As the 2025-26 NBA season approaches, a handful of elite players find themselves trapped on teams that simply don’t match their level of talent. Every year, there are stars who put up incredible numbers but can’t seem to get enough wins.
In terms of talent and production, these players are ready to compete for championships, but their current situations might not allow them to. Here are five NBA stars who are simply too good for their current teams heading into the 2025-26 season.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo
2024-25 Season Statistics: 30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.2 BPG
2024-25 Team Record: 48-34
The Milwaukee Bucks’ shocking decision to waive Damian Lillard this offseason sent a clear message that this franchise has lost its championship direction. Once a model of elite roster construction, the Bucks are now a shell of the 2021 team that hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Giannis Antetokounmpo is now surrounded by a rotation that lacks elite guard play and offensive creators, which is why his future could be in jeapordy.
Whether we like it or not, Giannis might end up trying to leave Milwaukee if the team doesn’t start the season strongly. The Greek Freak might be sending warning messages to the Bucks organization, and it is only natural trade rumors will heat up.
The roster simply isn’t up to par right now. Myles Turner provides defensive support, and Bobby Portis brings hustle and energy, but neither moves the needle for a player whose prime years are built for title contention. Giannis will continue to put up MVP-level numbers nightly, but Milwaukee’s offense will become predictable and overly reliant on Giannis’ all-world athleticism.
This imbalance not only limits the Bucks’ ceiling but also risks wasting one of the greatest primes in modern NBA history. Perhaps a move to a big market, or even a well-built contender like New York, Miami, Houston, or Golden State, would reignite the kind of championship chase that defined his peak. Staying in Milwaukee, at this point, feels more like blind loyalty.
2. Devin Booker
2024-25 Season Statistics: 25.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 7.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
2024-25 Team Record: 36-46
The fallout left Devin Booker leading a team devoid of the veteran leadership and roster balance required to win in a tough Western Conference. With Jalen Green now as his co-star, the Suns have some potential, but far too little proven reliability to threaten the elite even if Booker believes there is “unfinished business” to do.
Booker’s scoring remains unmatched, but elite performances mean little without wins, and the Suns’ front office seems to have hit reset just as Booker’s prime is entering its peak. He signed the largest extension in NBA history to remain in Phoenix, but that loyalty is being tested by the team’s fall from contender to play-in team.
At 28, Booker should be chasing championships, not empty box scores. He’s already proven he can perform under the bright lights, from his 70-point game as a young player to his Finals run in 2021. But unless Phoenix can rebuild a contender around him quickly, the best shooting guard in the NBA is wasting his prime.
3. LaMelo Ball
2024-25 Season Statistics: 25.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
2024-25 Team Record: 19-63
LaMelo Ball’s time in Charlotte has been defined by flashes of brilliance overshadowed by dysfunction. Statistically, he’s an All-Star caliber guard, but the results simply don’t show up in the win column. The Hornets continue to linger near the bottom of the standings without any real talent.
Brandon Miller’s development is a bright spot, but even with his emergence, the Hornets remain years away from contention. Ball’s offensive skills are wasted on a team that struggles to execute basic defensive principles and lacks veteran leadership. Yes, Ball isn’t perfect and he has to take some blame about not being a leader, but that doesn’t take away from his talents.
Injuries haven’t helped his cause, but even when healthy, the Hornets’ supporting cast doesn’t complement his fast-paced, free-flowing style. At just 24, LaMelo still has time to rewrite his narrative, but it likely won’t happen in Charlotte. Perhaps that is why we floated a blockbuster deal that sends LaMelo to Miami to shake up the Eastern Conference standings.
4. Domantas Sabonis
2024-25 Season Statistics: 19.1 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 6.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2024-25 Team Record: 40-42
Domantas Sabonis is a player who thrives in systems built on movement and chemistry, not one-dimensional isolation play. As one of the best centers in the NBA, the big man deserves better right now. Unless the Kings can find better talent to put around Sabonis, this partnership might not be one to continue with.
After all, Sacramento’s experiment feels too similar to the failed Bulls era with Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, suggesting the same result: mediocrity. At 29, Sabonis deserves a franchise that values his versatility and builds accordingly.
His rebounding, passing, and interior scoring make him an ideal piece for a playoff team, not a middling squad searching for direction. We think the Kings will stand pat to start the new season before assessing the next steps sooner rather than later.
5. Lauri Markkanen
2024-25 Season Statistics: 19.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2024-25 Team Record: 17-65
Lauri Markkanen’s 2024-25 campaign might not have matched his breakout season, but his talent remains undeniable. The Utah Jazz’s collapse into one of the worst teams in league history was not a reflection of his ability, but rather of a franchise in disarray.
Even amid chaos, Markkanen proved he’s a true three-level scorer, and his dominant EuroBasket showing reaffirmed what many already knew: Markkanen is one of Europe’s best exports. The Jazz, however, are nowhere near contention.
Their young core is raw, their defense is atrocious, and their direction is uncertain. Markkanen’s scoring often feels like a wasted effort, as his production rarely translates into meaningful wins.
At 28, Markkanen is entering his prime, and time is running out for Utah to build something substantial around him. Markkanen deserves a stage where his talent can truly shine, not one buried beneath endless rebuilding seasons. We even floated an idea of Markkanen arriving in Cleveland to build a new contender that we can certainly get excited about.
