{"id":2074958,"date":"2026-08-03T10:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T07:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2074958"},"modified":"2026-08-03T10:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-03T07:00:02","slug":"2026-nba-offseason-rankings-knicks-warriors-trail-blazers-among-bottom-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2074958","title":{"rendered":"2026 NBA offseason rankings: Knicks, Warriors, Trail Blazers among bottom 10"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"Article_ContentContainer__jBNW3 article-content-container bodytext1\">\n<p>The NBA never disappoints when it comes to dominating the offseason.<\/p>\n<p>For the first 20 or so years of this century, free agency was the preferred method for stars and superstars to make public their next moves and plow over Major League Baseball and the NFL for summertime attention around the Fourth of July. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving \u2014 all of them made franchise-shifting moves via unrestricted free agency after holding up league business for a few days while they had dalliances with prospective suitors. Gordon Hayward had everyone on pins and needles before signing a big deal with the Boston Celtics in the summer of 2017. Paul George made headlines <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/415418\/2018\/07\/01\/oram-what-paul-georges-decision-means-for-the-lakers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">simply by <em>staying<\/em> in Oklahoma City in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But today, trades are the way.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid1\" data-position=\"mid1\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Almost no team operates as a cap-space team anymore, unless they\u2019re in the midst of a yearslong rebuild. It\u2019s so lucrative to sign an extension off a current deal for most of the league\u2019s best players, so it\u2019s rare to see a young superstar get to a seventh season without a new deal in hand. So when a star player changes teams these days, it\u2019s almost always via trade.<\/p>\n<p>This offseason kept the pattern going.<\/p>\n<p>Giannis Antetokounmpo, finally, after years of smoke, was dealt by Milwaukee to Miami. Memphis, not surprisingly, moved Ja Morant to Portland. The Clippers got out of the Leonard business, sending him to Toronto before the NBA\u2019s investigation into alleged cap circumvention by the Clippers involving Leonard was completed. And Boston, shockingly, not only traded Jaylen Brown, a fixture for a decade alongside Jayson Tatum in Beantown, but also traded him to a division rival \u2014 the 76ers \u2014 for George. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7469211\/2026\/07\/25\/lebron-james-decision-explanation-76ers-warriors-heat-timberwolves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">That wasn\u2019t the biggest move<\/a> Philly made this summer, of course, but it was the most stunning.<\/p>\n<div data-ath-video-stream=\"gLpx52U1zV8t7oM\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_Root__QeM_i\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_VideoWidth__XjNKI VideoHost_Portrait__XBaJC\">\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Root__AGckL\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Title__npf3B\">Why Philly will be LeBron&#8217;s hardest test<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Authors__jxyYV\">David Aldridge and Johnny Sweet<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_VideoWrapper__Xgp47\">{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;VideoObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/gLpx52U1zV8t7oM\/&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/gLpx52U1zV8t7oM\/&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Why Philly will be LeBron&#8217;s hardest test&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;David Aldridge explains why playing in Philadelphia will be the hardest test of LeBron&#8217;s career&#8221;,&#8221;uploadDate&#8221;:&#8221;2026-07-24T21:07:34.498Z&#8221;,&#8221;duration&#8221;:&#8221;PT1M43S&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnailUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/cdn-media.theathletic.com\/video-stream\/auto-thumbnail\/gLpx52U1zV8t7oM\/eIRVbbSAryTs.0000000.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/video.nyt.com\/athletic\/private\/video-stream-sources\/eIRVbbSAryTs.mp4&#8243;,&#8221;transcript&#8221;:&#8221;Give LeBron James some credit. The easy thing would have been to go back to Cleveland and finish his career with the Cavaliers, where it started and where he won the championship in 2016. That will define his legacy. Blocked by James. Cleveland is a city of champions once again. That would have been easy and understandable, and everyone would have supported it. It would have been a little harder to go back to Miami, but not impossible. The Heat still have Erik Spoelstra, and now they have Giannis Edenakopo. The cupboard is not bare on South Beach. But Philly is hard. The Sixers did not play worth a jack yesterday at all. They got whitewashed in their own building. Philly has a 43 year wait pending from its fan base. Philly has a media contingency that all due respect to Los Angeles, is a little harder on the local teams than the LA. Writers and broadcasters are out there. With the Knicks fans taking over the building is a direct response to what the Sixers fans have been put through for the last 25 years. Philly has a talented roster whose superstar, Joel Embiid hasn&#8217;t been able to stay healthy when the playoffs come throughout his career. Philly has New York, the defending NBA champions to now go through in the Eastern Conference. It&#8217;s not easy, but With Tyrese Maxey, with Jalen Brown, with VJ Edgecombe, the seventy-Sixers are formidable, and now with LeBron James, they have somebody that can fill in all the cracks that have bedeviled them for so many years.&#8221;,&#8221;ineligibleRegion&#8221;:[&#8220;BI&#8221;,&#8221;BY&#8221;,&#8221;CD&#8221;,&#8221;CF&#8221;,&#8221;CU&#8221;,&#8221;IQ&#8221;,&#8221;IR&#8221;,&#8221;KP&#8221;,&#8221;LB&#8221;,&#8221;LY&#8221;,&#8221;ML&#8221;,&#8221;NI&#8221;,&#8221;RU&#8221;,&#8221;SD&#8221;,&#8221;SO&#8221;,&#8221;SS&#8221;,&#8221;SY&#8221;,&#8221;UA&#8221;,&#8221;VE&#8221;,&#8221;YE&#8221;,&#8221;ZW&#8221;],&#8221;publisher&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;NewsMediaOrganization&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/#publisher&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/&#8221;,&#8221;foundingDate&#8221;:&#8221;2016-01-25&#8243;,&#8221;logo&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;creditText&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;height&#8221;:&#8221;60&#8243;,&#8221;width&#8221;:&#8221;435&#8243;},&#8221;publishingPrinciples&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/edit-guidelines\/&#8221;,&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Athletic&#8221;},&#8221;author&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;David Aldridge and Johnny Sweet&#8221;}]}<\/p>\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_root__AKv5b\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16;max-height:min(100%)\">\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_inner__86C_2\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16\">\n<div class=\"VideoStreamPlayer_GridStack__2H0p2\"><video preload=\"metadata\"><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Bolstered by a group of incoming rookies that made the 2026 draft one of the most anticipated in recent years, many NBA rosters are not just different going into next season. Teams at the top of the lottery got <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7382887\/2026\/06\/23\/nba-draft-grades-analysis-2026-vecenie-hollinger\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">desperately needed injections of talent and hope<\/a>. And if you needed a point guard, this was your year!<\/p>\n<p>All of the above means it\u2019s time for the annual assessment of every NBA team\u2019s offseason, taking everything into account: the draft, trades, free-agent signings, coach hirings and firings.<\/p>\n<p>To repeat: This is a ranking of every team\u2019s <em>offseason<\/em>. It is not a power rankings list, as you may have come to know that term. Power rankings place every team in order, based on how they\u2019re playing in a given week of the season. This isn\u2019t that. These rankings ask, and try to answer, one question: Is the team better now than it was at the end of last season?<\/p>\n<p>I write this to head off the wrath of John T.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid2\" data-position=\"mid2\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>John T., or Rich L., or Bob S. \u2014 they\u2019re all the same guy\/bot that jumps into the comments section seven seconds after an editor presses publish on this every year and writes, with all the cleverness of your basic ferret, \u201cWiz bettor (sic) than the Knicks lol. Knicks in Five! Your (sic) an idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>(I very well may <em>be<\/em> an idiot, but not because of that. And \u2026 find that writing ferret!)<\/p>\n<p>I am not saying the Wizards are now better than the Knicks. I am saying they had a better offseason, and that their team has improved, relative to where it was, more than New York, relative to where <em>it<\/em> was. The Knicks, of course, won the NBA championship in June. The Wizards \u2026 did not. So, of course, the Knicks still have a better team than Washington. But the Wizards improved their roster since the end of their season more than the Knicks improved theirs \u2014 even though New York still has a better team. You can hold both thoughts in your head at the same time. Really.<\/p>\n<p>In making these determinations, there are levels. If I really like a guy in the draft \u2014 such as, for example, Kingston Flemings \u2014 I probably rewarded that team a little more. If a team took a veteran who impacts winning, as OKC did a couple years ago in getting Alex Caruso, it gets a similar kind of bump. If a rebuilding team such as Utah was especially smart in how it used its assets\/players, it\u2019s rewarded. Same for a team that\u2019s facing a repeater tax and\/or the second apron and maneuvers around it without impacting its core roster.<\/p>\n<p>Injuries also matter, of course. Indiana will be better next season with Tyrese Haliburton back on the court. Not rocket science.<\/p>\n<p>So, three stories, three sets of rankings, from 30 to 21, 20 to 11 and 10 to one. Here we go.<\/p>\n<p><em>Salary numbers, with a couple of exceptions, come from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spotrac.com\/nba\/contracts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-index=\"2\">Spotrac<\/a>, which stays on top of this stuff as well as anyone. The website <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rookiescale.com\/2026-udfa-tracker\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">rookiescale.com<\/a> produced an exhaustive list of 2026 two-way and Exhibit 10 post-draft signings this year, from which I have borrowed copiously. Future draft pick details are from both Spotrac and RealGM. Transactions through Aug. 2.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid3\" data-position=\"mid3\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<h2 id=\"sect-0\">30. New Orleans Pelicans<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 26-56; did not make playoffs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> G\/F Jaron Pierre Jr. (second round, 58th pick); F Solomon Washington (Exhibit 10); G\/F Jordan Riley (Exhibit 10); F Chris Bell (Exhibit 10); C Christian Koloko (Exhibit 9); G Kobe Bufkin (Exhibit 9); hired head coach Jamahl Mosley<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> C Kevon Looney (signed with Lakers)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> C DeAndre Jordan (two years, $7.9M); C Hunter Dickinson (two-way); F Karlo Matkovi\u0107 (team picked up 2026-27 option)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> Mosley did a great job raising the Magic\u2019s floor. But the Pels needed more than just a new coach. This was a dead offseason for a team that finished 30 games under .500 last season, and status quo in the Western Conference is falling behind. For now, the Pels haven\u2019t moved Zion Williamson or Trey Murphy III or Herb Jones. Obviously there\u2019s talent in the room, but there was last season, too \u2014 and, without its first-rounder in 2026 and having no reason to lie down, New Orleans wasn\u2019t an egregious tanker. The Pels played most of their key guys all year. They were just bad. That\u2019s not encouraging.<\/p>\n<p id=\"article-pickem\">\n<h2 id=\"sect-1\">29. Milwaukee Bucks<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 32-50; did not make playoffs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> G Tyler Herro (acquired from Miami); C Kel\u2019el Ware (acquired from Miami); F Jaime Jaquez Jr. (acquired from Miami); G Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis (acquired from Miami); G Caris LeVert (acquired from Detroit); F Bogoljub Markovi\u0107 (four years, $9.3M); G Kam Jones (two-way); F Rafael Castro (two-way); G Brayden Burries (first round, 10th pick); F Nate Ament (draft rights acquired from Miami); F Malique Lewis (draft rights acquired from Washington); 2031, 2033 first-round picks (acquired from Miami); 2030 first-round pick swap (acquired from Miami); 2033 second-round pick (acquired from Miami); two 2027 second-round picks (acquired from Detroit); hired head coach Taylor Jenkins<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid4\" data-position=\"mid4\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> F Giannis Antetokounmpo (traded to Miami); F Bobby Portis (traded to Miami); F Taurean Prince (traded to Detroit); G Gary Harris (traded to Detroit); G\/F Andre Jackson Jr. (team declined 2026-27 option); fired head coach Doc Rivers<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> G Gary Trent Jr. (four years, $64M); F Ousmane Dieng (three years, $17.5M); F Pete Nance (two years, $5.2M); G Kevin Porter Jr. (exercised player option for 2026-27); C Jericho Sims (exercised player option for 2026-27)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> Bucks fans never really had much time to enjoy their 2021 title before enduring five years of seemingly endless speculation about Antetokounmpo\u2019s future. The package of players and picks from Miami for the Greek Freak isn\u2019t nearly as robust as Heat fans (and many of their local media) insisted it was, but it\u2019s an OK return for the two-time league MVP and 10-time All-Star. Burries and Ament are a good beginning for a rebuild. Ware and Jaquez are good young pieces (one suspects Herro will, if not next season, ultimately be re-routed elsewhere), and the Bucks will likely move out any remaining vets with any value before February\u2019s trade deadline.<\/p>\n<div data-ath-video-stream=\"fMEITMsDX9MLXdZ\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_Root__QeM_i\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_VideoWidth__XjNKI VideoHost_Portrait__XBaJC\">\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Root__AGckL\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Title__npf3B\">Giannis&#8217; Bucks career by the numbers<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_VideoWrapper__Xgp47\">{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;VideoObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/fMEITMsDX9MLXdZ\/&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/fMEITMsDX9MLXdZ\/&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Giannis&#8217; Bucks career by the numbers&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;Before the next chapter begins, a look at the numbers behind one of the greatest careers in Bucks history.&#8221;,&#8221;uploadDate&#8221;:&#8221;2026-06-23T13:20:46.184Z&#8221;,&#8221;duration&#8221;:&#8221;PT51S&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnailUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/cdn-media.theathletic.com\/video-stream\/auto-thumbnail\/fMEITMsDX9MLXdZ\/w3zA5jm9KMko.0000000.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/video.nyt.com\/athletic\/private\/video-stream-sources\/w3zA5jm9KMko.mp4&#8243;,&#8221;transcript&#8221;:&#8221;Hills. Giannis offensive board. Oh. I. Oh my goodness, threw it to himself. The Celtics. working behind Giannis. Oh.&#8221;,&#8221;ineligibleRegion&#8221;:[&#8220;BI&#8221;,&#8221;BY&#8221;,&#8221;CD&#8221;,&#8221;CF&#8221;,&#8221;CU&#8221;,&#8221;IQ&#8221;,&#8221;IR&#8221;,&#8221;KP&#8221;,&#8221;LB&#8221;,&#8221;LY&#8221;,&#8221;ML&#8221;,&#8221;NI&#8221;,&#8221;RU&#8221;,&#8221;SD&#8221;,&#8221;SO&#8221;,&#8221;SS&#8221;,&#8221;SY&#8221;,&#8221;UA&#8221;,&#8221;VE&#8221;,&#8221;YE&#8221;,&#8221;ZW&#8221;],&#8221;publisher&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;NewsMediaOrganization&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/#publisher&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/&#8221;,&#8221;foundingDate&#8221;:&#8221;2016-01-25&#8243;,&#8221;logo&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;creditText&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;height&#8221;:&#8221;60&#8243;,&#8221;width&#8221;:&#8221;435&#8243;},&#8221;publishingPrinciples&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/edit-guidelines\/&#8221;,&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Athletic&#8221;},&#8221;author&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic Staff&#8221;}]}<\/p>\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_root__AKv5b\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16;max-height:min(100%)\">\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_inner__86C_2\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16\">\n<div class=\"VideoStreamPlayer_GridStack__2H0p2\"><video preload=\"metadata\"><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-2\">28. Denver Nuggets<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 54-28; lost in Western Conference first round to Minnesota, 4-2<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> G Tyus Jones (one year, $3.88M); C Marvin Bagley (one year, $3.5M); F Alpha Diallo (one year, $1.35M); F Bryce Hopkins (second round, 49th pick); F Trevon Brazile (draft rights acquired from San Antonio); F Aaron Nkrumah (Exhibit 10); F Mark Mitchell Jr. (Exhibit 10); C Giovanni Emejuru (Exhibit 10); future second-round picks (acquired from San Antonio)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> G Tim Hardaway Jr. (signed with Miami); G Jalen Pickett (team declined 2026-27 option); C Tarris Reed Jr. (draft rights traded to San Antonio); C Jonas Valan\u010di\u016bnas (waived)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> F Spencer Jones (two years, $11.75M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> F Aaron Gordon (left calf tightness)<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid5\" data-position=\"mid5\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> Even with a transcendent superstar such as Nikola Joki\u0107, it\u2019s hard to ask ownership to again go above the second apron and\/or write a massive repeater tax check. This offseason, Denver started pulling back. You can not like it, after the Nuggets went all in to bolster their bench last year (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6549950\/2025\/08\/21\/nba-offseason-2025-rankings-thunder-rockets-spurs\/\">I loved the plays the Nuggets made, for the record<\/a>), but you can\u2019t say you don\u2019t understand why. The Nuggets went with mostly low-budget adds to the rotation this summer, and we\u2019ll see if they can wait out restricted free agent Peyton Watson to make a long-term deal. But San Antonio and OKC are ascendant in the West, and the gap between them and Denver isn\u2019t getting smaller.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sect-3\">27. Golden State Warriors<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 37-45; lost in Western Conference Play-In to Phoenix<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> F Yaxel Lendeborg (first round, 11th pick); F Lajae Jones (second round, 54th pick); G Nick Boyd (Exhibit 10); C Graham Ike (Exhibit 10)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> C Quinten Post (signed with Memphis)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> F Draymond Green (one year, $27.68M), F\/C Al Horford (two years, $13.99M); G De\u2019Anthony Melton (two years, $11M); G Gary Payton II (one year, $3.88M); C Charles Bassey (one year, $2.85M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> C Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is (two years, $40M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> G\/F Jimmy Butler (torn right ACL); G Moses Moody (torn left patellar tendon)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> The Dubs held out hope that they could get LeBron James to take his last ride with Stephen Curry and Green, but that never felt real. What does is Golden State\u2019s continued decline in the West, though it did get a very good prospect in Lendeborg, a centerpiece of Michigan\u2019s national championship run. But asking Lendeborg to hold off Father Time by himself is a bit much. Is there enough firepower surrounding the 38-year-old Curry to keep Golden State in the hunt until Butler returns at some point next season?<\/p>\n<div id=\"inline-graphic\">\n<p>        a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n  display: flex;<br \/>\n  gap: 20px;<br \/>\n  flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n  align-items: center;<br \/>\n  padding: 20px 0px;<br \/>\n  border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  text-decoration: none;<br \/>\n  color: #121212;<br \/>\n  cursor: pointer;<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-franklin;<br \/>\n    font-size: 14px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n    line-height: 13.8px;<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 1.1px;<br \/>\n    text-transform: uppercase;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-image {<br \/>\n    border-radius: 8px;<br \/>\n    object-fit: cover;<br \/>\n    width: 200px;<br \/>\n    height: 150px;<br \/>\n    margin: 0px;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      width: 120px;<br \/>\n      height: 120px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-inner-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: row;<br \/>\n    gap: 16px;<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-text-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n    gap: 20px;<br \/>\n    justify-content: center;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      gap: 8px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-title {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-cheltenham;<br \/>\n    font-size: 24px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 500;<br \/>\n    line-height: 120%; \/* 24px *\/<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 0.01px;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 3;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-imperial;<br \/>\n    font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 400;<br \/>\n    line-height: 139%; \/* 19.46px *\/<br \/>\n    color: #323232;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 4;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 12px;<br \/>\n      line-height: 121%;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.showcase-link-inputs {<br \/>\n  .showcase-link-input {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n    font-size: 1rem;<br \/>\n    background-color: white;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 12px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-indent {<br \/>\n    margin-left: 25px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  option {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {<br \/>\n  .native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n    background-color: #121212;<br \/>\n    color: #f0f0ee;<br \/>\n    .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n      color: #c4c4c0;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>            \/\/ Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click<br \/>\n            document.querySelectorAll(&#8216;.showcase-link-image&#8217;).forEach((img) =&gt; img.removeAttribute(&#8216;onclick&#8217;));<\/p>\n<p>        <a id=\"showcase-link-7470368\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7470368\/2026\/07\/26\/stephen-curry-lebron-james-golden-state-warriors-future-76ers\/\" class=\"showcase-link-container in-content-module-link testbed-shortcode\" data-shortcode-id=\"101\" data-shortcode-string=\"showcase-link\" data-content-id=\"7470368\" data-content-post-type=\"article\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link\">What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-inner-content\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/07\/26081559\/GettyImages-2270636345-1024x683.jpg?width=400&amp;quality=70\" alt=\"Stephen Curry on missing out on LeBron James and the Warriors\u2019 uncertain future\" class=\"showcase-link-image\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-text-content\">\n<div class=\"showcase-link-title\">\n                  Stephen Curry on missing out on LeBron James and the Warriors\u2019 uncertain future\n              <\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-excerpt\">\n                  &#8220;That&#8217;s why you don&#8217;t envision anything until it happens,&#8221; Curry said of LeBron James choosing Philadelphia over the Warriors.\n              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-4\">26. Indiana Pacers<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 19-63; did not make playoffs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> F Kelly Oubre Jr. (two years, $16.5M); F Larry Nance Jr. (one year, $3.88M); G Braden Smith (draft rights acquired from Chicago); F Jalen Slawson (two-way); G Tamin Lipsey (Exhibit 10); F Kowachie Reeves Jr. (Exhibit 10); C Keba Keita (Exhibit 10); C Rienk Mast (Exhibit 10)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> G Kam Jones (traded to Chicago); C Micah Potter (waived); G Taelon Peter (waived)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> G Quenton Jackson (one year, $2.58M); F Kobe Brown (two-way)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid6\" data-position=\"mid6\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> G Tyrese Haliburton (torn right Achilles); G\/F Johnny Furphy (torn right ACL)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> The Pacers gambled their 2026 first-round pick as part of the trade for Ivica Zubac. That it didn\u2019t work, and that the Clippers got to take Illinois freshman Keaton Wagler fifth instead of Indy doesn\u2019t mean the shot wasn\u2019t worth taking. But I can\u2019t give Indy a good offseason grade when it didn\u2019t have a lottery pick to improve the roster following a 19-63 gap season. Haliburton\u2019s return will surely re-energize the franchise, and Oubre will help Pascal Siakam in the forwards room, but can the Pacers regain the frenetic pace that made Rick Carlisle\u2019s team so difficult to handle during its run to the 2025 NBA Finals?<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sect-5\">25. Orlando Magic<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 45-37; lost in Eastern Conference first round to Detroit, 4-3<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> C Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107 (one year, $3.88M); F\/C Izaiyah Nelson (draft rights acquired from Washington); F Malik Reneau (Exhibit 10); hired head coach Sean Sweeney<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> C Felix Okpara (draft rights traded to Washington); fired head coach Jamahl Mosley<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> F Jonathan Isaac (one year, $3.52M); G Jevon Carter (one year, $3.5M); F Jamal Cain (team picked up 2026-27 option); F Colin Castleton (two-way)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> Nelson (fractured left ankle)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> Mosley was going to take the fall whenever the Magic lost in the postseason. That they blew a 3-1 first-round lead to Detroit only made the decision easier. But Orlando\u2019s problem remains the postseason productivity of its core, not its coaching. Even Desmond Bane\u2019s 43 percent shooting from deep against the Pistons couldn\u2019t keep the Magic from cratering at the worst possible moment, blowing a 24-point second-half lead over Detroit in Game 6 at home. To be sure, Franz Wagner\u2019s injury was a key factor in the series loss, but the Magic have now flamed out three straight seasons in the first round. I\u2019m not sure how many more swings this current group should get.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid7\" data-position=\"mid7\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-6\">24. Portland Trail Blazers<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record: <\/strong>42-40; lost in Western Conference first round to San Antonio, 4-1<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> G Ja Morant (acquired from Memphis); C Branden Carlson (one year, $2.45M); F Jeremy Sochan (one year, $2.6M); C Micah Potter (claimed off waivers from Indiana); G John Tonje (two-way); F Barry Dunning Jr. (Exhibit 10); hired head coach Micah Nori<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> F Jerami Grant (traded to Memphis); F Kris Murray (traded to Memphis); former interim head coach Tiago Splitter signed with Chicago<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> G Sidy Cissoko (one year, $2.5M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> C Robert Williams III (three years, $43.5M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> G Damian Lillard (torn left Achilles)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> Adding Morant is a reasonable gamble. I\u2019m not at all sure, though, that Morant and Lillard can play together or defend at anything approaching league average. Bank on Jrue Holiday still playing a lot. Nori can certainly handle both people and the X\u2019s and O\u2019s, but the circumstances of his hire \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7391791\/2026\/06\/25\/nba-coaches-micah-noris-trail-blazers-contract-disrespectful-tom-dundon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an unheard-of-in-the-modern-era deal<\/a> with just one year guaranteed \u2014 are flashing red lights. Tom Dundon\u2019s surely going to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7464330\/2026\/07\/22\/trail-blazers-tom-dundon-radio-tv-broadcast\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">point to his Stanley Cup-winning Hurricanes<\/a> as a model for how to run his NBA team. But his hardball tactics with the city about who\u2019s going to pay to renovate the Moda Center are lousy PR for a franchise that got some positive traction last season.<\/p>\n<div data-ath-video-stream=\"bd3eqEs2svbaaWh\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_Root__QeM_i\">\n<div class=\"VideoHost_VideoWidth__XjNKI VideoHost_Portrait__XBaJC\">\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Root__AGckL\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Title__npf3B\">Why the Portland Trail Blazers traded for Ja Morant<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_Authors__jxyYV\">Esfandiar Baraheni and Jeshua Kidd<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"VideoTitleFrame_VideoWrapper__Xgp47\">{&#8220;@context&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/schema.org&#8221;,&#8221;@type&#8221;:&#8221;VideoObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/bd3eqEs2svbaaWh\/&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/video\/bd3eqEs2svbaaWh\/&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Why the Portland Trail Blazers traded for Ja Morant&#8221;,&#8221;description&#8221;:&#8221;The Portland Trail Blazers just landed Ja Morant in a big trade. Es Baraheni breaks down what that means for the team. &#8220;,&#8221;uploadDate&#8221;:&#8221;2026-06-29T22:37:38.914Z&#8221;,&#8221;duration&#8221;:&#8221;PT1M14S&#8221;,&#8221;thumbnailUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/cdn-media.theathletic.com\/video-stream\/auto-thumbnail\/bd3eqEs2svbaaWh\/hKGXFlTaUL0M.0000000.jpg&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/video.nyt.com\/athletic\/private\/video-stream-sources\/hKGXFlTaUL0M.mp4&#8243;,&#8221;transcript&#8221;:&#8221;The Portland Trail Blazers have traded for John Morant. The John Morant saga in Memphis is finally over. There&#8217;s 4 questions that immediately pop out in my mind. The first thing is, how do he and Damian Lillard work together? Not to mention the Blazers have a stacked backcourt situation between Damian Lillard, Drew Holiday, and Scoop Henderson. What does this acquisition mean for All of them. How much do the Portland Trail Blazers believe that John Morant can get back to that All-Star level that he was? John Morant is undoubtedly one of the best passers in the NBA, and he used to be one of the best drivers in all of basketball. If you were to ever get back to that level, the combination of him and Danny Adia would make the Trail Blazers one of the best driving teams in all of the NBA. And the third question I have is, what does this all mean for Scoot Henderson? What does this mean for his future as a Portland Trail Blazer with some contract decisions coming up? But overall, this is a good swing for the Portland Trail Blazers who were able to get off of Jeremy Grant&#8217;s contract, all while adding a very intriguing piece in Morant that maybe if it all works out, can work out very well for Portland.&#8221;,&#8221;ineligibleRegion&#8221;:[&#8220;BI&#8221;,&#8221;BY&#8221;,&#8221;CD&#8221;,&#8221;CF&#8221;,&#8221;CU&#8221;,&#8221;IQ&#8221;,&#8221;IR&#8221;,&#8221;KP&#8221;,&#8221;LB&#8221;,&#8221;LY&#8221;,&#8221;ML&#8221;,&#8221;NI&#8221;,&#8221;RU&#8221;,&#8221;SD&#8221;,&#8221;SO&#8221;,&#8221;SS&#8221;,&#8221;SY&#8221;,&#8221;UA&#8221;,&#8221;VE&#8221;,&#8221;YE&#8221;,&#8221;ZW&#8221;],&#8221;publisher&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;NewsMediaOrganization&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/#publisher&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/&#8221;,&#8221;foundingDate&#8221;:&#8221;2016-01-25&#8243;,&#8221;logo&#8221;:{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;ImageObject&#8221;,&#8221;@id&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;url&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;contentUrl&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/theathletic.com\/app\/themes\/athletic\/assets\/img\/the-athletic-wordmark-black.png&#8221;,&#8221;creditText&#8221;:&#8221;The Athletic&#8221;,&#8221;height&#8221;:&#8221;60&#8243;,&#8221;width&#8221;:&#8221;435&#8243;},&#8221;publishingPrinciples&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/edit-guidelines\/&#8221;,&#8221;sameAs&#8221;:&#8221;https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Athletic&#8221;},&#8221;author&#8221;:[{&#8220;@type&#8221;:&#8221;Person&#8221;,&#8221;name&#8221;:&#8221;Esfandiar Baraheni and Jeshua Kidd&#8221;}]}<\/p>\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_root__AKv5b\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16;max-height:min(100%)\">\n<div class=\"AspectRatioBox_inner__86C_2\" style=\"aspect-ratio:9 \/ 16\">\n<div class=\"VideoStreamPlayer_GridStack__2H0p2\"><video preload=\"metadata\"><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-7\">23. Cleveland Cavaliers<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 52-30; lost in Eastern Conference finals to New York, 4-0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> F Mario Hezonja (one year, $3.06M); G Meleek Thomas (draft rights acquired from Sacramento); C Ernest Udeh Jr. (two-way); G Xaivian Lee (Exhibit 10); F Rashaun Agee (Exhibit 10); F Tre\u2019Von Spillers (Exhibit 10); 2032 second-round pick (acquired from Sacramento)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> F Dean Wade (signed with Philadelphia); G\/F Keon Ellis (signed with Brooklyn); F Larry Nance Jr. (signed with Indiana); F Alex Karaban (draft rights traded to Sacramento)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> C Thomas Bryant (one year, $3.52M); G Craig Porter Jr. (team picked up 2026-27 option)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> G Donovan Mitchell (four years, $272.7M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid8\" data-position=\"mid8\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> The Cavaliers\u2019 understandable re-pursuit of LeBron James took up most of their summer, but that meant waiting until almost all other potential free agents signed elsewhere \u2014 including some of their own. Cleveland may have unearthed a gem in Thomas, who showed signs of being a potent scorer in the Las Vegas Summer League. A full season of James Harden, likely to re-sign soon, and Mitchell together should keep the Cavs in the top half of the East, but leaves the same questions this current iteration of the franchise has faced the last few years: Can its backcourt defend well enough and its frontcourt score enough when it most matters?<\/p>\n<div id=\"inline-graphic\">\n<p>        a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n  display: flex;<br \/>\n  gap: 20px;<br \/>\n  flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n  align-items: center;<br \/>\n  padding: 20px 0px;<br \/>\n  border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  text-decoration: none;<br \/>\n  color: #121212;<br \/>\n  cursor: pointer;<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-franklin;<br \/>\n    font-size: 14px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n    line-height: 13.8px;<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 1.1px;<br \/>\n    text-transform: uppercase;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-image {<br \/>\n    border-radius: 8px;<br \/>\n    object-fit: cover;<br \/>\n    width: 200px;<br \/>\n    height: 150px;<br \/>\n    margin: 0px;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      width: 120px;<br \/>\n      height: 120px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-inner-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: row;<br \/>\n    gap: 16px;<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-text-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n    gap: 20px;<br \/>\n    justify-content: center;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      gap: 8px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-title {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-cheltenham;<br \/>\n    font-size: 24px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 500;<br \/>\n    line-height: 120%; \/* 24px *\/<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 0.01px;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 3;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-imperial;<br \/>\n    font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 400;<br \/>\n    line-height: 139%; \/* 19.46px *\/<br \/>\n    color: #323232;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 4;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 12px;<br \/>\n      line-height: 121%;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.showcase-link-inputs {<br \/>\n  .showcase-link-input {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n    font-size: 1rem;<br \/>\n    background-color: white;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 12px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-indent {<br \/>\n    margin-left: 25px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  option {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {<br \/>\n  .native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n    background-color: #121212;<br \/>\n    color: #f0f0ee;<br \/>\n    .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n      color: #c4c4c0;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>            \/\/ Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click<br \/>\n            document.querySelectorAll(&#8216;.showcase-link-image&#8217;).forEach((img) =&gt; img.removeAttribute(&#8216;onclick&#8217;));<\/p>\n<p>        <a id=\"showcase-link-7469588\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7469588\/2026\/07\/25\/lebron-james-cleveland-blame\/\" class=\"showcase-link-container in-content-module-link testbed-shortcode\" data-shortcode-id=\"101\" data-shortcode-string=\"showcase-link\" data-content-id=\"7469588\" data-content-post-type=\"article\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link\">What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-inner-content\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/07\/25124656\/GettyImages-2277900877-1024x683.jpg?width=400&amp;quality=70\" alt=\"LeBron will not be coming home. Cleveland should blame someone else for that\" class=\"showcase-link-image\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-text-content\">\n<div class=\"showcase-link-title\">\n                  LeBron will not be coming home. Cleveland should blame someone else for that\n              <\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-excerpt\">\n                  LeBron is headed to Philadelphia, and the Cavs are left to pivot to \u2026 what, exactly?\n              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-8\">22. Brooklyn Nets<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record:<\/strong> 20-62; did not make playoffs<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> F Julius Randle (acquired from Minnesota); G\/F Keon Ellis (two years, $18M); C Moe Wagner (two years, $19M); F Joshua Jefferson (draft rights acquired from Minnesota); G Mikel Brown Jr. (first round, sixth pick); F Tyler Bilodeau (second round, 43rd pick); F Ben Humrichous (Exhibit 10); G Dion Brown (Exhibit 10)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> C Nic Claxton (traded to Chicago); F Ziaire Williams (signed with Lakers); G Malachi Smith (waived); G Isaiah Evans (draft rights traded to Minnesota)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> C Day\u2019Ron Sharpe (two years, $20M); F Josh Minott (two years, $9M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> G Nolan Traor\u00e9 (right knee surgery)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> I\u2019ll be surprised if Randle is here long term (the 31-year-old has a player option for the 2027-28 season at $35.8 million). But for now, he and Michael Porter Jr. can put the ball in the basket, Egor D\u00ebmin should take a Year 2 jump, and Brown should finally solve the search for a franchise point guard. Brooklyn has a ways to go, but at the very least, this group should be more competitive most nights next season for Jordi Fern\u00e1ndez \u2014 and get out of the league basement in offensive rating. It\u2019s a start.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-container\">\n<div class=\"ad-wrapper article-treatment\">\n<div class=\"ad-slug-container\">\n<p class=\"ad-slug\">Advertisement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"mid9\" data-position=\"mid9\" class=\"ad place-ad\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"sect-9\">21. New York Knicks<\/h2>\n<p><strong>2025-26 record: <\/strong>53-29; won NBA championship over San Antonio, 4-1<\/p>\n<p><strong>Added:<\/strong> C Andre Drummond (one year, $3.88M); F Tyler Nickel (draft rights acquired from Phoenix); G Jack Kayil (draft rights acquired from Houston); G Mojave King (NBA rights acquired from Houston); F Melvin Ajin\u00e7a (NBA rights acquired from Dallas); F Louis Labeyrie (NBA rights acquired from Lakers); F Chinemelu Elonu (NBA rights acquired from Lakers); 2029 second-round pick (acquired from Houston); 2029, 2033 second-round pick (acquired from Phoenix); 2030, 2032 second-round picks (acquired from Dallas)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lost:<\/strong> C Mitchell Robinson (signed with Boston); C Ariel Hukporti (signed with 76ers); G Cameron Carr (draft rights traded to Lakers); G Bruce Thornton (draft rights traded to Houston); F Nick Martinelli (draft rights traded to Houston); C Ugonna Onyenso (draft rights traded to Detroit)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Retained:<\/strong> G Landry Shamet (four years, $23.9M); G Jordan Clarkson (one year, $3.88M); G Jose Alvarado (three years, $14.3M); F Mohamed Diawara (four years, $11.2M)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Extended:<\/strong> None<\/p>\n<p><strong>Returning from injury:<\/strong> G Jalen Brunson (left wrist\/hand surgery)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The skinny:<\/strong> With James Dolan determined not to go into the second apron next season, New York did well to limit its losses to Robinson. Drummond isn\u2019t the rim defender Robinson was, but he still hits the glass decently in limited minutes. Otherwise, the Knicks will run it back, assuming Brunson is back and ready for the start of the season. I always say that owners in any sport have every right to run the teams they buy the way they want, as long as they\u2019re transparent about their intentions with their paying customers. Dolan was definitely transparent. But if the big-money Knicks won\u2019t go all-in to keep their team together after winning it all, who will?<\/p>\n<div id=\"inline-graphic\">\n<p>        a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n  display: flex;<br \/>\n  gap: 20px;<br \/>\n  flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n  align-items: center;<br \/>\n  padding: 20px 0px;<br \/>\n  border-top: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(150, 150, 147, 0.4);<br \/>\n  text-decoration: none;<br \/>\n  color: #121212;<br \/>\n  cursor: pointer;<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-franklin;<br \/>\n    font-size: 14px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 700;<br \/>\n    line-height: 13.8px;<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 1.1px;<br \/>\n    text-transform: uppercase;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-image {<br \/>\n    border-radius: 8px;<br \/>\n    object-fit: cover;<br \/>\n    width: 200px;<br \/>\n    height: 150px;<br \/>\n    margin: 0px;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      width: 120px;<br \/>\n      height: 120px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-inner-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: row;<br \/>\n    gap: 16px;<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-text-content {<br \/>\n    display: flex;<br \/>\n    flex-direction: column;<br \/>\n    gap: 20px;<br \/>\n    justify-content: center;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      gap: 8px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-title {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-cheltenham;<br \/>\n    font-size: 24px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 500;<br \/>\n    line-height: 120%; \/* 24px *\/<br \/>\n    letter-spacing: 0.01px;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 3;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n    font-family: nyt-imperial;<br \/>\n    font-size: 16px;<br \/>\n    font-style: normal;<br \/>\n    font-weight: 400;<br \/>\n    line-height: 139%; \/* 19.46px *\/<br \/>\n    color: #323232;<br \/>\n    text-overflow: ellipsis;<br \/>\n    overflow: hidden;<br \/>\n    display: -webkit-box;<br \/>\n    -webkit-box-orient: vertical;<br \/>\n    -webkit-line-clamp: 4;<br \/>\n    @media (max-width: 600px) {<br \/>\n      font-size: 12px;<br \/>\n      line-height: 121%;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>.showcase-link-inputs {<br \/>\n  .showcase-link-input {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n    font-size: 1rem;<br \/>\n    background-color: white;<br \/>\n    margin-bottom: 12px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .showcase-link-indent {<br \/>\n    margin-left: 25px;<br \/>\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  option {<br \/>\n    width: 100%;<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {<br \/>\n  .native-mobile a.showcase-link-container {<br \/>\n    background-color: #121212;<br \/>\n    color: #f0f0ee;<br \/>\n    .showcase-link-excerpt {<br \/>\n      color: #c4c4c0;<br \/>\n    }<br \/>\n  }<br \/>\n}<\/p>\n<p>            \/\/ Remove all onclicks on imgs for apps to prevent image zoom on click<br \/>\n            document.querySelectorAll(&#8216;.showcase-link-image&#8217;).forEach((img) =&gt; img.removeAttribute(&#8216;onclick&#8217;));<\/p>\n<p>        <a id=\"showcase-link-7394222\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7394222\/2026\/07\/29\/jalen-brunson-knicks-nba-mentality\/\" class=\"showcase-link-container in-content-module-link testbed-shortcode\" data-shortcode-id=\"101\" data-shortcode-string=\"showcase-link\" data-content-id=\"7394222\" data-content-post-type=\"article\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link\">What You Should Read Next<\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-inner-content\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/06\/25124709\/TA-Peak-Brunson-3-1024x683.jpg?width=400&amp;quality=70\" alt=\"Jalen Brunson has exceeded expectations at every level. Five words explain why\" class=\"showcase-link-image\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-text-content\">\n<div class=\"showcase-link-title\">\n                  Jalen Brunson has exceeded expectations at every level. Five words explain why\n              <\/div>\n<div class=\"showcase-link-excerpt\">\n                  How did Brunson become an NBA champion, Finals MVP and New York legend? These moments tell the story.\n              <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>        <\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The NBA never disappoints when it comes to dominating the offseason. For the first 20 or so years of this century, free agency was the preferred method for stars and superstars to make public their next moves and plow over Major League Baseball and the NFL for summertime attention around the Fourth of July. LeBron [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,241],"class_list":["post-2074958","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-nytimes-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2074958"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074958\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2074958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2074958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2074958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}