5 Teams That Improved Most During 2025 NBA Offseason
The 2025 NBA offseason is in full swing, and there has been a lot of player movement to date.
With the Eastern Conference in flux due to Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard's Achilles injuries, many teams have been willing to take a chance. That could alter the power structure in the conference.
In the West, teams are chasing the champs in Oklahoma City. Some of them are loading up to pose a threat, while others are trying to take the next step in being competitive.
Here, we've highlighted the five teams that improved the most this offseason.
Denver Nuggets
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No Western Conference team challenged the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs more than the Denver Nuggets. They pushed the Western Conference Semifinals to Game 7 despite parting ways with head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth only days before the start of the playoffs.
With new head coach David Adelman and executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer now in place, the Nuggets didn't hesitate to make major changes to their roster this offseason.
First, they traded Michael Porter Jr. and their unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Brooklyn for Cameron Johnson, which was a massive win. Johnson shot 40.3 percent on catch-and-shoot threes and 42.2 percent on wide-open threes this past season, and he'll now be alongside a superstar playmaker in Nikola Jokić.
The Nuggets did not stop there. They also brought back Bruce Brown in free agency, who was a significant piece in their 2023 championship run, and signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a minimum contract as well. In addition, they traded for Jonas Valančiūnas to fill their longstanding need for a reliable backup big, although his flirtation with Greece's Panathinaikos could still throw a wrench into those plans.
The Nuggets nearly knocked off the champs last season, and unlike past offseasons where they shed salaries, they decided to go for it this year. Those moves put Denver on the highway to contending for a championship this coming season.
Atlanta Hawks
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The Eastern Conference got shaken up by some critical postseason injuries. The Atlanta Hawks assessed the landscape and seemingly decided that now is the right time to take a massive swing. After landing in the play-in tournament in each of the last four seasons, the Hawks and their new front office revamped their roster.
They started by opportunistically acquiring Kristaps Porziņģis from the Boston Celtics in effectively a salary dump. Trae Young has not played with a big man like Porziņģis who can pop out to the three-point line, punish switches and roll to the rim. When healthy, Porziņģis should be a welcome addition to a big-man rotation of Onyeka Okongwu, Mouhamed Gueye and rookie Asa Newell.
On the wing, the Hawks poached Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a sign-and-trade. Alexander-Walker shot 38.1 percent this past season and should pair with Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher to fortify the Hawks' defense.
Since the Hawks didn't have to use their $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception on Alexander-Walker, they instead spent most of it on sharpshooter Luke Kennard, who has shot above 40 percent from three in each of the past five seasons. Kennard has improved as a ball-handler and brings some secondary playmaking chops to the Hawks.
The cherry on top was getting the New Orleans Pelicans to give up an unprotected first-round pick in next year's draft (the better of their own or the Milwaukee Bucks' pick) by moving down 10 spots in this year's draft.
After several years on the treadmill of mediocrity, the Hawks are stepping off and taking a swing in the East.
Houston Rockets
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Everyone had been expecting the Houston Rockets to make a big splash with all of their assets for some time. This offseason, they made a big splash and then some.
The big splash came in the form of an NBA-record seven-team trade that landed them Kevin Durant, who should fill a massive need. Last season, the Rockets were 18th in offensive rating in late-game clutch situations. Now they have a go-to scorer who can reliably get them a bucket down the stretch.
Acquiring Durant did come at the cost of losing Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, although Durant's scoring will make up for the loss of Green. To replace the lost defense from Brooks, the Rockets signed Dorian Finney-Smith away from the Los Angeles Lakers. Finney-Smith will now pair with the defensive cadre of Amen Thompson and Tari Eason to make life hell on opposing wings and forwards.
The Rockets fortified their center position by signing Steven Adams to an extension, and they also added Clint Capela as part of the massive seven-team Durant trade. While some teams were scrambling to find even one center this offseason, the Rockets now go three deep. Aside from Adams' extension, the Rockets also re-signed Fred VanVleet to a team-friendly two-year deal.
The beauty of the Rockets' makeover is that they kept many of their assets and are capable of taking another big swing should the opportunity present itself. This offseason was a launching pad to contention as they take aim at the Thunder.
Orlando Magic
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The Orlando Magic had the second-best defense in the league last season, but they had the fourth-worst offensive rating. They addressed that at the start of the offseason and vaulted themselves toward the top of the Eastern Conference mix as a result.
The Magic kicked off the offseason with a huge trade for Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies. It cost them Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a pick swap, which is a hefty price for a career 41 percent three-point shooter who does not take anything off the table defensively.
Adding Bane should give the Magic's offense the jolt they have been looking for. He should also help address Orlando's dearth of playmaking. Between him, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs, the Magic now have plenty of playmaking throughout their starting five.
The Magic also brought in backup point guard Tyus Jones on a one-year deal. Even though he struggled last season, the situation in Phoenix was a dumpster fire. The Magic are betting on him having a bounce-back season, although they have no long-term exposure if he doesn't.
Orlando has its core of Banchero, Wagner and Bane all signed for the next four years. If their offense can reach league-average levels and their defense maintains its current level of intensity, the Magic should take a significant leap in the East.
San Antonio Spurs
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The San Antonio Spurs have been busy this offseason.
In the draft, they selected Dylan Harper with the second overall pick. He was the consensus second-best prospect, so it was a no-brainer, although there are still questions about his lack of a consistent shot paired with Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox in the backcourt. They also took Arizona's Carter Bryant with the 14th overall pick.
In free agency, the Spurs fortified their frontcourt by adding Luke Kornet from Boston on a four-year deal worth nearly $41 million, but only the first two years are guaranteed. Kornet is a great fit next to Victor Wembanyama. He proved in Boston that he can play with a second big man.
To cap things off, the Spurs traded for Kelly Olynyk to help stretch the floor. He is a career 37.1 percent three-point shooter, and he shot a career-high 41.8 percent from deep last season.
This should be the season that the Spurs climb out of the lottery and make the playoffs.
Honorable Mentions
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Several teams made upgrades this offseason that may not necessarily be considered flashy. It's hard to single out one team, so here are a few honorable mentions that made marginal improvements which could pay off this coming season.
The New York Knicks bolstered their bench by signing Jordan Clarkson, whom Utah bought out, and Guerschon Yabusele. Those two will give new Knicks head coach Mike Brown more firepower off the bench to utilize in their push for a title this year.
Very quietly, the Los Angeles Clippers have had a strong offseason. They filled some of their needs by first signing Brook Lopez as the backup center for Ivica Zubac. They added even more firepower to their frontcourt by trading Norman Powell for John Collins, who fills the hole they've had at power forward for quite a while and gives head coach Tyronn Lue more lineup versatility.
Mo Dakhil spent six years with the Los Angeles Clippers and two years with the San Antonio Spurs as a video coordinator, as well as three years with the Australian men's national team. Follow him on X,@MoDakhil_NBA.
