With a chip on his shoulder and rejecting multiple extensions with the Lakers, Austin Reaves had a lot to prove. But nobody expected him to become the second option, leaving behind even LeBron James. While he looks set to continue his trajectory, other players with mega contracts have much more pressure going into the new year.

Be it helping their teams reach the playoffs or actually delivering better results in the postseason. Here are the 5 players who will have a lot of expectations from their franchise, their fans, and the analysts.

Donovan Mitchell

He is having an all-star season, which has become a common sight. Even though the Cavs are not in the top spots yet, his teams have usually finished high up. Finishing No. 5 in MVP voting last year and making first-team All-NBA were big milestones for Donovan Mitchell. The 6x All-Star also blended impressive raw stats with leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the No. 1 offense and 64 wins. But when the playoffs arrive, his teams get eliminated early.

In the first season with Mitchell, they finished fourth in the East, but didn’t advance past the first round. The following season (2023-24), they finished fourth again but again made it only to the semifinals. In 2024-25, Cleveland secured the top seed in the East after a historic season, but yet again, lost in the semifinals.

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It’s a trend, not saying Mitchell underperforms; he has given some great playoff performances as well, but his teams just haven’t taken that next step. And he’s been part of 2 such teams. Twice in the last five seasons as the focal point of the offense, Mitchell has played on teams (Utah Jazz in 2021 and Cleveland Cavaliers in 2025) that went out in the second round. Both times, his team had earned the No.1 seed for finishing with the best record in their respective conferences.

The Jazz blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets in 2020 and then a 2-0 lead against the Los Angeles Clippers in 2021. In his last playoff series with the Jazz, Donovan Mitchell’s Jazz lost to the Dallas Mavericks in 6 games in 2022. Now, with the Cavs also, it’s becoming a similar story. With the emergence of Mobley, would the Cavs want to hand the keys to the team to him? Or continue with Donovan as the main guy? A lot depends on how he leads them in the postseason.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

The 2x MVP has helped the Milwaukee Bucks win their second-ever championship in 2021. But the 8-8 playoff series win record doesn’t truly justify the Greek Freak’s domination. Since the title, the Bucks have gone downhill. Not to say it’s all Giannis’ fault, but can he put the team on his back and push them through the postseason, something he has failed to do the past couple of years with first-round exits?

In the very next season, after the city of Milwaukee experienced a championship celebration, Khris Middleton, one of the team’s most important players, sprained his knee, and the Bucks fell in the second round to the Celtics. In 2023, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s fitness that halted their progress. He suffered a fall in Game 1 of the first round against the Miami Heat and did not return until Game 4, and the Bucks ultimately lost that series 1-4. Then the franchise even paired him with Damian Lillard, but even that experiment did not end well.

In 2024, Giannis could not log a single minute of postseason action due to a left soleus strain, while the star signed to pair with him, Damian Lillard, also suffered a strained calf. The Indiana Pacers won the series 4-1, and they repeated the feat in 2025, this time despite Giannis being on the court. Even this season, it has been rough for the Bucks.

Before his injury, the Bucks were 10-7 this season, which is significantly better than the 2-12 record without him. Now they are 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 14-19 record. With the constant trade rumors, this could be the last year we see Giannis in Milwaukee. We will have to wait if it transpires before the playoffs. If not, then Antetokounmpo will first have to fit and then truly lead them.

Trae Young

Another superstar who is at a crossroads is the Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. For the first seven years of his career, the 4x All-Star has helped turn the Hawks into a relevant team in the Eastern Conference. Young’s efforts have resulted in multiple playoff runs, though no success has come out of them. And the trade drama continues to linger around him.

The franchise built around Young this summer by signing Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard and trading for an extra first-round pick. He has a player option worth nearly $49 million for 2026-27. According to NBA Insider Marc Stein, “There is a growing belief league-wide that the Hawks are more open to trading him away than they’ve ever been.” His early-season injury has legitimately hit his stock.

On Oct. 29, just eight days after the 2025-26 season commenced, Young suffered a Grade 2 sprained MCL in his right knee, forcing him to sit out for approximately seven weeks. Trae Young missed 22 games before making his return against the Charlotte Hornets. In Young’s highly anticipated return, the four-time All-Star delivered an underwhelming performance, totaling eight points and 10 assists. He has been unable to inspire the roster.

Six games after his return, Atlanta has dropped all six contests, sliding down the Eastern Conference standings. The Hawks are currently tenth. To make matters worse, Atlanta has surrendered at least 125 points in each of those six losses. They also had a +2.1 net rating since Young went down. The best net rating Atlanta has posted over a full season in Young’s career came in 2021 (2.2).

Jalen Johnson is better than any player Young has ever played with. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has morphed into the perfect backcourt partner. Dyson Daniels and Vit Krejci continue to have strong minutes. So it’s time for Young to step up and show he’s still 1A.

Ja Morant

From being ROTY to being 7th in the MVP ranking in just his third year, Ja Morant’s ascent to the top was quick and explosive, just like his dunks. However, injuries and back-to-back suspensions hindered his progress and even threatened to dent his potential to become the next face of the league. He must prove can return to those levels after a pair of underwhelming seasons.

Last season, he played just 50 games and reportedly caused head coach Taylor Jenkins to be fired for not integrating him into the team’s offense. After this, the Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Grizzlies in the first round. The issues continued this season, when he came back from a left ankle sprain and a grade 1 calf strain.

Morant has had career lows in points, shooting 37.4% from the field and just 22.2% from three. His turnovers have crept up, and he has struggled to lead the team to wins. The Memphis Grizzlies still operate as if their star point guard is their centerpiece, but Morant hasn’t been worthy of that status—on the floor or as a leader.

But that decision has failed so far, as Morant failed due to injuries and suspensions. So, at some point, he might become a trade candidate.

Paolo Banchero

At the age of 23, everyone expected Paolo Banchero to take the next leap. But his performances this season haven’t been indicative of that. He has scored his career low of 19.8 points and just 22.5% from beyond the arc. Plus, he has suffered another nagging injury with a groin strain. His absence has highlighted an irritating problem for Orlando all over again: Banchero and Franz Wagner just don’t make each other better.

The team is again at its best with only one of them on the floor, and the stats back it. A year ago, the Magic had a -9.3 in net-rating with Banchero on and Wagner off, and +9.6 in net-rating with Wagner on and Banchero off. Despite the Magic needing them together, they are just +0.5 net rating. Unfortunately, the Orlando Magic have not seen a ton of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner together over the last two seasons due to injury.

Both players have missed a combined 74 games over that span. But Banchero has negated those talks of the team being bad with both of them on the floor. “I think that’s bull—,” Banchero recently told The Athletic’s Josh Robbins. “I’m not going to lie. People are going to say whatever they want to say about me, Franz, and whoever. But we know that we’re at our strongest when both of us are out there on the floor.”

But with constant injuries and Wagner trying to hold the fort, it might be time for the Magic to close the chapter on their former number one pick.