By Brian Martin — NBA.com

Wow, what a summer it's been in the NBA. The 2025 offseason was just bonkers. It felt like every single day brought some crazy stuff, right? Big trades left and right, teams gambling on draft picks, rule changes popping up out of nowhere, coaches swapping teams, and some amazing comeback stories unfolding. Seriously, this league never sleeps, even when there aren't any games being played.

It seems like just a hot minute ago that the Oklahoma City Thunder clinched their first ever championship, but all the other teams have been seriously grinding to try and snatch that crown away from them. So, let's jump into the top 20 biggest things that happened since June. It'll give you a good look at what's coming in what should be a totally nuts 202526 season.

1. Dallas Snags Cooper Flagg with the First Pick

• The Dallas Mavericks totally lucked out at the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. I mean, they won the whole thing with just a 1.8% chance! And with that pick, they got Duke superstar Cooper Flagg. Everyone in Dallas is convinced that he's going to be the main guy to turn the team's luck around.
• He's now the fifth Duke player to be picked first overall since the lottery started. Get this, there were also three Duke players picked in the top 10 this year. It's like Duke took over the draft.

2. Durant's a Rocket?

• Okay, everyone was floored by this one. Kevin Durant is now playing for the Houston Rockets after the first ever seven team trade went down. Nobody saw that in their crystal ball, no one guessed about it.
• To make it happen, the Suns had to send Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and a mountain of future draft picks. Durant, heading into his 18th season, is now teaming up with a young Rockets team that's trying to shake things up in the West. He's got a Hall of Fame career under his belt and ranks eighth all time in scoring. All eyes will be on him, that's for sure.

3. OKC Keeps the Crew Together

• After snagging the title, the Thunder weren't messing around. They made it a priority to keep their main players locked up for the long run.
• Shai Gilgeous Alexander landed a four year, supermax deal.
• Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren both put pen to paper for five year rookie max extensions.
• OKC is officially set up to be awesome for, like, forever.

4. Luka and LeBron Stick with the Lakers

• Luka Dončić agreed to stay with the Lakers just six months after they traded for him. This deal keeps him repping the purple and gold through 2028. LeBron James also decided to stick with the Lakers for his record-breaking 23rd season. He must really like LA.
• After a chaotic season last year, these two will finally get a full year to play together in Los Angeles. The fans are expecting nothing less than a serious run.

5. Orlando Adds Some Firepower

• The Orlando Magic knew they desperately needed to up their shooting game. So, they traded for Desmond Bane from Memphis, while sending Kentavious Caldwell Pope, Cole Anthony, and four first round picks to the Grizzlies. That's quite a deal!
• Bane is known for his amazing three point shooting (41% over his career) and scored 19.2 points a game last season. The Magic are banking on him to seriously boost their offense.

6. Extension Mania

• Tons of players got new deals this offseason, from the super young to the seasoned vets. Everyone got a new deal.
• Here are the young guys who are staying put:
• Paolo Banchero (Magic)
• De’Aaron Fox (Spurs)
• Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
• Mikal Bridges (Knicks)
• Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets)
• Naz Reid (Wolves)
• Devin Booker (Suns)
• And the veterans who are sticking around with their current teams:
• James Harden (Clippers)
• Julius Randle (Wolves)
• Bobby Portis (Bucks)
• Kyrie Irving (Mavs)
• Fred VanVleet (Rockets)

7. Wemby's Ready to Rock

• After a solid second season that was cut short because of a blood clot in his shoulder, Victor Wembanyama is back and ready to go. The Spurs' 7'4 star has been cleared for full contact. Everyone in San Antonio is expecting him to go big in year three.

8. CP3 and Dame's Homecoming

• Two legends are back where it all began. A nostalgic move on both sides
• Damian Lillard resigned with Portland after getting bought out by Milwaukee. Sadly, he won't be playing in 202526 because of an Achilles injury. Ouch!
• Chris Paul is back with the LA Clippers, the team he led from 2011–2017, signing a one year deal.

9. Hornets Buzz Through Summer League

• The Charlotte Hornets, with their No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel leading the charge, won their first Summer League title in Las Vegas. The crowd went wild.
• Fans also got to see an awesome showdown between Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey, who were the top two picks in the draft. That game gave everyone a tiny glimpse into what the future of the league looks like. A battle for dominance.

10. New NoHeave Rule

• The league finally did something about those crazy end-of-quarter, halfcourt chucks! Finally, those prayers are becoming more realistic.
• Now, those Hail Mary shots (36+ feet with less than 3 seconds on the clock) will only be counted as team attempts, not individual player shots. So, keep an eye out for more of those amazing buzzerbeaters this year! More team success over individual success.

11. Ayton, Beal, and Smart Go to LA

• Los Angeles was super active in the buyout market this year. Stars were there.
• Bradley Beal is now a Clipper after leaving Phoenix.
• Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart both signed with the Lakers after cutting ties with Portland and Washington, respectively.

12. Turner to Milwaukee

• After so many great years in Indiana, Myles Turner is heading to Milwaukee. The big guy inked a four-year deal with the Bucks, joining Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez in the frontcourt. That will be a lot of height.

13. Celtics Rework the Roster

• With Jayson Tatum sidelined because of an Achilles injury, the Boston Celtics made some major changes. The team still wants to win.
• They traded Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta.
• They shipped Jrue Holiday to Portland.
• They picked up Anfernee Simons in return.
• They're doing what they can to stay in the mix while Tatum is recovering.

14. Brown Takes Over the Knicks

• After a good year where they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks surprised everyone by hiring Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau. It was really out of the blue.
• The two-time Coach of the Year is bringing a defensive game plan and loads of playoff experience. The Knicks' diehard fans are really hoping he can turn the team into a true winner.

15. Veteran Shuffle

• Tons of veteran players found new homes this offseason. It was like a storm, and everyone moved teams.
• CJ McCollum → Washington
• Norman Powell → Miami
• Pat Connaughton → Charlotte
• Lonzo Ball → Cleveland (after recovering from a tough injury)

16. Nuggets Make Some Adjustments

• The Denver Nuggets are trying to get back to their championship winning form, so they made some tweaks to their roster. It must be hard when you win a championship but then you completely change the roster.
• They traded Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson.
• They snagged Jonas Valančiūnas from Sacramento.
• They brought back Bruce Brown, who was a hero on their 2023 title team. Fans were happy about this signing.
• Nikola Jokić is still the main guy. But the supporting cast around him has a different feel.

17. Germany Wins Big at EuroBasket

• Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner led Germany to a perfect 9–0 record and their first EuroBasket title since 1993! What a run!
• Schröder, now with Sacramento, was named the MVP of the tournament after dropping 16 points and 12 assists in the final game.

18. Hall of Fame Class of 2025

• This year's Hall of Fame ceremony celebrated some of the game's biggest icons. They all deserve their place.
• Carmelo Anthony
• Dwight Howard
• 2008 U.S. Redeem Team
• Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Sylvia Fowles (WNBA legends)
• Billy Donovan, Micky Arison, and referee Danny Crawford were also honored.

19. Coaches Get Locked In

• A bunch of coaches landed long-term contract extensions this summer. These coaches can have stability for years now.
• Rick Carlisle (Mavs)
• Joe Mazzulla (Celtics)
• Billy Donovan (Bulls)
• JJ Redick (Lakers)
• Looks like teams are trying to build something that lasts.

20. The Injury Bug Bites

• Unfortunately, injuries are already playing a big part this season. So many talented players are hurt.
• Damian Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles tears) – out for the entire year
• Jayson Tatum – might be back late in the season
• Fred VanVleet (ACL) – out for the season
• Tyler Herro (foot), Zach Edey (ankle), and Jared McCain (thumb) – all sidelined for a few weeks

Final Thoughts

From Kevin Durant's trade to Houston to Cooper Flagg getting drafted by Dallas, this offseason had its fair share of drama. We are all expecting an amazing season. Superstars are joining forces, rookies are showing what they can do, and exciting storylines are ready to play out. This season is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.

Get ready – it's showtime!