What happened: The New York Times published 10 bold predictions for Detroit's 2026-27 season as camp opens in preseason. The projections have Larkin traded and Detroit finishing in lottery position for a top-five pick.

Why it matters: Detroit stripped Larkin of the captaincy last week and will begin the season without a captain. His trade list has grown to seven teams amid the camp standoff. A lottery finish would reset the rebuild timeline around another high draft asset.

What to watch: Watch camp and trade talks for movement on Larkin's market. Detroit's opening stretch will test the lottery projection.