1 Major Question for Every Team After 2026 NBA Offseason
Business in the NBA world is (mostly) complete, although questions remain for every team.
How do shots get split up for a star-studded Philadelphia 76ers team? Did the Charlotte Hornets make the right choice to trade LaMelo Ball? Do the New Orleans Pelicans know the offseason actually started? What about that starting backcourt in Portland?
It's time to ponder one major question for all 30 NBA teams.
Atlanta Hawks: Can Jalen Johnson Be the Best Player on a Championship Team?
1 of 30
After going 28-15 after trading Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks had a great summer by picking up Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder and selecting Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 overall pick. This is now one of the deepest teams in the East, but do they have a true alpha on the roster?
Jalen Johnson is the leading candidate, an All-Star in 2026 who made the All-NBA third team after averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists in 72 games. Still just 24 years old, there's room for growth especially with so much talent around him.
Moving forward, the Hawks will need to decide if Johnson can be the centerpiece of a championship team or if they'll need to consolidate some of their good guards/wings to go all-in for another star.
Boston Celtics: Is the Title Window Already Closed?
2 of 30
The Boston Celtics went deep into the second apron with a championship roster, yet now have trimmed enough talent to stay out of the luxury tax completely. With these changes, is the title window still open in Boston?
Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are the only two starters remaining from the 2024 championship team now that Jaylen Brown was flipped for 36-year-old Paul George and draft picks. Tatum shot just 41.1 percent overall in a return from a torn Achilles last season and White, 32, saw his shooting efficiency take a plunge last year (career-low 39.4 percent overall).
Newly-signed Mitchell Robinson adds some beef to the center position and there's some interesting young talent on this roster. After losing Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford the last two summers, however, it's fair to question if this new-look group has enough talent left to win another title.
Brooklyn Nets: Time to Become Buyers?
3 of 30
The Brooklyn Nets are in a weird position.
Interest among New York fans could be at an all-time low with the Knicks winning the 2026 title. There's not enough sure-fire young talent on this roster to bring new fans on board and veterans like Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr. were salary-dumped onto this rebuilding Nets roster.
Brooklyn has to be competitive, however, as the Houston Rockets have the right to swap 2027 first-round picks as the last remaining piece of the 2021 James Harden trade.
Although they won just 20 games last season, should the Nets actually look to become buyers now that they have two veteran starters and no reason to try and lose? This could be a sneaky landing spot for the next wave of stars to hit the market, especially given the amount of former first-round picks and future draft capital owed from the Knicks and Denver Nuggets.
Brooklyn has the assets to go star shopping, which may be their best path forward.
Charlotte Hornets: Was This the Best Time to Trade LaMelo Ball?
4 of 30
The Charlotte Hornets were one of the most fun teams to watch over the second half of last season, with LaMelo Ball's play at point guard a major reason why.
The Hornets had the league's best overall lineup (min. 500 possessions) according to Cleaning the Glass, with Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabaté registering a net rating of plus-27.4.
Deciding to trade Ball (and Bridges) was a bold move, although it could be justified. Ball's 72 games were more than his previous two seasons combined and his shooting (41.8 percent overall) for his career was a weak point. The return for Ball (Naz Reid, unprotected 2033 first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps, three second-round picks) was perhaps too good to pass up, even if it left a hole at point guard.
Can Coby White be enough to carry this offense, or will the Hornets regret trading their former All-Star and Rookie of the Year?
Chicago Bulls: Is Franchise Finally on Right Track?
5 of 30
For years the Chicago Bulls have doggy paddled in the shallow end, watching other franchises sink or swim around them. Finally, the team is kicking its hooves and moving in the right direction.
New Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Bryson Graham is killing it on the job right now. No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson looked like a future All-Star at summer league. Salary cap space was used to sign All-Star guard Norman Powell to a very reasonable deal (two years, $44 million with a team option) and absorb Nic Claxton, a huge defensive upgrade over Nikola Vučević.
There's no bad contracts on the team with Josh Giddey making a franchise-high $25 million and this team is still $37 million below the luxury tax line.
Will the Bulls win the 2027 title? No, but it at least appears Chicago is finally on the up and up.
Cleveland Cavaliers: Who Starts At Small Forward?
6 of 30
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been quiet this offseason. Keeping open roster spots and cap flexibility for the chance to sign LeBron James ultimately saw Dean Wade, Keon Ellis and Larry Nance Jr. all leave in free agency.
Assuming James Harden is re-signed, the Cavs have four started locked in yet once again have an opening on the wing and no clear choice to fill it.
Max Strus, Jaylon Tyson and Sam Merrill could all make a case to be the starting small forward, although all are slightly undersized for the position. A trade for a restricted free agent wing like Peyton Watson or Jonathan Kuminga is still a possibility, although it would cost the Cavs draft picks and force them to move salary to stay under the first apron.
Will Cleveland do anything of significance to upgrade the small forward position or rely on internal options?
Dallas Mavericks: Is Keeping Kyrie Irving a Mistake?
7 of 30
The rebuilding Dallas Mavericks are apparently looking to keep Kyrie Irving, even if the veteran guard is 34 and coming off a torn ACL.
"He keeps getting put in all kinds of rumors, but we're not looking to move Kyrie (Irving) and Kyrie isn't looking to be moved either," a Dallas front office executive told Spotrac's Keith Smith. "We didn't get to see him with Cooper (Flagg) last year, but we're very excited to see that pairing this year."
For a Mavs team that should be prioritizing building a long-term winner around Flagg, are we sure this is the best decision?
It's been well over a year since we last saw Irving play. His trade value could plummet if the nine-time All-Star looks rusty coming off such a major injury at this stage of his career. Irving became a popular name in trade rumors while LeBron James was deciding on a team in free agency, which may have been the time to move the veteran guard.
Time will tell if the Mavericks made a mistake.
Denver Nuggets: Will Financial Problems Doom the Franchise?
8 of 30
A year after swapping Michael Porter Jr. for Cameron Johnson in a salary-cutting move, the Denver Nuggets are back in financial trouble once again.
Extensions for Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon have kicked in. Denver matched a two-year, $12 million offer sheet for Spencer Jones. Peyton Watson is perhaps the best free agent remaining, and bringing him back may cost the Nuggets $15 million a year or more.
Denver is already $2 million into the second apron before giving Watson a new deal. Will the Kroenke family want to go deep into the luxury tax once again, especially for a team that just failed to make it out of the first round?
Cuts could be made to slash the luxury tax bill, likely resulting in the loss of talent (Johnson, Gordon?) and ultimately affect the team's ability to win a second title in the Nikola Jokić era.
Detroit Pistons: Who's the Secondary Creator Next to Cade Cunningham?
9 of 30
Now is not the time to be complacent for the Detroit Pistons.
A 60-win season has already been overshadowed by a second-round playoff exit, and now the East has only grown stronger around them. Losing Tobias Harris and Isaiah Stewart while adding John Collins and Isaiah Joe has done nothing to move the needle.
Who's the secondary creator after Cade Cunningham? Even if restricted free agent Jalen Duren eventually re-signs, the Pistons are full of players who need the ball delivered to them rather than being able to create something with it.
Detroit has all of its own first-round picks moving forward, meaning they can offer up to four in a trade. This is a team that should be shopping for another big-time offensive threat.
Golden State Warriors: Can They Afford to Wait for Jimmy Butler?
10 of 30
Jimmy Butler had surgery to repair a torn ACL on February 9, meaning we likely won't see the veteran forward until 2027.
Can a Golden State Warriors team that went just 14-30 in games he missed last year really afford to wait for Butler to return?
The Warriors managed just 37 total wins and missed the playoffs last year. Stephen Curry is 38 and Draymond Green is 36. Both players are entering the final season on their contracts as well. There's a real chance that Golden State will be out of the playoff picture by the time that Butler can return to the court, and the six-time All-Star will have celebrated his 37th birthday by then.
Trading Butler absolutely needs to be on the table for the Warriors, unless the team is prioritizing 2027 cap space over winning in 2026.
Houston Rockets: Is a Point Guard Upgrade Needed?
11 of 30
The Houston Rockets have two semi-answers at point guard, one past his prime and another years away from hitting his.
Fred VanVleet, 32, is coming off a torn ACL that cost him the entire 2025-26 season. Reed Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in 2024, looks more like a combo guard than a true floor general.
There's a ton of talent on this Rockets team that needs to take advantage of the rest of Kevin Durant's All-Star seasons, which could be coming to an end quickly as he turns 38 next month.
A point guard upgrade may be needed.
Indiana Pacers: Will Tyrese Haliburton Return to His Former Self?
12 of 30
The NBA missed Tyrese Haliburton last season, as his 2025 playoff run with the Indiana Pacers was one of the most memorable in recent history. Now coming back from a torn Achilles, the Pacers' chances of a return to the Finals fully depend on their All-Star point guard.
The early results have been encouraging.
The Pacers have one of the deepest rosters in the entire NBA and return 80 percent of their starting five from their Finals run. Myles Turner has been replaced with Ivica Zubac, who is an upgrade overall.
If Halliburton can replicate his 2024-25 season, this has a chance to once again be the best team in the East.
Los Angeles Clippers: What's the Plan, Exactly?
13 of 30
The Los Angeles Clippers have made a lot of great moves lately, assuming the Kawhi Leonard trade eventually goes through.
Turning Leonard, James Harden and Ivica Zubac into Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram, No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler, Gradey Dick, three future first-round picks, a first-round pick swap and three second-round picks is masterful work, especially considering the first two players they gave up are in their mid-30s.
It's also fair to ask what the plan is, exactly?
There's talent on this Clippers roster, but is it enough to make the playoffs? Are the future first-rounders going to be used to go out and get another star? Punting on this season is out of the question, as the Oklahoma City Thunder own swap rights on their 2027 first-round pick.
The future looks far better for the franchise than it did a year ago, but the vision for this upcoming season is unclear.
Los Angeles Lakers: Are They Locked Into an Average Roster?
14 of 30
Rob Pelinka may be the luckiest front office leader in all of sports.
From LeBron James choosing to sign with a bad Los Angeles Lakers team, to Anthony Davis pushing his way to LA and the comically-bad decision by the Dallas Mavericks to trade Luka Dončić while negotiating only with the Lakers, Pelinka has benefitted by the shine of Hollywood and the stupidity of others.
The league needs to realize that he's simply not that good at his job.
Giving Walker Kessler $130 million and using up his last remaining first-round picks and pick swaps (four total) for the right to acquire a center who's never been an All-Star and played just 63 total games the past two years was a baffling decision.
Dončić is a phenomenal talent. Austin Reaves is a developmental success story. Kessler should be a fit if he stays healthy. The rest of this roster is full of borderline starting/rotation NBA players that won't be enough to get this team anywhere near a title.
There's a real chance that Pelinka locked this team into an average roster, one whose championship odds rank just 17th in the NBA.
Memphis Grizzlies: Is This a Sneaky Play-In Team?
15 of 30
Memphis Grizzlies fans should feel very excited about the direction of the franchise, one that could win more games than most people expect.
Cameron Boozer is not going to look like a typical rookie and will serve as an offensive hub right away. Cedric Coward (23 next month) and Zach Edey (24) were older prospects coming out of the draft and Ty Jerome, 29, is an offensive machine at point guard.
Jerami Grant, 32, brings some veteran scoring and defense to the wing and Isaiah Stewart will help toughen up the team overall.
The Grizzlies could surprise everyone next season and legitimately compete for a play-in seed in the West.
Miami Heat: Is There Enough Shooting?
16 of 30
The Miami Heat ranked in the middle of the NBA in three-point makes and accuracy last season and have now lost their two leaders outside shooters to free agency (Norman Powell) and the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade (Tyler Herro).
In total, five of the Heat's 11 top three-point shooters were either traded in the blockbuster to acquire the two-time MVP or left in free agency, meaning there could be real spacing concerns around this frontcourt.
Tim Hardaway Jr. helps, although he'll turn 35 by the end of the season. Can Miami change its style of play enough that spacing won't be an issue, or will this imperfect roster balance come back to haunt them?
Milwaukee Bucks: Try to Win Now or Develop Talent?
17 of 30
The Milwaukee Bucks' roster is a mess right now, a mix of veterans who were brought in to win a title around Giannis Antetokounmpo and youngsters who were acquired in the 2026 draft or via trade from the Miami Heat.
The best short-term plan is to win now given that the Bucks don't own their 2027 first-round pick, meaning big minutes for Tyler Herro, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, Caris LeVert, Gary Trent Jr. and others.
The best long-term plan is to prioritize playing time for Kel'el Ware, Ryan Rollins, Brayden Burries, Nate Ament, Kasparas Jakučionis and others, hoping to find a future star or two in the mix.
We'll see which direction new head coach Taylor Jenkins goes in.
Minnesota Timberwolves: Who Starts at Power Forward?
18 of 30
Trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid has us wondering who exactly the Minnesota Timberwolves plan to start at power forward this season.
Last year's starting small forward Jaden McDaniels is probably the leading candidate, although his 6'9" frame only packs on 185 total pounds. He'd need to put on some significant muscle before being asked to guard power forwards like Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis and others.
Second-year center Joan Beringer has the size, but isn't going to be able to operate offensively alongside Rudy Gobert considering their combined average shot distance is only two feet.
This is perhaps the biggest positional question for any team in the NBA.
New Orleans Pelicans: They Know the Offseason Started, Right?
19 of 30
Not making any significant roster changes is one thing if you're the defending champion New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder or any of the other top teams in the NBA.
For a 26-win New Orleans Pelicans team, however, what are you waiting for?
New Orleans lost Kevon Looney in free agency and re-signed DeAndre Jordan to a two-year deal. The team has their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $15 million and a $5.5 million biannual exception. The Pels own all of their own first-round draft picks moving forward, including a potentially very valuable right to swap with the Milwaukee Bucks next summer.
Teams should be calling constantly about Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones and even Zion Williamson. There's talent on this roster that contenders will want.
So, why hasn't New Orleans done anything?
New York Knicks: Will They Regret Not Going into the 2nd Apron?
20 of 30
New York Knicks owner James Dolan was upfront when he revealed the team would not go into the second apron during free agency, even after his team won the 2026 championship.
This meant losing Mitchell Robinson, who signed with the Boston Celtics for $47.4 million over three years, a number that would have pushed the Knicks well past the second apron. New York currently stands $3.2 million below after new deals for Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson and signing Andre Drummond to take Robinson's place.
Unfortunately, the drop off from Robinson to Drummond is pretty significant, especially on the defensive end.
With the entire starting five returning, is this current roster good enough to repeat or will the Knicks regret not spending more?
Oklahoma City Thunder: Can Jalen Williams Bounce Back?
21 of 30
No disrespect to the New York Knicks, but a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder team would have won a second straight title last year.
Playoff injuries to Jalen Williams and Ajay Mitchell ultimately doomed their chances, and OKC will need a big bounce-back year from the former to return to the Finals.
Williams was an All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defensive team member in 2024-25 while helping the Thunder win a title, yet played just 33 total games last season while recovering from offseason wrist surgery and battling hamstring issues.
Now starting a max contract, the 25-year-old forward has to become a reliable wingman to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander once again.
Orlando Magic: Is a Major Shakeup Needed?
22 of 30
Losing in the first round for three straight seasons shouldn't be sitting well with the Orlando Magic, especially after the team gave up four first-round picks to acquire Desmond Bane.
The starting five of Jalen Suggs, Bane, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. was pretty good together (plus-11.1 net rating) yet spent just 408 total possessions together due to injuries.
A sluggish offense continues to doom this team and Banchero hasn't taken the superstar leap like most expected him to. Do the Magic hope that this young core will continue to grow stronger together, or is a major shakeup coming?
Philadelphia 76ers: Are There Too Many Mouths to Feed?
23 of 30
Can a team have too much offensive firepower? The Philadelphia 76ers are about to find out.
Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid ranked No. 3 and No. 4 overall in the NBA in usage rate last season, respectively. Brown and Tyrese Maxey both ranked in the top-3 in shot attempts per game. Simply fitting Brown into this offense would have been challenging when factoring in the rise of VJ Edgecombe and Anfernee Simons signing. Now with LeBron James, sharing one ball is going to be quite the experiment on a nightly basis.
Embiid and James aren't going to play every night, of course, so shot distribution will vary. Head coach Nick Nurse certainly has his work cut out for him when determining lineups, rotations, how plays are called and managing everyone's egos in the process.
Portland Trail Blazers: How Will Guard Play Time be Divided?
24 of 30
Trading Jerami Grant for Ja Morant could end up being a great move for the Portland Trail Blazers, but it does put their current roster in an awkward position.
Morant has been a starter in the NBA since day one, winning Rookie of the Year and making multiple All-Star games. Damian Lillard isn't coming off the bench for Portland. This isn't a great backcourt fit (especially defensively), but it could work.
What about Jrue Holiday, who started 51 of his 53 games in Portland last season? Or Shaedon Sharpe, a starter in 42 of his 50? Scoot Henderson started a third of his games and is entering the final year of his rookie contract, looking for a new deal.
This roster is screaming for a trade. New head coach Micah Nori's biggest challenge will be minute and role distribution for all of the guards.
Phoenix Suns: What's a Realistic Ceiling?
25 of 30
The Phoenix Suns were surprisingly competitive last season, winning 45 games in a tough West before trading for Miles Bridges to become the team's new starting power forward.
The Suns are good, but can they be anything more?
The "Big 3" of Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green only had a net rating of plus-1.1 together last season. Trading for Bridges adds another potential 20 point-per-game scorer to the lineup, but the Suns had to give up two of their best shooters in Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale to get him.
This is a talented roster, although with little future draft picks to trade and some doubts if Devin Booker can be the best player on a championship team, how high is the ceiling in Phoenix?
Sacramento Kings: Is This the Worst Defense in the NBA, Ever?
26 of 30
After finishing with the third-worst defensive rating in NBA history last season, the Sacramento Kings have a real chance to make history in 2026-27.
Rookie point guard Darius Acuff Jr. is a tremendous offensive talent but was one of the worst defenders in the draft. Putting him in a starting lineup alongside Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis is like ringing the dinner bell for opposing offenses every night.
Can the Kings stop anybody? Will they be the worst defense in the league? What about the history of the league? Offensively, this will be a fun team to watch on most nights. Just don't expect them to slow anyone else down.
San Antonio Spurs: When Will Dylan Harper Start Over De'Aaron Fox?
27 of 30
De'Aaron Fox will make almost twice as much money as any San Antonio Spurs' player this season, yet should not be starting on his own team.
Fox was easily outplayed by rookie Dylan Harper for stretches last year, especially in the NBA Finals. Harper and Stephon Castle are the future of the Spurs' backcourt, but will head coach Mitch Johnson actually bench Fox?
The 28-year-old is starting a four-year, $221 million extension that will end with a $61.4 million salary in 2029-30. Harper still has three years remaining on his rookie deal.
Fox isn't a bad player by any means, and made the 2026 All-Star team. Will the Spurs do the right thing and start Harper and Castle together, or will Fox's pride (and contract) prevent a move to the bench?
Toronto Raptors: Can Kawhi Leonard Still be a No. 1 Option on a Title Team?
28 of 30
Assuming Kawhi Leonard eventually ends up with the Toronto Raptors, more questions will need to be answered.
Can the two-time Finals MVP still lead a team to a championship? Leonard turned 35 this summer and is now seven years removed from carrying the Raptors to their 2019 title. The last time he was healthy and even led his team past the first round was 2021, although Leonard would later suffer a torn ACL in the second round against the Utah Jazz.
Asking someone with his mileage and injury history to go through four grueling playoffs rounds unscathed is a lot. Can Leonard still be an alpha, or is his role more of a Robin now alongside Scottie Barnes?
Utah Jazz: Is Ace Bailey Headed Towards a Bench Role?
29 of 30
Unless the Utah Jazz choose to go small this season with Jaren Jackson Jr. at center, last year's No. 5 overall pick Ace Bailey may be forced to come off the bench.
Keyonte George, No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Jackson and Jusuf Nurkić will likely start for the Jazz this season assuming no major moves are made. This may not sit well with Bailey, who averaged 15.3 points in his 61 starts as a rookie.
The smart decision would be to trade Markkanen, opening up future cap space while collecting some draft capital. At age 29 he's on a different timeline than most of this core and would only be limiting shots and playing time for players like Bailey.
Washington Wizards: Does Anthony Davis Get an Extension?
30 of 30
Anthony Davis is now eligible to sign an extension with the Washington Wizards, but will he?
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, both sides are expected to go into the regular season before agreeing to a deal. Davis wants to see how competitive Washington will be and the Wizards are monitoring his health and performance.
Davis is eligible to sign a four-year, $275 million contract extension. He's currently making $58.5 million and has a player option for $63.3 million next season.
This is smart for both sides now, especially the Wizards. They already handed out one horrific extension this summer ($212.8 million over four years for Trae Young) and shouldn't be in a hurry to dish out another.
Will both sides actually wait until the season starts, and what will an extension ultimately look like?
.jpg?w=2560 "Grading Smackdown After SummerSlam")
.jpg?w=2560 "Maxx, Kirk Get Chippy at Practice")
