The NBA's six-month long marathon soap opera is about to begin and guarantees that there will be plenty of spotlight to share. In that inclusive spirit, here are 27 people who will shape the 2026-27 season.

Both the return and the absence of centres was the story of the Raptors' loss to the Pistons on Wednesday. Still it was an unlikely big man who stole the show, writes Sportsnet's Blake Murphy.

Firmly positioned in a playoff spot and with clear roster needs, the Raptors seem likely to make a move. Blake Murphy digs into the tools the Raptors have available, CBA rules and everything you need to know in his annual trade deadline primer.

The Toronto Raptors received some timely 3-point shooting after being cold for most of the game, on a night Gradey Dick had his strongest performance of the season.

While the Thunder have looked inevitable, one thing we know about the NBA is that we don't know anything. So why not get bold? Blake Murphy comes through with his bold predictions for the NBA in 2026.

Predictions can be a fool's errand in the parity era. But however the 2025-26 NBA season plays out, you can bet it'll be electric and these 26 names will be at the heart of the action.