Star NBA Players Who Might Need a Breakup
Few NBA marriages last forever. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal parted ways after their fourth NBA Finals appearance (with three championships) in five years. Whether it's finances, age, fit or personalities, sometimes the only answer to a plateauing NBA star pairing is a breakup.
The following is a list of duos that could be heading toward a split. Some may be premature; their teams will give another postseason run a try. Others may be stuck together by unattractive contracts, too expensive to resolve.
Trade season doesn't typically begin until December 15. Which star duos will still be together past the NBA's February 5 trade deadline?
Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr.
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The "problem" in Memphis may not be the relationship between Morant and Jackson, but Morant and the coaching staff. Together, the team won 107 regular-season games over two seasons (2021-23), but the 2022 playoff run ended in the second round against the Golden State Warriors (Memphis fell to the Los Angeles Lakers the following year).
While the Grizzlies recently renegotiated and extended Jackson's contract for $240 million, Morant's trajectory stalled with his 25-game suspension for showing a gun on Instagram Live. He's struggled to stay healthy and has bristled under Tuomas Iisalo's coaching.
Given the commitment to Jackson, the team's slow start to the season, and Morant's discontent, it's time for the Grizzlies to find a new lead guard.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell
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The Cavaliers were the second-best team in basketball last year with 64 wins, but for the second straight season, they fell in the second round in five games. The team is "all-in" on winning now, as the only NBA franchise above the strict second apron. After this season, Cleveland will have a future first-round draft pick frozen. Its flexibility is minimal, and the tax/apron penalties only compound over time.
Winning with two relatively small guards, even with talented big men like Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, has proved problematic in the postseason. Can Cleveland make 2025-26 its championship season? Injuries have weakened the Eastern Conference; this may be its best chance.
If not, then it will be time to seriously consider breaking Garland and Mitchell up this summer. The former may be more likely to go, but since Mitchell can opt out before the 2027-28 season (a year before Garland), the team may need to know his long-term plans before making that choice.
Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner
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The Magic may have a similar issue to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but with its talented pair of forwards rather than its backcourt. Can the franchise win with Banchero and Wagner, when neither is a consistent three-point shooter?
Orlando, likely seeing injuries to Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics) and Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), has ventured into luxury-tax territory to capitalize. The Desmond Bane acquisition may help the team advance deep into the playoffs, but the move was expensive. Banchero starts a max salary next season; Wagner is already there.
Add in Jalen Suggs and Bane, and the Magic may need to find less-expensive options, especially if the Banchero/Wagner pairing leads to a third-straight first-round exit.
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New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns
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The Knicks fired coach Tom Thibodeau after the team's best postseason run this century.
Can replacement Mike Brown get his squad to defend at the highest level in the playoffs with the Brunson/Towns pairing?
Offensively, the two are a problem for other teams. But how long will New York stick with the two if the next postseason run doesn't improve upon last year's Eastern Conference Finals run?
Philadelphia 76ers: Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid
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While the Sixers have tried to maximize the championship window of their former NBA MVP, Embiid has struggled to stay healthy. Paul George was brought in to complement Embiid, but he, too, has dropped off with age.
Meanwhile, the team has found exciting young players like VJ Edgecombe and Jared McCain. Adem Bona may never score like Embiid, but he's a fun, energetic big man to play alongside the Sixers' youth movement.
Unfortunately, Philadelphia will be stuck with Embiid and George's salaries for some time. It's past time for a breakup, but that may be too impractical for now.
Sacramento Kings: Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan
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The Chicago Bulls already decided it was time to go in a different direction after winning just one playoff game in several tries with LaVine and DeRozan.
For some reason, the Kings decided it was worth trying.
Spoiler: it hasn't worked.
Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James, the Lakers
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The Lakers were floundering in the post-Kobe Bryant era. The youth movement, featuring players like D'Angelo Russell, Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson had its moments. Still, the team was eager to sacrifice potential for one of the greatest players of all time.
Partnering James with Anthony Davis led to the 2020 title, but that duo ran its course.
That Los Angeles was able to acquire Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks for Davis (and others) remains perplexing, but the Lakers have their new (and younger) star. James is in the final year of his contract, has yet to play this season, and the Lakers are an early surprise in the Western Conference.
James has a no-trade clause. Even if he were willing to approve a deal, moving his $52.6 million salary would be a significant challenge mid-season. General manager Rob Pelinka has said he hopes James retires with the Lakers, but the team could have offered him a longer deal this past summer. Instead, James opted into the final year of his contract, and it certainly feels like this is his last go with the Lakers.
*Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X @EricPincus and Bluesky.
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