expected to be the player that helps Tyrese Haliburton bring Indiana back to title contention in 2026-27.
44. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs
Just about everybody on the Spurs took a leap last season, and Castle was no different. The 2024-25 Rookie of the Year improved across the board, seeing increases in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game while shooting more efficiently from all three levels. The 21-year-old is looking like a franchise cornerstone heading into Year 3.
45. LaMelo Ball, Minnesota Timberwolves
Ball being dealt from the Charlotte Hornets to the Timberwolves was perhaps the riskiest move of the summer by any team. Injuries limited Ball to 105 total games between 2022 and 2025. But he was healthy last season and posted the 19th-best Value Over Replacement Player (VORP) in the league while leading Charlotte to an unlikely Play-In berth while orchestrating the fifth-best offense in the NBA.
46. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Health is by far the biggest factor in determining whether or not Embiid – and by association, the 76ers – have a successful year with their newly-upgraded core. The Embiid that won Most Valuable Player in 2022-23 is no longer around, but a healthy Embiid is still among the most effective offensive bigs in the sport.
47. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Gobert enters his 14th – and age-34 – campaign with arguably the most important role of his career. Minnesota dealt both of their power forwards – Julius Randle and Naz Reid – for Ball, effectively reversing the identity that Minnesota had spent the last three years building. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year plays a vital role in keeping his team elite defensively.
48. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets
Sengun had a rough showing in the playoffs, but remained as effective as ever in the regular season to earn his second consecutive All-Star selection. Sengun ranked 13th in VORP, 20th in wins shares and 16th in box plus-minus.
49. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
Markkanen has not been asked to play winning basketball in several seasons, but there’s a reason he was one of the league’s most coveted players during that span. The 29-year-old averaged 26.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in 42 games last season.
50. Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs
Harper is the lowest-ranked of the Spurs’ three-headed guard monster, but that’s only temporary. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 51.5% from the field with elite defense in the playoffs as a rookie. His ceiling is among the highest in the sport.
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