The biggest swings of the 2026 NBA offseason grabbed all the oxygen, with LeBron James, Jaylen Brown and Giannis Antetokounmpo headlining the noise. But some of the quieter moves may end up mattering just as much, if not more, once the season actually starts.
Three in particular stand out for how much they could shape their teams without getting the same attention as the blockbusters.
Marcus Smart’s move to Houston fits that bill perfectly. After one solid season with the Los Angeles Lakers, the PG/SG signed a two-year, $13M deal with the Rockets. The former Defensive Player of the Year gives Houston another layer of toughness on a roster that already includes Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, but his biggest value may be simpler than that: he gives Ime Udoka a reliable veteran option.
That matters because Fred VanVleet’s ACL tear last preseason left everyone wondering for a year what the full version of the Kevin Durant Rockets might look like. VanVleet is set to return in 2026-27, but there’s no guarantee he’s back at full speed right away.
Smart gives Houston a steady hand to lean on, whether that means coming off the bench or sliding into the starting lineup. For a team that still sees itself as a Western Conference contender, that kind of insurance can be huge.
Chicago’s addition of Nic Claxton has flown under the radar in a different way. It was mostly treated as a small part of the trade that sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, but it could wind up being a major piece for the Bulls. ESPN noted that Claxton would enter the season as Chicago’s only true center, and that alone makes him a key figure in how this roster functions.
The Bulls are expected to spend this season focused on development, with Tiago Splitter overseeing the continued rise of Matas Buzelis and a possible Rookie of the Year push from Caleb Wilson. In that kind of setup, Claxton’s job is straightforward and important: give the team a defensive anchor and remove one major concern from Splitter’s plate.
Then there’s Dallas, where the coaching change may end up being the most consequential move of the bunch. After parting ways with Jason Kidd, the Mavericks turned to NCAA champion head coach Dusty May to guide them through Cooper Flagg’s sophomore season and Kyrie Irving’s comeback year.
This one is underrated not because it looks safe, but because it could swing big in either direction. New president Masai Ujiri and the Dallas front office have already shown trust in May by drafting one of his former Michigan players, Morez Johnson, Jr. If May gets off to a rough start in his first NBA season, the ripple effects on Flagg’s development - and on Flagg’s willingness to stay in Dallas long-term - could be enormous.
In Other News...
New Wrinkle Reopens One Of Bulls Fans Most Painful Draft Regrets
Every so often, an old Bulls draft memory gets dragged back into the light, and this one still stings. Former New Jersey Nets assistant general manager Bobby Marks recently revisited the 2006 NBA Draft, when Chicago moved from the second pick to No. 4 and chose Tyrus Thomas instead of LaMarcus Aldridge, a decision that has only grown harder to revisit with time as Aldridge went on to have the far more accomplished NBA career.
Marks account also adds a fresh layer to the what-if game around that night, because the Bulls were not just deciding whether to stay put or slide back a little. The Nets actual selections, along with the idea that Chicago might have gone even further back or taken a different package of future picks, make the move feel like one of those draft crossroads that can be measured in hindsight but never fully untangled in the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Rebuild Already Faces The Same Defensive Fear Again
A fresh look at Chicagos defensive outlook has already revived an old concern, with an NBA stats graphic circulating on social media showing several Bulls-related lineups among the leagues least efficient half-court defensive groups in the 2025-26 season. For a team trying to reset under new executive vice president Bryson Graham and head coach Tiago Splitter, it is a blunt reminder that the rebuild is not just about adding offense or leaning on young talent. It is also about proving the Bulls can stop somebody when the game slows down.
The larger issue is familiar because it has followed the franchise for years: is this a coaching problem, or does the roster simply not have enough defensive heft to hold up in the half court? Individual players bring different defensive traits, but the early evidence has done little to quiet the skepticism around the unit as a whole. The 2026-27 season is shaping up as the real test, not just of the new leadership, but of whether the Bulls can finally turn that long-running fear into something more manageable. [Read more 🡒]