Brian WindhorstJun 21, 2025, 07:41 AM ET
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ESPN.com NBA author since 2010
Lined Cleveland Cavs for seven years
Creator of two books
The NBA transaction season has formally arrived, kicked off with the Orlando Magic buying their first participant in a commerce in additional than 5 years once they landed Desmond Bane this week. The intrigue created by this opening commerce will solely enhance till the beginning of free company, 6 p.m. ET on June 30.
Nevertheless it’s fairly attainable a lot of the impactful strikes will occur earlier than then — throughout or shortly after the draft on June 25-26. There isn’t a lot cap house on the market — there’s a logjam that’s anticipated to clear by summer time 2026 — and the free agent class is shallow on star gamers.
Listed below are 5 of the largest storylines — and 12 impression gamers — that may form the 2025 offseason.
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Will Giannis keep settled in Milwaukee?
The potential frenzy that would’ve surrounded Giannis Antetokounmpo across the draft has been muted.
The Bucks are, for the second, dedicated to staying the course and attempting to assemble a aggressive group for subsequent season with the hope Damian Lillard can return by the postseason.
Antetokounmpo, for his half, left the nation for his offseason with out displaying his hand, which has created a little bit of an uneasy stalemate between the franchise celebrity and his group.
Within the meantime, the Bucks have a handful of free brokers to take care of, together with middle Brook Lopez and key reserve Bobby Portis, if he opts out of his contract.
There can be curiosity in Lopez and Portis elsewhere in the marketplace, however the Bucks, with full Chicken Rights for each, are in a robust place to maintain each in the event that they prioritize it. And Milwaukee appears able to, believing Antetokounmpo will stay.
Both method, potential suitors for Antetokounmpo, who ESPN’s Shams Charania studies stays undecided about his future, are left to determine whether or not to hedge, maintaining their powder dry within the occasion Antetokounmpo decides to request a commerce later in the summertime.
There’s definitely precedent for that. Over time, a handful of blockbusters occurred properly after the draft and free company, together with landscape-shifting offers involving Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Kyrie Irving, Lillard, Karl-Anthony Cities and Dwight Howard, simply to call just a few.
However there may be additionally the chance of ready for a derby that will by no means get out of the beginning blocks.
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Stephen A. sounds off on Knicks for lack of curiosity in KD
Stephen A. Smith breaks down why it’s a mistake for the New York Knicks to have no real interest in Kevin Durant.
The difficult Kevin Durant triangle
Aligning with Durant, although, would possibly show to not be such a precedence.
There are three angles the events are contemplating within the commerce discussions.
It have to be a deal the Suns truly need to do, no small feat for an outrageously costly group mired in an online of difficult, punitive second-apron commerce guidelines.
It have to be a vacation spot Durant desires. And, lastly, there’s the query of whether or not he’ll signal an extension — he’s eligible for an extra two years and $120M. If he’s dealt to a group that isn’t on his checklist — which reportedly contains Miami, Houston and San Antonio — will he be prepared to signal?
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If he received’t decide to staying long run in a spot like, for instance, Minnesota, would the Wolves be prepared to commerce for him anyway?
The vary and energy of provides change considerably relying on whether or not there’s certainty of Durant extending. That might have an effect on how motivated the Suns are to commerce him earlier than the draft.
Whereas it was their plan and their desire to take action, it’s not essentially a purpose to simply accept a deal they aren’t thrilled with.
So if this triangle doesn’t slip into that desired alignment and nobody folds, would Phoenix simply take him off the commerce market?
Will stars choose out? Will their groups attempt to discount?
LeBron James has a $53 million participant choice with a coveted no-trade clause. James Harden has a $36 million participant choice and is coming off an All-Star season. Kyrie Irving would possibly miss the majority of subsequent season recovering from a torn ACL. He has a participant choice for $43 million. Julius Randle has a $31 million participant choice and simply had a robust playoff run for the Wolves.
A yr or two in the past it could have been largely assumed these gamers would robotically choose out, even a star like Irving, who’s coping with a serious harm.
However with (some) groups being extra considered as they navigate that apron world, these selections are far much less sure.
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With a dearth of cap house this summer time, it turns into a recreation of whether or not groups need to negotiate in opposition to themselves.
James, Harden and Irving doubtless aren’t going wherever, and Randle, relying on what occurs with Durant, would possibly discover his greatest provide finally ends up being in Minnesota as properly.
However their groups know this and will play hardball, which may result in some gamers, together with these not on this checklist, simply opting in and being on one-year contracts.
That’s a scenario Durant may additionally discover himself in, relying on how his scenario performs out.
The fallacy of 15 Western Convention groups competing for the playoffs
When the Utah Jazz lately named Austin Ainge their new group president he was requested — after three years of various levels of tanking that included a $100,000 fantastic final season for violating the NBA’s participant participation coverage relating to sidelining Lauri Markkanen — whether or not the group can be tanking once more, he responded merely: “You won’t see that this year.”
Nicely, that does it.
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The Portland Path Blazers completed the season 23-18 after beginning 13-28, getting coach Chauncey Billups and common supervisor Joe Cronin contract extensions. The New Orleans Pelicans had gamers miss a collective 208 video games, and the San Antonio Spurs had gamers miss a mixed 385, leaving them anticipating/hoping to have bounce-back seasons subsequent yr.
So if the Jazz, too, are “in” for subsequent season — as a lot as they are often with their present roster — which means all 15 Western Convention groups are theoretically “trying” to win in 2025-26.
That is preposterous and never primarily based in actuality.
The Memphis Grizzlies seem to know this, as they’re the primary group within the West to judge the panorama and turn into a first-moving dealer. They obtained an awesome haul for sending Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic, primarily for draft picks.
Are all these West groups actually going to be buying/holding? No method. Will one other group(s) be part of the Grizzlies in making a commerce to unload expertise?
Very doubtless.
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1:13
Why Brian Windhorst agrees with LeBron James on NBA ring tradition
Brian Windhorst talks about LeBron James’ perception that profitable a championship is a group accomplishment, not a person one.
Free company as ‘extension-agency’
With the adjustments to the collective bargaining settlement, plus a scarcity of wage cap house and big-name free brokers, the drama this summer time may largely be whether or not gamers prolong their contracts with their groups. In the event that they do, nice. In the event that they don’t, properly, rumors about their futures will enhance.
Listed below are some gamers who can signal enormous new contracts this summer time (or received’t):
Luka Dončić, Lakers: On Aug. 2, he can add 4 years and $229 million to his deal. However he may (and it’d financially be smarter to) additionally signal for $165 million over three years with an opportunity to choose out in 2028.
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets: For the previous decade, Jokic has been a dream megastar — no stress, all manufacturing, MVP, champion. He has three years left, so there’s no actual want to increase now, however he may add two years. Although the previous two seasons have ended with out a return to the Finals and the Nuggets have let fairly a little bit of expertise exit the door, he hasn’t given any indication that he’s not glad with the group. So no purpose to not signal for extra years, proper?
De’Aaron Fox, Spurs: On Aug. 3, Fox can signal for 4 years and $229 million and, after buying and selling three first-round picks for him this previous February, count on the Spurs to take action.
Devin Booker, Suns: The four-time All-Star can add two years and $150 million (not a typo, that’s $75 million per season) after July 6, and all indicators level towards it occurring. Doing so will get him underneath contract in Phoenix by means of 2030.
Trae Younger, Hawks: He can signal for as much as 4 years and $229 million, however after 4 straight years within the play-in event, and with a brand new entrance workplace, it’s not sure the Hawks will provide it.
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Karl-Anthony Cities, Knicks: Cities had an awesome first yr in New York, however has three years left on his deal. This isn’t a referendum, however he may choose out of the final yr and add a recent three years and $212 million to have him underneath contract for the following 5.
Ja Morant, Grizzlies: The 25-year-old guard has three years left on his deal, and will add two extra. However he has additionally averaged simply 44 video games a season over the previous 4 years due to harm and suspension, and the Grizzlies have routinely underachieved with him because the franchise face.
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies: Memphis can use its cap house to renegotiate and prolong Jackson — and the group is attempting to do exactly that. He has one yr left on a team-friendly deal at $23 million.
Tyler Herro, Warmth: Coming off his greatest season, in October he can signal for as much as $150 million over three years. Herro won’t fairly meet the standards for getting that measurement of a contract, relying on whom you ask, and there’s an opportunity the Warmth will look to get him into one thing price much less. He’s obtained one yr left on his deal and if there’s no new contract, he’ll see his identify in commerce rumors.
Kristaps Porzingis, Celtics: Going into the final yr of his contract, and making $30.7 million, he’s in place for a brand new contract. However the Celtics are already very costly and dealing with an unsure future with new possession coming, and Porzingis’ harm historical past may complicate coming to an agreeable quantity.
