[The Athletic] NBA anonymous player questionnaire 2026: Where will Giannis play next season? Most passionate/obnoxious fans? Teams on no-trade list? How should teams be spending money?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7270363/2026/05/18/giannis-anonymous-player-poll-2026/ (edited title slightly to cover all the questions asked)
Here are the results:
What team will Giannis be on to begin the 2026-27 season? (151 votes cast)
| Team | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | 45.7% |
| Miami Heat | 23.2% |
| New York Knicks | 16.6% |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 3.3% |
| Golden State Warriors | 2.0% |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2.0% |
| Houston Rockets | 1.3% |
| Toronto Raptors | 1.3% |
Other teams <1%
Which arena has the most passionate fans? (161 votes cast)
| Arena (Team) | Vote % |
|---|---|
| TD Garden (Celtics) | 20.5% |
| Madison Square Garden (Knicks) | 19.3% |
| Paycom Center (Thunder) | 18.0% |
| Frost Bank Center (Spurs) | 5.3% |
| United Center (Bulls) | 3.1% |
| Rocket Arena (Cavaliers) | 3.1% |
| Chase Center (Warriors) | 3.1% |
| Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Pacers) | 3.1% |
| Xfinity Mobile Arena (76ers) | 3.1% |
| Golden 1 Center (Kings) | 3.1% |
Mavericks/Clippers/Bucks/Trail Blazers/Jazz 1.9%, Nuggets/Lakers/Pistons/Raptors/Timberwolves 1.2%, Other teams <1%
Which arena has the most obnoxious fans? (159 votes cast)
| Arena (Team) | Vote % |
|---|---|
| TD Garden (Celtics) | 32.1% |
| Xfinity Mobile Arena (76ers) | 17.9% |
| Madison Square Garden (Knicks) | 16.4% |
| Delta Center (Jazz) | 8.2% |
| FedEx Forum (Grizzlies) | 3.8% |
| Paycom Center (Thunder) | 3.8% |
| Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Pacers) | 3.1% |
| Crypto.com Arena (Lakers) | 2.5% |
Pistons 1.9%, Nuggets/Warriors/Timberwolves/Spurs/Wizards 1.3%, Other teams <1%
What’s the first team on your no-trade list? (120 votes cast)
| Team | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Memphis Grizzlies | 35.8% |
| Washington Wizards | 11.7% |
| Sacramento Kings | 10.8% |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 6.7% |
| Brooklyn Nets | 5% |
| Utah Jazz | 5% |
| Charlotte Hornets | 4.2% |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 4.2% |
| New York Knicks | 3.3% |
Pistons/Pacers 2.5%, Bucks/Lakers 1.7%, Other teams <1%
What do the smartest teams spend money on, beyond player contracts? (149 votes cast)
| Response | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Player comfort: Staff, facilities, etc. | 85.9% |
| The family experience | 7.4% |
| Organizational investment, fan-facing measures | 6.7% |