These Teams Have Hit the Ground Running in the Offseason

Image Courtesy of the Houston Rockets Official Instagram

Following the nail-bitter finish to the season that saw the Oklahoma City Thunder win their first franchise in NBA history, many of the other teams around the association have aggressively looked to improve their squads. The massive trade on the morning of Game 7, followed by the draft and a fiery opening to free agency, has already changed the makeup of the league for years to come. Of all these roster moves, here are the five teams who’ve made the most impactful changes to start the offseason.

Houston Rockets

We have to address the elephant in the room first. In the early hours of June 22nd as the NBA world waited in anticipation for the Game 7 clash between the Pacers and Thunder, NBA twitter exploded as Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets. The full deal included Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks heading to Phoenix, along with the 10th pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks. With this addition, the Rockets answered their biggest issue which was efficient and reliable scoring from the perimeter. Durant is coming off of a season in which he averaged 26.6 points while shooting 52% from the field and 43% from three. Despite his age, he is still one of the best shooters and scorers that this league has to offer. 
Along with Durant, the Rockets also signed Dorian Finney-Smith as a free agent to replenish some of the defense that they lost by trading away Brooks. Finney-Smith can be a solid role player who can defend and knock down shots as he came off of a season shooting nearly 40% from three. Adding these pieces, along with the emergence of Amen Thompson, gives this team a much better shot at making noise in the playoffs.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are coming off of a brutal season. Just a few years removed from their conference finals appearance in 2021, the Hawks once again missed the playoffs, and one of their best young players, Jalen Johnson, ended his year early with a torn labrum. The team also traded De'Andre Hunter during the season, and many people were questioning what direction the team was heading in. However, the Hawks have proven to be much more aggressive and competent in the offseason. Starting with the draft, the Hawks traded their 13th pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for the 23rd pick and their unprotected first-round pick in the 2026 draft. With the Pelicans projected to miss the playoffs again next season, this pick can be incredibly valuable in a draft class as promising as 2026. Along with this shrewd decision, the Hawks signed both Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard in free agency, while also trading for Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics. Alexander-Walker is an excellent defender from the Timberwolves that can help bolster Atlanta’s defence around Trae Young. Kennard is a very respectable shooter and has an underrated ability to facilitate as a secondary playmaker, and Porzingis is an all-star caliber big man with elite defensive instincts when healthy. If Young can get back to the player he was a few years ago and the team remains healthy, they can be an intriguing story in the eastern conference.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets have quietly had an elite start to the summer. They traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson, who was highly touted around the league. While Porter Jr was a homegrown talent that helped bring a championship to Denver for the first time ever, it was evident that the Nuggets had to move in a different direction. He had issues creating his own shot and getting to the basket due to his injury history, and his ability on the defensive side of the ball left a lot to be desired. Despite these issues, he was still one of the best shooters in the league. Standing at 6’10, he was a constant mismatch as he could easily shoot over most defenders. However, Johnson is younger and more mobile with the ability to handle the ball, shoot at a high level, and most importantly, defend. The Nuggets roster was full of players that are serviceable on one side of the basketball, but lackluster on the other. With the addition of Johnson, the Nuggets get a guy who can hold his own on both ends. 

With the new addition of Johnson, the Nuggets bring back an old member of their championship roster, Bruce Brown. Brown was one of the first dominoes to fall for the Nuggets as they continued to lose key pieces of their championship team. Brown was another solid role player that can defend with a streaky shot, things that the Nuggets desperately need. He had big moments on their way to the 2023 championship, most notably chipping in 21 points in game 4 to give the Nuggets a 3-1 series lead. In the years after leaving Denver, Brown has had a tough time establishing himself. He played for three different teams in that time span, with his numbers falling considerably. If he’s able to recapture the magic with Denver, he can be a much needed addition alongside Johnson. 

Along with Johnson and Brown, the Nuggets have rounded out their roster by signing Tim Hardaway Jr., an above average shooter from Detroit, and Jonas Valanciunas, a serviceable backup center. With these additions, the Nuggets are a top-tier team in the west once again.

Dallas Mavericks

This pick comes down to one name, Cooper Flagg. The number one overall pick from Duke, Flagg was drafted to save a franchise that committed one of the most controversial trades in NBA history when they traded away their 26-year old superstar Luka Doncic. Now the Mavericks have one of the most anticipated prospects in the last 15 years, who has the ability to affect the team instantly. His elite ability on the defensive side of the basketball will fit seamlessly with the Mavericks who have some of the best defensive personnel in the association. Flagg will also get to compete and learn alongside Anthony Davis, who has been a perennial All-NBA big man for his entire career. The team will still need to add some more offensive talent, especially with Kyrie Irving recovering from an ACL tear. They signed D'Angelo Russell as a placeholder at the point guard position who can provide streaky offensive production, but they are still a piece or two away. However, if they are able to make another move, and Irving is able to return from his ACL injury with enough gas left in the tank, the Mavericks will be one of the few teams that can seriously compete with Oklahoma City in the western conference.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies started their offseason with a major move, sending their star shooting guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and four first round picks over the next five years. Although losing Bane was a hit to their high-end talent, Anthony and Caldwell-Pope added additional depth to a team that already had stellar bench production. Then in the draft they picked Cedric Coward, a mature prospect who can shoot the ball at a high clip, while possessing the physical tools to guard multiple positions. Following this move, the Grizzlies signed Ty Jerome, who was one of the best backup point guards in the league for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Grizzlies have dealt with an unfortunate amount of injuries in the past, and this influx of quality players will bolster the roster, allowing the team to stay afloat if they are hit with injuries again. 

With many of the heavy-hitting free agents off of the board, these teams have done a great job in identifying talents, and making the moves necessary to bolster their rosters. However, the offseason is still in its early stages. We saw the Knicks and Timberwolves make a massive late summer trade which mutually benefited both teams. In 2019, it wasn’t until July 10th that the Clippers made the blockbuster move to acquire Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, sending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to the Oklahoma City Thunder. That is what makes NBA free agency so interesting to watch. At any moment the league can be flipped on its head, giving the fans even more anticipation for the start of the new year.