The NBA offseason has already delivered its usual mix of chaos and opportunity, and a handful of teams have come out of it looking a lot sturdier than they did before the dominoes started falling. Some clubs cleaned up messy books.
Others added real talent. A few did both.
Here are five teams that made the biggest leap so far.
Philadelphia may have done the loudest business of the bunch. The 76ers brought in Jaylen Brown, Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, Ariel Hukporti and rookie Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd pick, while moving on from Paul George, Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond.
Brown gives them elite-level play, Wade adds size and defense, and Simons plus Philon bring the kind of multi-layered skill sets that can tilt a roster. If everyone is healthy, the starting five of Tyrese Maxey, V.J.
Edgecombe, Brown, Wade and Joel Embiid looks formidable, with Simmons and Philon coming off the bench. They still need two more bigs, ideally, unless they’re putting a lot of trust in Adem Bona, but the overall picture is clear: Philadelphia looks like a force in the East.
Washington also made a major leap. The Wizards added Deandre Ayton, Khris Middleton and first-overall pick AJ Dybantsa, while losing Jaden Hardy and D’Angelo Russell.
The Trae Young deal is bad, but that’s a problem for later. For now, Washington has put together a group that should be a playoff team in 2026-2027 and, if things break right, a real title threat.
Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington now sit alongside Dybantsa, Ayton and Middleton. If Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly keep improving and the roster stays healthy, this team could be dangerous in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee took a massive swing of its own, and the return package could reshape the franchise. The Bucks sent out Giannis Antetokounmpo and also lost Gary Harris, Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince, but they brought back Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, rookie Nate Ament, two first-round picks, one pick swap and one second-round pick.
They also drafted Brayden Burries and added Caris LeVert. Depending on what happens with Kevin Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Myles Turner, the Bucks might end up with a better record than the Miami Heat by the end of 2027.
Herro and Ware should help with spacing, Jaquez brings a little bit of everything, and the young talent gives Milwaukee a real path forward whether the team is trying to win now or build toward later.
Charlotte made a different kind of move, one aimed squarely at changing the vibe. The Hornets shipped out LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges and Josh Green, then added Grayson Allen, Dorian Finney-Smith, Royce O’Neale, Naz Reid, Hannes Steinbach with the 14th pick and Christian Anderson Jr. with the 18th pick.
The Ball and Bridges situations were both messy, and Charlotte clearly decided it was time to hand the keys to Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. Those two trades brought back Allen and Reid, plus two first-round picks, three first-round pick swaps and three second-round picks.
They also cleared money that should be more useful down the line. The Hornets may not be better by the time 2027 ends, but their future looks a lot cleaner, and with stars who are 22 and 20, that matters.
Memphis rounds out the list after a sweeping reset of its own. The Grizzlies moved on from Ja Morant and Santi Aldama, then added Jerami Grant, AJ Johnson, Kris Murray, Quenten Post, D’Angelo Russell, Isaiah Stewart, Cameron Boozer with the third pick, and Richie Saunders with the 32nd pick.
Stewart and Boozer give Memphis a much more physical edge, while Grant, Russell and Murray add useful pieces who can help on the floor or become trade assets later. The Grizzlies may not be ready for the playoffs in 2027, but they should be better than they were at the end of 2026.
If Boozer lives up to the hype and Saunders returns from injury the way people hoped before his torn ACL, Memphis could be closer to getting back to the dance than it looks right now.
In Other News...
Miles Bridges Is Back In Another Disturbing Off Court Controversy
Miles Bridges is back in the news for the wrong reasons, with a custody exchange now turning into a legal dispute that has spilled into the public eye. Mychelle Johnson faces misdemeanor charges after allegedly throwing water at Bridges during the June 22 exchange, and Bridges filed the complaint afterward, saying he was worried about their childrens safety.
Johnson, meanwhile, says the charges are part of an effort to have her arrested and take custody of the children, adding another layer to a relationship already marked by serious off-court history. For the Hornets, it is another uncomfortable reminder of Bridges past as he waits on a pending move to Phoenix that still has not been finalized. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Peterson Just Revealed The Toughest Call Of Charlotte's Rebuild
Jeff Peterson framed Charlottes latest roster shake-up as the kind of move that only makes sense if the Hornets are thinking well beyond the next few months. The president of basketball operations said the organization had to weigh a painful decision against a bigger goal: building a team that can get into the playoffs, stay there and eventually grow into a true contender. He also pointed to the current roster as a reason for optimism, while asking fans to stay with the process as the front office keeps reshaping the group.
The trade also left the Hornets with more flexibility to keep maneuvering, along with extra draft capital to work with as the rebuild continues. Peterson did not lay out a timetable for what comes next, which only adds to the uncertainty around how quickly Charlotte will make its next move. For now, the message is clear enough: the front office believes the hard part is worth it if it puts the team on a more sustainable path. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Suddenly Have A Real Chance At The Center They Need
Jarrett Allen is the kind of center who would instantly change the conversation in Charlotte, which is why a recent trade proposal has the Hornets linked to the Cavaliers big man. The idea is simple enough: if the Hornets want a more stable anchor in the middle, Allen brings the size, rim protection and pick-and-roll presence that can make life easier for a young roster already reshaped by several notable moves this offseason.
The fit is easy to see on paper, especially for a team that has been searching for a true interior answer and could use a veteran with playoff experience. Allen has also shown he can hold up on a big stage, even in Clevelands rough postseason run, which is part of why this kind of move has traction. It remains only a proposal for now, though, and the real question for Charlotte is whether a deal like this ever gets beyond the drawing board. [Read more 🡒]