The NBA’s offseason has reached its next phase. LeBron James made the biggest free agency decision of the year, and now most of the league’s major roster questions for the 2026-27 season have been addressed. There could be a few more trades to avoid the NBA’s salary-cap penalties, but otherwise the league’s major transactions are complete.
But there sure were a lot of impact players on the move this year.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown, LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Julius Randle and James were among the former and current NBA All-Stars to switch teams this offseason. While the Knicks largely stood pat after winning an NBA championship, nearly every contender attempting to catch them made notable additions, subtractions or both after eight different title winners in eight years.
From blockbuster trades and free-agent signings to draft-night steals and key extensions, here are the best move made by each of the NBA’s 30 teams this offseason:
NBA: Ranking the best remaining free agents after LeBron James decision
Best move made by every NBA team this offseason
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
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DayRon Sharpe’s deal: The Nets declined Sharpe’s team option to sign him to a modest two-year, $10 million contract after the 24-year-old center enjoyed a career year in a reserve role. If Sharpe becomes a full-time starter in Brooklyn, this deal would be a bargain.
Charlotte Hornets
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Retained Coby White after LaMelo Ball trade: The Hornets signed White to a three-year, $74 million extension immediately following their trade of Ball. White can still push the pace and get downhill, but he also offers a potentially steadier option at point guard. If he isn’t the right fit for Charlotte, his contract will have value on the trade market moving forward.
Chicago Bulls
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Landed Norman Powell: Drafting Caleb Wilson may turn out to be the most memorable move the Bulls made in 2026, but he was the obvious pick at No. 4 and they had to beat out the Detroit Pistons and others to sign Powell. The 2026 NBA All-Star fills a hole at shooting guard and his two-year, $45 million contract doesn’t lock Chicago into a long-term relationship.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Drafted Meleek Thomas: The Cavaliers signed Donovan Mitchell to a supermax extension that raised some eyebrows and then missed out on LeBron James to make for a relatively quiet offseason. But their decision to draft Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas with the No. 34 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after he slid from his late first-round projection could turn into a steal. Cleveland signed Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million guaranteed contract and he strengthened the team’s confidence by leading the NBA Summer League in scoring (27.3 points per game).
Dallas Mavericks
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Traded for Zaccharie Risacher: The Mavericks made several moves to better position themselves around Cooper Flagg as the franchise cornerstone, but acquiring the 2024 No. 1 overall pick and only giving up an undrafted player from a year ago (Ryan Nembhard) is the kind of gamble that can accelerate a rebuild if it pays off. Risacher was a disappointment in Atlanta, but the 21-year-old has ideal length and athleticism for a 3-and-D wing if he can figure out how his game translates at the NBA level.
Denver Nuggets
Detroit Pistons
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Traded for Isaiah Joe: There is a lot of attention on the Pistons’ front office due to the ongoing negotiations with restricted free agent Jalen Duren and concerns about Cade Cunningham’s supporting cast. But Detroit desperately needed more shooting, and Joe came at the relatively low price of two future second-round picks. His $11.3 million salary this season, with a team option for 2027-28, makes this a low-risk bet with significant upside since Joe was a proven floor spacer seeking a larger role in Oklahoma City.
Golden State Warriors
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Kristaps Porzingis‘ team-friendly extension: The Warriors haven’t pulled off a major move this offseason, but they did extend Kristaps Porzingis with a creative, team-friendly contract structure. Though the deal was announced as a two-year, $40 million contract, only $3 million of Porzingis’ salary for the 2027-28 season is guaranteed. It provides Golden State with protection given his injury history, but Porzingis’ multi-faceted offensive skill set could thrive with a full season in coach Steve Kerr’s system.
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
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Signed Kelly Oubre Jr.: The Pacers added a veteran two-way wing without using much salary space by signing Oubre to a two-year, $16.5 million contract. The 30-year-old is coming off the most efficient season of his career and his defensive versatility has long been a strength. If he becomes a regular part of Indiana’s playoff rotation, the deal could prove to be one of the better values from this offseason.
LA Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
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Acquired Walker Kessler: The Lakers entered the offseason seeking a long-term upgrade at center for Luka Doncic, and they paid a hefty price to acquire one. Whether GM Rob Pelinka gave up too much for a relatively unproven player is up for debate, but the four-year, $130 million contract Kessler got in Los Angeles makes him part of the team’s nucleus for the foreseeable future. When healthy, he’s a strong fit with Doncic because of his impact in the pick-and-roll and as a rim protector.
Memphis Grizzlies
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Drafted Cameron Boozer: The Grizzlies completed their roster tear down by trading Ja Morant and Santi Aldama this offseason, but their most important addition this offseason came during the 2026 NBA Draft. Landing a potential franchise cornerstone with the No. 3 pick was a critical part of the team’s rebuilding efforts, and Boozer’s skillsets should complement center Zach Edey and 2025 first-round pick Cedric Coward.
Miami Heat
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Traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo: Pat Riley and the Heat finally got another superstar to come to South Beach. Miami gave up a lot of its core to get Antetokounmpo from the Bucks, leaving limited support outside of Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins. But the chance to acquire a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber rarely comes and beating out the rest of the league for him was still a landmark accomplishment for the franchise. The Heat are a legitimate contender again because of Antetokounmpo, though they may need additional depth to complete their championship aspirations.
Milwaukee Bucks
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The Giannis trade haul: The Bucks are in rebuilding mode for the first time in years and the trade package they got in return for Antetokounmpo got them a strong foundation with which to work. Milwaukee landed Tyler Herro, three young rotation players and three first-round draft picks for a mix of immediate contributors and future assets that will also be valuable for the Bucks as potential trade chips.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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Took a big swing on LaMelo Ball: The Timberwolves gave up Julius Randle, Naz Reid and much of their future draft capital to pair Ball with Anthony Edwards in hopes of challenging the best teams in the West. That’s a steep price considering Ball’s durability issues in the past. Their bet will need to produce more than highlight reels and funny postgame moments, but at least the franchise is willing to make one to raise its ceiling. Ball and Edwards have the potential to be the NBA’s most dynamic backcourts for years to come if this experiment works.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Re-signed DeAndre Jordan: This is the Pelicans’ best move because it’s the only move they’ve made other than drafting Jason Pierre Jr. in the second round of the 2026 NBA Draft. Jordan is more a coach than player at this point in his career, but he’s a valued locker room presence.
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
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Isaiah Hartenstein‘s team-friendly contract: The Thunder spent much of this offseason shedding contracts to stay under the second apron of the NBA’s salary cap. But the three-year, $75 million extension Hartenstein agreed to before free agency began looks team-friendly given what other top-end centers have received in recent years. The deal gives OKC’s front office more flexibility as it tries to keep its title contender together for the long haul.
Orlando Magic
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Reunited with Nikola Vucevic: The Magic are banking on the moves they made a year ago working out with a little more injury luck during the 2026-27 season. But Orlando did bring back Vucevic on a veteran-minimum contract. The 35-year-old center began his NBA career with the Magic, spending nearly nine years in Orlando, and could provide scoring help and experience off the bench at a low cost.
Philadelphia 76ers
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Won the LeBron James sweepstakes: There’s an argument to be made that James never even considers joining the 76ers without the blockbuster trade that sent Jaylen Brown from the Celtics to Philadelphia. But new president of basketball operations Mike Gansey might never top acquiring the NBA’s all-time leading scorer when he’s still one of the league’s top performers, especially on a veteran-minimum contract. James completes arguably the league’s most potent starting lineup after a strong playoff run this past season.
Phoenix Suns
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Re-signed Collin Gillespie: The Suns made another splash by trading for Miles Bridges this offseason, but retaining guard Collin Gillespie on a four-year, $48 million deal before he hit the market should be a valuable contract for Phoenix. Gillespie began with the Suns on a two-way contract before setting the franchise record for 3-pointers with 232 during a career year last season.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Traded for Ja Morant: Though Morant might be an odd fit given the Blazers’ glut of guards, Portland gave up very little for a two-year look at a player considered one of the NBA’s rising stars not long ago. Morant should be motivated to prove himself after several injury-marred seasons in Memphis, and the Trail Blazers will have a higher ceiling if new coach Micah Nori can figure out how to make all the backcourt pieces work together.
Sacramento Kings
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Waived DeMar DeRozan: The Kings are mostly stuck with an expensive roster that can’t compete in the Western Conference for now, but they were able to free some salary cap space by waiving DeRozan’s partially guaranteed contract. The franchise has until the end of August to decide whether to stretch DeRozan’s $10 million cap hit over three seasons. It’s not a flashy move, but a necessary one for the franchise to begin extricating itself from its salary cap predicament.
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
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Traded Walker Kessler: Losing Kessler may hurt Utah in the short term, though perhaps not as much as expected after the additions of Jusuf Nurkic and Mo Bamba. But acquiring two first-round picks, two pick swaps and future salary-cap flexibility by moving Kessler gives the Jazz an intriguing collection of young players and draft assets. The trade should position Utah to pursue another major move down the road without a significant decline in the near term.
Washington Wizards
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Drafted A.J. Dybantsa: As the Wizards’ rebuild moves into its next phase with the infusion of veterans Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the addition of Dybantsa as the No. 1 pick remains Washington’s most important offseason move. The franchise’s path to becoming a consistent contender in the Eastern Conference will go hand-in-hand with Dybantsa’s development, and he’s the favorite to lead all rookies in scoring this season despite having plenty of room to grow.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Breaking down the best offseason move by all 30 NBA teams in 2026
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