One of the best things about NBA fandom, with maybe a few exceptions, is that no matter how bad or good your team is, there's always something to look forward to.

For some organizations, you may have to look a few years into the future, but there's at least some sliver of hope for everyone.

Those slightly farther looks are the subject of today's exercise.

Based on age, upside, production to this point, the structure of the rosters and the possibility of a move from one organization to another, below are projections for who each team's best player will be three years from now.

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young

Over the last few years, conversation around Trae Young has become a lot more about his flaws than the fact that he remains one of the game's best and most consistent offensive engines.

Over the course of his career, only 11 players have a better offensive box plus/minus. No one matches or exceeds both of his totals for points and assists in that stretch. And this month, he turns 26 years old.

Theoretically, he's still a year or two shy of the start of his prime.

With his patience as a ball-handler and vision as a passer, Young is already one of the game's best pick-and-roll initiators, and his feel is only going to improve over the next few years.

Even if he remains a below-average defender, he'll likely still be the face of this franchise (unless he plays well enough for the Los Angeles Lakers to bet the farm on him in a year or two).

Other Contender: Zaccharie Risacher

It's hard to think of a No. 1 overall pick who entered the NBA surrounded by less fanfare than Zaccharie Risacher, but maybe that's a good thing.

Pressure has been an issue for plenty of high draft picks in the past. Perhaps developing in relative anonymity will make it more likely for Risacher to hit his three-and-D ceiling earlier.

Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is another player coming off a stretch in which his flaws were seemingly magnified more than his strengths by fans and media. And obviously, that's a little weirder with him, given the fact that he just won his first championship.

But even after securing the league's ultimate team prize, plenty were talking about Jaylen Brown winning Eastern Conference Finals and Finals MVP. Then, being flat-out benched in a few Olympic games for Team USA only turned up the volume on the Tatum discussion.

Some forms of "How can a player who just made three straight All-NBA first teams get benched?" or "See, Tatum's just not that good." were everywhere.

As is often the case with professional sports discourse, the truth of the matter probably lies somewhere in the middle of the two camps' talking points.

Tatum is undoubtedly one of the top 10-15 players in the league. He's developed into the fully maximized version of a three-and-D player (even if his three-point shot has been a little spotty over the last few years).

He's not a do-everything offensive engine, but his defensive versatility is wildly underrated. And his playmaking is catching up. Over the last three postseasons, he's averaged 5.9 assists.

At this point, his trajectory has probably leveled off a bit, but it's still heading up. And in three years, he'll only be 29 and almost certainly still the Boston Celtics' best player.

Other Contender: Jaylen Brown

Yes, Brown secured a couple individual trophies over Tatum, but the latter had a higher average game score in both the conference finals and Finals. The idea that Brown may have seized the organizational torch along with those honors is borderline silly.

Having said that, three years from now, Brown could take an unforeseen leap. He may suddenly become a more consistent ball-handler and creator. Stranger things have happened.

Brooklyn Nets: Cooper Flagg (?)

Take a gander at the Brooklyn Nets roster. You won't find anyone even in the neighborhood of "untouchable." So many trade candidates from top to bottom.

So, for this slide, we're not just projecting an individual talent in three years. We're also projecting that Brooklyn's incoming tank job lands the 2025 top pick. What the heck?

And whoever the Nets might land from that draft class (even if it's not the top overall pick), projecting him to be the team's best player in three years isn't much of a stretch.

Just for the sake of argument (or analysis), though, let's say it's Cooper Flagg. He has the potential to be a Gerald Wallace-like defender with a little more offensive versatility.

Most importantly, he has the potential to be a franchise cornerstone-level talent, and that's something Brooklyn simply doesn't have right now.

Other Contender: Cam Thomas

If you did have to pick someone from this roster, it might be soon-to-be-23-year-old Cam Thomas, who had four 40-point games and averaged 22.5 points per game in 2023-24.

There's still a long way to go for Thomas in terms of playmaking, defense and shot selection, but natural scorers like him aren't easy to find.

Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball

Another player who's sort of been cast aside by fans and media, LaMelo Ball remains one of the league's most intriguing jumbo playmakers.

In fairness to those seemingly out, Ball's defense is, to put it mildly, not great. He's only played in 58 games over the last two seasons. But over the same stretch, he's put up a whopping 23.5 points, 8.3 assists, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 threes and 1.5 steals per game.

That kind of production and Ball's vision and passing ability are exceptionally rare for a 6'7" player. And if his early-career injury woes turn out to be more like Stephen Curry's than Brandon Roy's (knock on all the wood), he'll be a perennial All-Star.

Other Contender: Brandon Miller

Even if things break right for Ball, there's an argument for Brandon Miller here. The Paul George archetype was the foundation of the most recent NBA championship, and Miller fits it to a tee.

He has a sweet shooting stroke, a seven-foot wingspan and explosive finishing ability that can catch defenses off guard.

Chicago Bulls: Josh Giddey

The Nets moved Mikal Bridges in an effort to speed up their rebuild, and the Chicago Bulls did the same with DeMar DeRozan. And though the latter may have a little more win-now talent left behind, it's hard to imagine Zach LaVine being around in three years.

This could be Josh Giddey's team as early as this year. And though that might lead to plenty of losses in the short term, he's the kind of playmaker with size you can build around.

Before assuming a smaller role during Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's charge toward MVP contention, Giddey averaged 14.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.3 assists over his first two seasons as a 19- and 20-year-old.

His outside shooting is bad, but he doesn't suffer from the same malady as countryman Ben Simmons. Giddey is at least willing to put threes up, which forces defenses to pay more attention to him outside than they do Simmons.

Other Contender: Matas Buzelis

Incoming rookie and bouncy finisher Matas Buzelis figures to be a key cog alongside Giddey in whatever form the Bulls take next. And if he becomes a more consistent outside shooter, he might even surpass him in the organizational hierarchy.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Donovan Mitchell

Dating all the way back to his last couple seasons with the Utah Jazz, trade rumors and Donovan Mitchell have seemingly been inseparable for years.

But this summer, he signed an extension with the Cleveland Cavaliers that should quell the noise at least a little bit (for a little while).

If he's on the Cavs in three years, the-then 31 Mitchell will almost certainly still be their best player. That'll be near the end of his prime, but still in it. And he's coming off a 2023-24 in which he played at an All-NBA level.

Injuries limited his games played, but Mitchell put up 26.6 points, 6.1 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 threes.

Other Contenders: Evan Mobley and Darius Garland

When you have multiple legitimate contenders for this nod, you're in pretty good shape. And that's certainly the case with Cleveland.

Evan Mobley is already a defensive dynamo. If he adds a more consistent jump shot or expands his playmaking a bit, he could be a perennial All-Star. And Darius Garland has the potential to be one of the game's more dynamic pick-and-roll scorers and distributors.

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Dončić

This is pretty easy. Maybe the easiest call of the entire slideshow.

Luka Dončić is 25 years old. He's coming off a Finals appearance and has averaged 30.3 points, 8.9 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 3.1 threes over the last five years.

There are elements of peak James Harden to his game. His production is prime Russell Westbrook-like. There are even hints of early-career LeBron James, with Luka's complete command of his team's offense. But in combination, we've never really seen anything like Luka.

And considering the fact that he's still a half-decade shy of 30, it's fair to think he might be even better in three years. His defense can be more consistent. He might be able to control his outbursts with officials a little better. He might add a little more off-ball activity to his game.

The prospect of a better Dončić should be terrifying for the rest of the NBA.

Other Contender: Come on.

I could maybe concoct some half-hearted argument for Kyrie Irving or Dereck Lively II. Maybe a fantasy scenario in which Luka gets moved? In reality, there are no other options here.

Denver Nuggets: Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokić is the best player in the world. Statistically, he has been for four years. In that stretch, he has three MVPs and a Finals MVP. This summer, he just took a dramatically outgunned Serbian team to the knockout round, where he put a legitimate scare into an American side loaded with All-Stars and future Hall of Famers.

He controls his team's offense and elevates his teammates in a way no one else in the league does. He dominates the glass. His hands are real weapons on defense. He might have the best touch of all time from the floater zone. And the "best passing center" conversation has been over for a while. He's now in "best passer, regardless of position" territory.

And in three years, he'll be 32 years old. His game has never had a ton to do with athleticism. It should age well. Even if he's near the end of his prime in 2027, he'll likely still be a real challenger for the best-in-the-world crown.

Other Contender: Again, come on.

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham

Cade Cunningham hasn't come close to living up to his draft position. The 2021 No. 1 pick has some valid excuses for his struggles. They've been made plenty of times. There isn't much shooting or talent in general around him. Injuries may have stunted his development, too.

But Cunningham came out of Oklahoma State billed as a playmaker with size and an ability to play at his own pace. Perhaps most importantly, it looked like he'd be a reliable outside shooter. And a good jumper has a way of opening everything else up for an NBA player.

Unfortunately, Cunningham hasn't been anywhere near an average effective field-goal percentage in any of his three seasons. And he's fifth in the league in turnovers per game over the course of his career.

Still, he turns 23 this month. It's way too early to give up or think that this is who Cunningham will be for the rest of his career. If he can tighten up his efficiency as both a playmaker and scorer, there may still be a path to All-Star nods.

Legitimate lead guards who are 6'6" and can create out of the pick-and-roll can be exceptionally valuable.

Other Contender: Ausar Thompson

Ausar Thompson has even further to go than Cunningham in terms of shooting, but he's an inch taller and is a much more explosive athlete. He also has lead-playmaker potential. And he's already an absolute menace on defense.

The skill needs honing, but Thompson's frame and explosiveness give him superstar upside.

Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry

We're going on out on a bit of a limb here. Stephen Curry will be 39 in 2027. His current contract, even after his recently signed extension, will expire that summer.

There's a chance Curry won't even play in the 2027-28 campaign. And despite what LeBron has shown us the last few years, most superstars fall off (often dramatically) when they reach their late 30s.

But it's hard (maybe even impossible) to imagine Curry's jump shot ever abandoning him. And even if he's 70-75 percent of the player he is now in three years, there's a pretty good chance he'll be the best on Golden State's roster.

He might have to rely a bit more on craft, experience and passing at that point, but he could still average somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 points, six or seven assists and four threes.

Other Contenders: Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga

That isn't to say the Warriors are devoid of young talent, though. On the contrary, multiple players could develop into fringe All-Stars by 2027, including Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga.

There's a gap between potential fringe All-Star and a slightly diminished version of a top-10(ish) all-time player, though.

Houston Rockets: Alperen Şengün

He's not quite as stout as Jokić. His touch around the rim isn't as good, either. And we may never see another big pass quite like the Nuggets' multi-time MVP.

But Houston Rockets center Alperen Şengün has All-NBA potential with a game that's eerily similar to Jokić's (even if it only maxes out at around 70 percent of Jokić's output).

Şengün's footwork in the post makes him a nightmare for opposing bigs to stick with. His passing keeps those defenders honest. If he develops a reliable three-point shot, he'll make multiple All-Star teams. He had an argument to be on one this past season.

And in 2027, he'll be just 25 years old.

Other Contenders: Much of the rest of the roster.

The Rockets' roster is loaded with young, intriguing talent. There are very real cases for each of Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore to be detailed here. Heck, there might even be cases for a few of those players to move into Şengün's spot on this slide.

Houston has a wealth of young talent. And while the current collective bargaining agreement will squeeze a few of the above out, it's not hard to imagine this being one of the deepest and most dynamic teams in the NBA in three years.

Indiana Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton

This is another team where the headliner is pretty obvious.

Twenty-four-year-old Tyrese Haliburton made his first All-NBA team and averaged a league-leading 10.9 assists in 2023-24. Even after his three-point shot kind of abandoned him after a midseason injury, he made 36.4 percent of his attempts from deep and has a career percentage of 39.3.

He figures to be a prominent feature of "best point guard in the league" conversations for the foreseeable future (depending on how you define other lead playmakers like Luka). And it's hard to imagine anyone else being the face of the Indiana Pacers in three years.

Other Contender: Bennedict Mathurin? Maybe?

The distance between Haliburton and the rest of this roster may be wide enough to warrant another "come on" here, but Bennedict Mathurin has an outside shot of developing into the team's leading scorer.

Pascal Siakam might be in the mix at that point, too. If you want to get really weird, you might even make a case for Andrew Nembhard.

But again, all of the above are stretches.

Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard may be three years younger than Curry, but having him here may be even bolder than the Warriors pick.

Leonard's injury history is well-documented. And in 2027, when he's 36 years old, it's hard to imagine the concerns that come with history being any less pronounced.

But the Los Angeles Clippers also don't have much young talent raring to replace Kawhi atop the team. And if Leonard develops a bit as a creator and distributor as he ages into this last phase of his career, he might stave off his decline a bit.

His athleticism and defensive prowess won't be as impressive at this point in the future, but the mid-range jumper and offensive craft should still have him in the star tier.

Other Contender: Ivica Zubac

Ivica Zubac has been in the league for nearly a decade now, and he's never produced at the kind of volume that suggests "future best player on an NBA team."

But he's averaged a double-double per 75 possessions throughout his career and is a solid rim protector.

Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony Davis

When they acquired him five years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers' plan for Anthony Davis was to succeed LeBron. It may have just been hard to imagine LeBron still being a top 5-10 player in the league by this point.

AD is still, relatively clearly, L.A.'s No. 2. And three years from now, when he'll almost certainly move up one spot, he'll already be 34. He may not have that perch for long, especially since a big part of his defensive impact is reliant on his athleticism.

Still, if Davis is 80-85 percent of his current self in 2027, that's probably someone who averages a near-20-point double-double while blocking somewhere between one and two shots per game.

Other Contender: Austin Reaves

It'd be a pretty wild trajectory to go from undrafted, two-college player to the best player on the legendary Lakers, but that's at least in play for Austin Reaves. He'll be 29 in 2027, and he's already a dynamic, Moneyball offensive player who can shoot, get to the line and create for others.

Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant

Ja Morant sort of fell off the radar this past season, thanks to a 25-game suspension and season-ending shoulder surgery, but he was one of the league's most exciting and explosive scorers in 2022-23.

That season, he led the Memphis Grizzlies to the West's No. 2 seed and averaged 26.2 points and 8.1 assists. And he seemed good for at least one jaw-dropping highlight per game.

Assuming his slight frame and acrobatic game don't lead to too many injuries, Morant (who'll be 28) could be in MVP discussions three years from now.

Other Contender: Desmond Bane

His progression as a playmaker started even before Morant went down, but Desmond Bane showed a lot as a distributor in 2023-24. In his 42 games, he averaged a career-high 5.5 assists.

And even without Morant around to generate easy looks for him, his outside shot remained a formidable weapon. Over the course of his career, he's averaged 2.7 threes per game and shot 41.5 percent from deep.

Bane will be 29 in 2027, and there's a world in which he's the team leader by then.

Miami Heat: Bam Adebayo

For the last five years, Bam Adebayo has been one of the NBA's most underrated playmakers and a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

And he's only 27 years old. Three years from now, he'll be right in the heart of his prime, and it's starting to feel increasingly likely that Jimmy Butler might not even be around beyond 2024-25 (he's a free agent next summer).

And as Miami leans into a team built around Bam, there may be a more concerted effort to surround him with shooting, which could in turn make him look better.

Other Contenders: Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Tyler Herro

Fortunately, there might already be a couple players on the roster who'd fit a Bam-centric offense.

Both Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. can create for themselves and others. Herro has already demonstrated an ability to shoot, too. And Jaquez showed flashes of better range than he did at UCLA as a rookie in 2023-24.

Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Like some of the other superstars detailed so far, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be at or near the end of his prime in 2027. But even a slightly less explosive version of the two-time MVP could still be in the "best player in the world" conversation.

So, best player on the Milwaukee Bucks is sort of a given, especially given the ages of Damian Lillard (34), Khris Middleton (33 and coming off two ankle surgeries) and Brook Lopez (36 and a couple years removed from back surgery).

Even if those three were younger than Giannis, though, he'd be the easy answer. He averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds and a career-high 6.5 assists in 2023-24. He also had perhaps his most efficient campaign, posting the best true shooting percentage of his career and leading the league in points added ("number of extra points added by True Shot Attempts made above league average").

Other Contender: There isn't really one.

See Paragraph 2 above. Oh, and Milwaukee doesn't have up-and-comers who might challenge Giannis' throne either.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards

After the Minnesota Timberwolves lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, the Anthony Edwards-Michael Jordan comparisons fizzled out pretty quickly.

But I'm not ready to let them go just yet.

Now, these numbers obviously don't mean Edwards will be the next MJ. I don't mean to suggest that, but it's hard to ignore his potential when you see his postseason production next to Jordan's through the same age.

• Jordan: 29.9 points, 6.2 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 1.0 blocks per 75 possessions
• Edwards: 26.6 points, 5.2 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals, 0.9 blocks per 75 possessions

Throw in the aesthetic similarities, like the massive leaning dunks and fadeaway jumpers, and it's pretty easy to get excited about Ant's general potential.

He's still just 23 years old. He's going to get better, particularly when it comes to taking care of the ball.

And while it may be tough for him to catch the do-everything offensive engines like Dončić, Jokić and, to a lesser extent, Giannis, there's an outside chance Edwards is threatening MVP discussions in 2027.

Other Contender: There really isn't one here, either.

A couple years ago, we may have been able to make a case for Karl-Anthony Towns. He's perhaps the league's best outside-shooting big man. But the last two seasons and playoff runs have made it abundantly clear that this is Edwards' team.

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson

Until he finishes a couple seasons upright and fully healthy, injuries will be a perennial concern for Zion Williamson.

But when he's available, Zion is still one of the most dynamic and dangerous scorers in the league.

His scoring rate dropped a bit last season, but he's still fourth in NBA history in points per 75 possessions at 28.1 (behind only Joel Embiid, Jordan and Dončić).

His understanding of angles and knack for knowing when and where to cut is underrated. As is his touch on the rare occasion defenses are able to get in the way of his athleticism.

If he can maintain his dominance around the rim while continuing to improve as a playmaker, Zion is another potential MVP candidate in 2027.

Other Contender: Dejounte Murray

You might've expected to see Brandon Ingram here, but the arrow on him seems to be pointed down, as he continues to emphasize mid-range scoring in a league that's left most players like him behind.

Instead, we'll give a nod to Dejounte Murray, who'll turn 31 just before the start of the 2027-28 season. If injuries limit or diminish Williamson and Murray proves his outside shooting in 2023-24 was for real, the latter has a chance to be New Orleans' best player.

New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson's ascension from solid backup point guard to fringe starter to MVP candidate has been remarkable to witness.

This past season, he put up 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game. He backed that up with 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in the playoffs.

Even if that represents Brunson's peak, the chances that he'll be dramatically worse at 31 are slim. He will be one of the league's best point guards for the foreseeable future, so best player on the New York Knicks almost feels like a given.

Other Contender: There really isn't one.

Beyond Brunson, New York is loaded with high-quality role players. Their success is built more on chemistry than star power. Barring a trade or major acquisition, that'll probably still be the case in 2027. The current regime has shown a willingness to build a roster with patience and based on a real philosophy, rather than chase stars and instant gratification.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Another player who quickly joined the MVP conversation, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished second for that award following his age-25 campaign in 2023-24.

He's presumably a couple years away from his prime, which should be a pretty terrifying prospect for the rest of the NBA.

SGA is already one of the game's most dangerous mid-range scorers. He's a master at drawing fouls. And he's an opportunistic perimeter defender who can stack up both steals and blocks.

With Giddey now gone, he might even be on-ball a bit more over the next few seasons. There's a chance his production gets even sillier than the 30.7 points and 5.8 assists he's averaged over the last two seasons.

Other Contender: Chet Holmgren

The odds of the Oklahoma City Thunder having the best one-two punch in the league in 2027 are pretty high, and that bet wouldn't be based entirely on Gilgeous-Alexander.

Chet Holmgren is coming off one of the best rookie campaigns we've seen, but it was overshadowed by Victor Wembanyama's.

He has more perimeter ability than people realize, something he may be able to showcase a little more with Isaiah Hartenstein now on the team to push him to the 4 in some lineups. He's already one of the league's best rim protectors, and he could be even more dangerous in that regard as a weak-side havoc merchant like Andrei Kirilenko.

In three years, Chet will be 25 and presumably more consistent as a shooter and creator. If he's much better than he was in 2023-24, he might be contending for All-NBA nods.

Orlando Magic: Paolo Banchero

This might be the toughest call of the slideshow to this point. Contrary to what feels like popular opinion right now, Paolo Banchero is nowhere near the obvious choice for best current Orlando Magic player.

Thanks in large part to a high turnover rate and the fact that he's one of the NBA's least efficient high-volume scorers, Banchero actually had a much weaker statistical profile than Franz Wagner in 2023-24, which may come as a surprise to fans who were inundated with takes about Wagner's three-point percentage.

His dip from behind the line was concerning, but he's still a far more efficient overall scorer right now. And if he gets back to his pre-2023-24 level as an outside shooter, he should be in All-Star talks.

So, why go with Banchero here?

The margins aren't huge, but he's a slightly better athlete. He's slightly longer, too. And he's established himself a bit more as a potential lead playmaker. In 2023-24, Banchero averaged a team-high 5.4 assists.

And while his inefficiency is a valid concern, he doesn't turn 22 till November. He has time to figure that out. He'll get better at taking care of the ball, too.

And ultimately, it's still pretty easy to buy stock in his All-NBA potential.

Other Contender: Franz Wagner

What's nice for Orlando, even if the media and NBA fans don't acknowledge it, is that Wagner is on a very similar trajectory. He too could have a season or two as a top 15-20 player.

And if the Magic put two such forwards on the floor together, they could be on the tier of title contenders.

Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid

As is the case with Zion, potential injuries are just part of the equation with Joel Embiid now. In fact, it might be even harder to pull his game away from that unfortunate reality in Embiid's case.

After winning MVP in 2022-23, he was limited to 39 appearances last season, and he ended another playoff run dealing with multiple injuries.

At his size (280 pounds) and age (30), there's a real chance that he'll be broken down to the point that Tyrese Maxey overtakes him by 2027, but that's probably still a long shot.

When available, Embiid is one of the most consistent and dominant scorers in the world. And a massive chunk of his attack, mid-range shooting and an ability to draw fouls, should age pretty well.

So, even if he loses some mobility and becomes slightly less effective as a defensive anchor between now and 2027, he's still the best call for best Philadelphia 76er in three years.

Other Contender: Tyrese Maxey

It's not a foregone conclusion, though. Maxey is on a meteoric rise. After averaging 25.9 points, 6.2 assists and 3.0 threes, it's getting easier to imagine him threatening 30 points per game.

Again, it might take a steeper and quicker decline from Embiid than what's likely, but there's at least a chance Maxey becomes the face of this franchise by 2027.

Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker

Devin Booker has been the face of the Phoenix Suns for most of the last decade, even if the recent arrival of Kevin Durant obscured that for a bit.

By the eve of the 2027-28 campaign, Durant will be 39 years old, while Booker will be 31. That alone would be enough to give Booker the edge here, but there's also KD's history of moving from team to team. It's almost impossible to predict where he'll be in three years.

Even without those factors, though, the case for Booker isn't hard to make. Over the last six years, he's averaged 26.7 points, 5.8 assists and 2.2 threes. And he'll still be in his prime in three years.

Other Contender: There really isn't one.

With Durant off the table and Bradley Beal already on the decline, it's hard to imagine anyone currently on the roster realistically challenging for this spot.

Portland Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons

There are a lot of candidates for this spot, and none of them are particularly great. So, despite the fact that he may be one of the Portland Trail Blazers' best trade chips, we'll go with the young(ish) guard who's already proved capable of being an effective NBA player.

Over the last three seasons, Simons has averaged 20.2 points, 4.4 assists and 3.3 threes while shooting 38.8 percent from deep.

He's a good off-the-bounce shooter, and he can finish at the rim when defenses overcommit on the perimeter.

He can certainly develop as a distributor and defender, but he's only 25 years old. There's time to achieve both of those things.

Other Contenders: Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija and Donovan Clingan

It's way too early to give up on Scoot Henderson, especially after he showed signs of promise after the All-Star break, but he had a statistically nightmarish rookie campaign.

Shaedon Sharpe's inefficiency and lack of ancillary contributions beyond scoring may limit his upside.

Deni Avdija could be a "jack of all trades, but master of none" type, and those players can struggle to find the top of an organizational hierarchy.

And while Donovan Clingan has shown plenty of potential as a rim protector, it's hard to imagine his offense being far enough along in 2027 for him to be Portland's best player.

Sacramento Kings: De'Aaron Fox

Domantas Sabonis is probably the right call for "best player on the Sacramento Kings" right now, but there's an open debate on the question. At the very least, you could make a case for De'Aaron Fox, who's two years younger and just led the team in scoring.

In three years, though, Fox should develop enough to overtake Sabonis, and not just because of the slight difference in age.

Fox, who'll be 29 in 2027, just led the league with 2.0 steals per game in 2023-24. He also shot 36.9 percent from deep, his best mark on threes since 2018-19.

Both stats could be seen as signs that Fox is turning a corner on what had previously been weaknesses for him. And if he keeps heading that direction, it's not hard to imagine him being Sacramento's best player in three years.

Other Contenders: Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray

Of course, there's no guarantee Sabonis is done developing, either. He can improve as both a defender and outside shooter. If that happens, since he's under contract through 2027-28, he'll still be in this mix.

There's also a dark horse to at least mention here, too. Keegan Murray has largely been limited to spacing the floor on offense to this point in his young career, but he was an alpha scorer in college whose game has plenty of room for expansion.

San Antionio Spurs: Victor Wembanyama

Another contender for "most obvious pick of the slideshow," Victor Wembanyama is coming off a rookie campaign in which he averaged a nearly unprecedented 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals.

He's already one of the best defenders in the league (he just finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting), and his offense improved by leaps and bounds over the course of 2023-24.

At this point, he's already playing like an All-NBA player. And if he becomes a consistent outside shooter, he'll be in MVP discussions.

Given what we've seen from him already, it's not hard to imagine those developments happening prior to 2027.

Other Contender: Come on.

Even if the San Antonio Spurs trade for another star or land a future one in the 2025 draft, it's hard to imagine any addition being better than Wemby in three years.

Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes

Scottie Barnes just made his first All-Star team in his age-22 campaign. He's one of the league's best and most dynamic multipositional defenders. He has very real point forward skills that are rare for a player with his length (6'7" with a 7'3" wingspan) and size (227 pounds).

And all that added up to 19.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals in 2023-24.

There's still a lot of developmental runway for his jump shot, but even if he never becomes consistent there, there are enough tools in place for him to make multiple All-Star teams.

No one else on the Toronto Raptors roster checks both the "productive already" and "room for improvement" boxes quite like Barnes.

Other Contenders: Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett

A couple more solid young players have an outside shot at earning this title by 2027, though.

Immanuel Quickley is feisty on the defensive end and averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 assists after being traded to the Raptors last season.

And RJ Barrett is a former third overall pick who just averaged 19.8 points for Canada at the Olympics and looked like a more consistent outside shooter in his new Canadian environment post-trade.

Utah Jazz: Lauri Markkanen

The timing of Lauri Markkanen's offseason extension precludes the Utah Jazz from trading him this season, but it still doesn't feel like we've heard the last of rumors involving him.

If the Jazz end up toward the back of the lottery again (which feels likely, given how good Markkanen is, and how bad or young the rest of the roster is), teams will be clamoring for Markkanen again in 2025.

If he's still in Utah in three years, though (and all indications suggest that's where he wants to be), he's a pretty easy bet to still be the team's best player.

Markkanen's nickname, the Finnisher, is about as apt as any in the league, because he is undoubtedly one of the NBA's best play finishers. As both a high-volume catch-and-shoot threat and a rim-rattling dunker, Markkanen consistently gets the ball in the basket with little to no wasted time or movement.

If he gets a bit more consistent on the defensive end, and the young Jazz players catch up to his development, he could be in the All-NBA mix by 2027.

Other Contenders: Members of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 draft classes.

Despite not landing a high pick in the post-Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell era, Utah has collected a pretty impressive group of young players from each of the last two drafts. It will probably get another crack at the lottery in 2025, too.

One or two of Keyonte George, Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski and whoever the Jazz land in the next draft popping isn't out of the question.

Washington Wizards: Jordan Poole (but More Likely Another 2025 Draftee)

OK, this one's difficult, but for different reasons than some of the earlier tough calls.

We could highlight another 2025 draft prospect, but that already felt like cheating for the Brooklyn slide.

Instead, we'll default to Jordan Poole, who had a statistically dreadful 2023-24 but is still just 25 years old and isn't far removed from making a positive difference in a title run.

He may take too many heat checks before turning on any heat, but Poole averaged 17.0 points, 3.8 assists and 2.3 threes in the 2022 playoffs.

And if he can rediscover his poise from that run, he can be a plus player again.

That dash of hope and the likelihood that other veterans like Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valančiūnas could be elsewhere by 2027 is enough for Poole to get the edge here.

Other Contenders: Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington or Corey Kispert

Washington certainly isn't devoid of young talent. It's just a little tougher to get excited about the Wizards' prospects than some other organizations' young cores.

Talking yourself into any of the above becoming high-level role players isn't particularly difficult, but picking any one of them to be a star would test the strength of whatever limb you're out on.