Thunder night opens a window into a 2026 offseason pulse that fantasy managers must track well before free agency. Extensions signed this summer reshaped who will be available and at what price, from LeBron James and Kevin Durant to Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, setting a high-stakes baseline for the market. The piece weighs how top teams—Celtics and Pacers among them—could chase a title again after injuries altered trajectories, while identifying sleepers and breakout candidates from the 2026 draft class. Cap space, rookie extensions, and the potential for surprise moves loom large, with teams like Houston and OKC positioned to leverage long-term planning into 2026-27 fantasy value. Draft chatter anchors the narrative around Peterson and Dybantsa, even as teams debate how much a single class can tilt a conference. In short: the 2026 cycle will bend around extensions, cap room, and the evolving mix of veterans and young stars ready to redefine fantasy ceilings.