​This NBA off-season has been filled with excitement. So many big-name free agents have signed with new teams, players have been handed the biggest contracts of their careers, and superstars have been traded left and right. Those big contract signings don’t happen overnight. It starts with game one.Players in contract years always have a bit of extra pressure. Some players are looking to earn one final payday, while others are trying to prove they’re still capable of being a franchise superstar. These three players have a lot riding on the 2026-27 season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: 3 NBA teams who are most improved entering 2026-2027 seasonKyrie Irving enters one of the biggest seasons of his career. After tearing his ACL in 2025, he missed the entire 2025-26 season and now returns with a lot left to prove.Irving is known for his elite ball-handling, quickness, and finishing at the rim. Those are the exact traits an ACL injury can affect the most. He’ll also be entering next season at age 34 and will be 35 by the offseason, making this his last chance to prove he’s still worth a major long-term contract.If Irving looks like the same player he was before the injury, he’ll have no shortage of teams interested. If not, his market could look very different.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJalen Green is still only 24 years old, but it feels like it’s time for him to put everything together and prove he’s a player you build your team around.His first season with the Suns was underwhelming, and consistency continues to be the biggest issue. Whether it’s scoring efficiently or staying on the floor, Green hasn’t shown enough to establish himself as the star many expected him to become.Meanwhile, several players from his draft class have started taking that next step. Green has all the talent in the world, but he needs to prove that he can showcase that talent consistently. With free agency around the corner, this feels like a make-or-break season.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE: 3 NBA teams that have quietly won the offseason alreadyJordan Poole has shown flashes of being an All-Star, but he’s also disappeared for long stretches of the season since leaving Golden State.Now entering his second season with the Pelicans, Poole will be 27 years old and should be entering the prime of his career. Instead, he’s still trying to prove he can be the shifty playmaker on a night-to-night basis.If Poole can finally find consistency, he’ll find himself another big contract. If the inconsistencies continue, teams may start viewing him as more of a spark off the bench than a player worthy of a starting role on a contender.— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —