With the New York Knicks’ championship parade now in the rearview mirror, the final bow has been tied on what was another eventful NBA season.
And while the champagne showers probably won’t stop in the Big Apple for at least a couple more days, the Knicks front office will have no choice but to catch up, as the 29 other teams have already begun preparing for next season.
Such is the rat race of the NBA.
Because with the draft less than a week away — the last before a new “3-2-1” lottery system is implemented — and free agency set to begin at the end of June, wheeling and dealing around the league is going to hit top speed sooner rather than later.
So, now that the off-season is officially underway, here are four storylines to keep track of as everything unfolds.
It’s no secret that the Milwaukee Bucks have been open for business for some time now, as far as trading the superstar forward is concerned.
Which begs the question: what’s the holdup?
Well, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Bucks have been discussing a deal with the Miami Heat — centred around pick No. 13 in the 2026 draft and all-star guard Tyler Herro — since the February trade deadline, but haven’t been blown away by the offer enough to pull the trigger.
In the meantime, that seems to have left the door open for other teams to see if they can land the big fish instead. Among them is seemingly the Boston Celtics, who, just two years after winning a title, may be ready to shake things up and possibly separate the duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Or at least they’d have no choice but to in order to be in the Antetokounmpo business.
All the while, the Bucks are “seeking clarity” from multiple suitors for Antetokounmpo’s services, which includes the Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
And if you’re wondering if all the hoopla is worth it for a 31-year-old coming off an injury-riddled 36-game season, the answer is still yes. Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while keeping the lowly Bucks around .500 when he played, compared to 15-31 without him.
But until a trade actually goes down, the only thing that appears certain about the Greek Freak is that the rumour mill around his situation will simply keep spinning.
Who else could use a change of scenery?
While Antetokounmpo is the biggest name that could be on the move, he may not be the only one.
There are a handful of stars around the league who could seemingly benefit from a new setting.
Ja Morant, for instance, is coming off one of his least productive — and least available — seasons since joining the Memphis Grizzlies, and didn’t mince words voicing his displeasure throughout the year. Could a new environment and different scheme rejuvenate the former second-overall pick who appeared destined for greatness early in his career?
There’s also the first-overall pick from that same 2019 draft in Zion Williamson, who has similarly struggled to live up to his potential. But the 25-year-old is coming off one of his healthiest seasons through seven years in the NBA, so could getting away from the New Orleans Pelicans be enough to get his career back on track? There’s also his teammate Trey Murphy III, who has the talent to be the NBA’s next needle-moving role player for a contender. Think Aaron Gordon to the Denver Nuggets or OG Anunoby on the New York Knicks, both of whom helped their sides to NBA titles. The Pels don’t appear ready to break through in the West anytime soon, so hitting the reset button might benefit all parties.
Out on the west coast, Kawhi Leonard is entering the final year of his deal, still embroiled in the NBA’s investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers’ alleged cap circumvention.
Much of his and the team’s outlook will depend on how all that drama unfolds, but from a basketball perspective, it could make sense to move on as well. The Clippers started to rip the band-aid on its veteran core by dealing James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline, bringing in a pair of much younger players in Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin (restricted free agent). The team also has options on Nicolas Batum, Brook Lopez and Bogdan Bogdanovic, who are all on the wrong side of 30 and eating a sizeable chunk of the cap.
Moving on from the aged trio and finding a new home for Leonard — after an All-NBA season — would clean the books and start an entirely new (younger) era for the Clippers. Hopefully, one with far less controversy.
Even as he enters what would be a historic 24th NBA season, the 41-year-old appears to be the top free agent on the market. The league’s oldest active player still averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists through 60 games, putting him ahead of other potential top targets like Trae Young and James Harden, both of whom have player options to mull over.
But that’s if James decides he’s up for another season and doesn’t just call it quits instead.
If he does return, the future Hall of Famer ultimately controls where he ends up. Whether that’s back with the Los Angeles Lakers — who have multiple decisions to make regarding fellow free agents Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves (player option) — or elsewhere.
Would he team up with long-time rival Stephen Curry on the Warriors for a Last Dance-esque run? How about returning to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to help them get over the hump again? Or is simply sticking with Luka Doncic in L.A., on the heels of a 53-win season, the way to go?
Which playoff loser is eager to make the biggest change?
There are few motivations quite as strong as failure. And for the 15 playoff teams that fell short, the next couple of months will be spent not only reeling but also deciding what can be done to move forward. And they’ll be doing it while looking up at the Knicks, who spent their last two summers pushing more and more of their chips to the middle of the table — moves that eventually cashed.
Like the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have big decisions to make this off-season, beginning with team options on long-time starters Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein, in the face of major extensions kicking in for Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Decisions that are also back-dropped by whatever Thunder GM Sam Presti ends up doing with the team’s boatload of picks. Do they get packaged to move up in the draft or to add another win-now piece? Or does he hold them close to keep bringing in cheap talent to supplement an increasingly expensive core?
The San Antonio Spurs got closer than any other team in the West, but ultimately left empty-handed just like the rest. And it was hard to ignore the contrasting performances from De’Aaron Fox and his backup Dylan Harper in the championship series. While the vet (whose max deal will kick this summer) struggled for much of the Finals, the rookie rose to the occasion. Should San Antonio go all-in on a Harper and Stephon Castle backcourt next to Victor Wembanyama and find a new home for Fox?
Also in the West, the Nuggets, Timberwolves and Houston Rockets seem generally committed to their current groups, but none have a clear path forward, at least not past OKC or San Antonio, unless tweaks are made.
In the East, the Cavaliers finally got past the second round but got swept by the Knicks, proving they’re still a step below. The Detroit Pistons’ inexperience showed early, and Cade Cunningham didn’t get the support he sorely needed. Injuries got in the way of the Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic all seem to have hit their ceilings as presently constructed.
Lots of questions surrounding all these teams, and an entire summer to come up with answers.
