Kevin Durant has made his way to Houston in a significant trade, and the New York Knicks are in search of a new head coach. Young basketball prodigy Cooper Flagg is poised to become the top pick in the upcoming NBA draft, and it looks like expansion discussions may soon advance. The Los Angeles Lakers have recently changed ownership.
While the NBA offseason has technically begun, activities have been in motion for some weeks. Oklahoma City will host a parade on Tuesday to honor the newly crowned champion Thunder, and across other NBA cities, teams are already strategizing ways to emulate their success.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr addressed the complexities teams face during this period. “These are difficult equations,” he noted, referring to teams that have risked their future for a shot at the championship, with some succeeding and others finding themselves in challenging situations.
In Oklahoma City, the Thunder’s rotation remains mostly intact, featuring the standout performance of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who secured MVP, Finals MVP, scoring leader, and NBA champion titles. However, questions loom across the league.
For the San Antonio Spurs, there’s hope that Victor Wembanyama will return fully fit after he was sidelined for the last two months due to deep vein thrombosis. Meanwhile, Eastern Conference powers like Boston, Milwaukee, and Indiana must ponder their futures without Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton, who are dealing with Achilles injuries.
The hunt is on for a new coach in New York after Tom Thibodeau’s recent exit, leaving room for speculation as multiple teams have declined to release coaches from their contracts for interviews.
With the injury setbacks for key teams, the Eastern Conference appears open for competition in the 2025-26 season. The Orlando Magic have made bold moves, securing Desmond Bane from Memphis, with the aim of complementing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, despite crossing into luxury tax territory.
The Houston Rockets, having finished significantly behind the Thunder in their conference, secured the No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Eager to close the gap, Houston acquired Durant, long speculated in trade discussions. Durant expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Rockets and putting the uncertainty behind him.
Durant’s move is considered the biggest trade since the Lakers acquired Luka Doncic, with Dallas subsequently winning the draft lottery to select Duke star Flagg, expected to be the top pick.
Flagg’s rise to the No. 1 spot echoes LeBron James’s draft moment 22 years prior. Meanwhile, James faces a decision regarding his player option, but indications suggest he plans to return and set a record as the first 23-season player.
Ownership changes have marked the Lakers’ recent activities, with Mark Walter stepping in as the new majority owner, ending the Buss family’s 46-year reign. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Boston Celtics are also in sale processes, with updates likely during the board of governors meeting in Las Vegas. This meeting may also see discussions about NBA expansion possibilities.
With free agency beginning on June 30, summer leagues soon following, and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas kicking off on July 10, anticipation builds for Flagg’s potential Mavericks debut. As planning unfolds for the schedule announcement in August and training camps in late September, the NBA’s offseason momentum shows no signs of slowing.
Warriors guard Stephen Curry emphasized that while it may be offseason, true downtime is still weeks away. “You get away from the game a little bit,” Curry remarked. “And then you’re rebuilding everything for another great run.”