Bottom-bottom rebound! Five people waiting to prove themselves!

The dust of the 2025 NBA offseason has basically been settled. Although there are sporadic transactions signings in the next few weeks, the focus of the league has gradually moved away from the offseason to strengthen. The team and fans have also begun to pay attention to the new season, especially those teams looking forward to regaining their form from the lows of last season.

Below, we introduce five players who are expected to rebound in the 2025-26 season. Some of them are star players who failed to perform at their peak last season, and some are role players who hope to be upgraded. No matter which category, they must play better and more efficiently in the new season so that they can meet the needs of the team.

Paul George (Philadelphia 76ers)

The 2024-25 season was the first time George performed so badly in his more than a decade of career. Of course, injuries are one of the main reasons. In his first year of joining Philadelphia, George only played 41 games, and his personal data and offense and defense efficiency declined significantly. Part of this is due to the role changes of the new team, but age is also a factor that cannot be ignored.

Therefore, we may not be able to expect George to return to his peak period completely, but there is a high possibility of recovery in overall efficiency. If the 76ers can form a suitable team environment for him, especially considering Embiid's healthy return, George will have a great chance to regain his form around this former MVP.

Mrkanin (Utah Jazz)

Frankly speaking, the Utah Jazz in the 2024-25 season had no intention of winning from the beginning, which is quite unfriendly to a team core like Markanin. Although he received a contract renewal before the season started, which somewhat relieved the pressure, his personal data and offensive and defensive efficiency still showed a significant decline in his performance at the All-Star level for two consecutive years.

For the Jazz next season, it seems that they are still in the reconstruction stage, but considering the team's situation, the Jazz need Markanen to play better, even if it is just to enhance the value of future transactions.

Kyle Kuzma (Milwaukee Bucks)

Between 2022-24, Kuzma averaged 21.7 points per game with the Wizards, and his offensive efficiency was average. Although the data of the team that plays badly may overestimate his actual influence, at least he is still a forward who can provide scoring and athleticism. However, in the 2024-25 season, his personal performance dropped rapidly, especially his three-point shooting percentage, which basically reached the 30% brink.

For the Bucks next season, he may not necessarily need to play data from the Wizards, but Kuzma's current role is still very important for the team to rebuild the championship lineup around Antetokounmpo. Although he was criticized last season, he should have a chance to play better for Kuzma next season.

Scotty Barnes (Toronto Raptors)

After playing an All-Star in the 2023-24 season, Barnes retreated completely in the 2024-25 season. Although he is still the core of the team, his average score, rebounds, assists and blocks per game have all declined significantly, and his shooting efficiency has also declined in the penalty area and the outside range, and his regression can also be shown in high-level data.

The good news is that the Raptors in the 2025-26 season will basically be much healthier than the previous season, and can provide him with a better environment for playing. Barnes is currently only 24 years old and has a very good chance to return to his previous peak level.

Bruce Brown (Denver Nuggets)

It is actually less than 30 months since Bruce Brown last played a key role in the championship team. Looking back at the 2023 playoffs, Brown averaged nearly 27 minutes of playing time, and finally successfully helped the Nuggets win the championship, which is an indispensable key puzzle for the team. It was precisely because his performance at that time that his net worth exceeded the acceptable range of the Nuggets, and he was allowed to leave the team and join the Pacers.

However, after leaving the Nuggets, Brown's performance was obviously not as good as the Nuggets' period. His real shooting percentage in the Raptors and the Pelicans last season was only 50.4%, and the negative impact of injuries was also quite large. Now he has the opportunity to return to Denver, and his playing style is inherently consistent with Jokic. Perhaps he can regain the value of 2023 next season and help the Nuggets in his own way again.