4 Things to Watch for This NBA Offseason

We're less than one week removed from the Finals, and the NBA offseason has already been a doozy.

The Houston Rockets leapfrogged up to contender status in FanDuel Sportsbook's 2026 NBA Finals odds market after trading Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and the No. 10 overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Kevin Durant.

Other key players who were dealt in the past week or so include Desmond Bane, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Anfernee Simons, and C.J. McCollum.

The NBA Draft came and went without too much drama, but the strong class figures to make an impact straight away. Notably, the already contending Dallas Mavericks added first overall pick Cooper Flagg to the fold.

Teams can begin negotiations with free agents on June 30th. We have already laid out the 10 Best NBA Free Agents for 2025, and here, we'll focus on the top things to watch for this offseason.

4 Things to Watch for This NBA Offseason

Will a Clear Eastern Conference Contender Emerge?

The Eastern Conference has long existed in a strange realm, and its status could not be more up in the air than it is now.

Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton both sustained a torn Achilles this past postseason and are threats to miss the entirety of next season. Thus, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers -- a team that was favored to win the East and a team that won the East in 2025 -- have a lesser chance to contend this upcoming season. The Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers -- two teams that are home to the conference's most recent MVP winners -- are in similar murky territory, though the Sixers will be all the way back if Joel Embiid is.

Will a wide-open conference cause a team in the East to make a bold acquisition this offseason?

The Orlando Magic have done their part, adding Desmond Bane to a roster that already featured Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs. As a result, the Magic (+420) own the third-shortest Eastern Conference odds behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers (+270) and New York Knicks (+300).

If you're an East GM, you've got to be considering how easy it could be to contend in the 2025-26 season. Clubs such as the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, or Toronto Raptors could boast top-three seed potential with one big move, and it might not even have to be a Giannis Antetokounmpo-type acquisition. Small market groups were granted enough hope after seeing the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana compete in last week's Finals. This offseason is an apt time for a fringe East team to make a bold trade or signing.

Is Giannis Antetokounmpo on His Way Out?

Giannis has been embroiled in trade rumors for quite some time. Will a divorce with the Milwaukee Bucks finally come to fruition this offseason?

Heading into the 2024-25 season, Giannis stated that he "might get traded" if the Bucks don't win it all. It wasn't the first time he made cryptic comments regarding his future with the organization.

The Bucks ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Pacers in just five games. Worse, 34-year-old Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tear that will keep him out for next season. It's hard enough to navigate two players on a max contract -- one of them being out of service doesn't help.

From there, it seemed like the Bucks' championship window was closed and Giannis' time with the team potentially over. However, on June 23rd, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Giannis has not asked for a trade. Is it as simple as that?

On one hand, the East is very open, and Milwaukee could feel confident that they have a shot even without Lillard. Even still, the Bucks currently have just +2900 odds (eighth-longest) to come out of said conference. Therefore, it could be in Milwaukee's best interest to shop Giannis, as they're sure to get a gaudy return if they deal him away. Plus, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see Giannis request a trade later this offseason should he not like the direction of the roster. He's reportedly been closely monitoring Milwaukee's moves.

This might end up being a Waiting-For-Godot situation, but Giannis is nonetheless the top name in the NBA who could be moved this offseason.

Boston's Gap Year

I'm not friends with any East GMs, but my hunch is that many are currently waiting for Boston's next move.

The Celtics just traded two starters from their 2024 championship team -- Holiday and Porzingis -- in a successful effort to get below the league's second apron. Currently, the main roster includes Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Simons, and an out-of-service Tatum. Al Horford and Luke Kornet are both unrestricted free agents who could command a larger salary than Boston can afford, which would leave them with slim pickings at the center position.

It seems as though Boston is planning to take a gap year as they look to remake their roster in preparation for Tatum's full return in the 2026-27 season. How will they go about that? Will it involve trading either Brown or White or re-routing Simons? Celtics VP Mike Zarren said the team has not had serious trade discussions involving either Brown or White, but ESPN's Shams Charania reported otherwise. The Celtics are unlikely to be done making moves -- whether they are big or small is the question.

Who Will Be the Lakers' Starting Center?

Nothing is sure when it comes to NBA rumors, but the Los Angeles Lakers acquiring a starting big this offseason is all but a fact.

Last season's LA roster was lopsided, as LeBron James and Luka Doncic existed in the same rotational breath as guys like Jaxson Hayes and Alex Len. There was no time for Los Angeles to figure out the frontcourt after the Mark Williams trade fell through at the deadline, but now, they have time. GM Rob Pelinka insisted the team will "turn every stone" when it comes to their search for a center.

Pelinka is pretty good at getting what he wants, and the Lakers' new ownership group is already putting their money where their mouth is after the team traded their way up the draft via cash to select Adou Thiero.

The Lakers moves are one of the biggest things to track this offseason, and it'll be interesting to see if they acquire a starting center via trade or the free-agent market. Since they are primed for a roster upgrade, now might not be a bad time to target the Lakers in the futures market.

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