When LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers last week, the major part of the NBA’s annual trade and free agency period came to a close. Moves will still be made this summer, particularly as training camps approach, but—give or take a DeMar DeRozan—the major pieces have fallen into place.
The Summer of 2026 brought a fair amount of surprise moves, one of which involved the Portland Trail Blazers. Check out this slightly-stale Blazer’s Edge Mailbag question into which we’re breathing new life today:
Dave,
Ja [Morant]? [Expletive retracted] I didn’t expect that! I want to ask a hundred things but the one I want to know most is how surprised were you? I bet that took even you by surprise!
Greg
Yes, it did. My jaw dropped along with everybody else’s. Doubly so since I would have been able to write a 2000-word post the day prior on all the reasons it wouldn’t happen because it’s not a sensible idea! Ha!
Rather than go on about that, I want to open up a broader discussion. Of all the huge moves this summer, which one surprised (or surprises) you most?
Here are the candidates:
Morant to the Blazers
Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to the Miami Heat
Jaylen Brown traded to the Philadelphia 76ers
LeBron signs with the 76ers
Something else (Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors maybe, Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, or other)
Share your biggest shocker in the comments section below!