The Pacific Division has been dragged into the same offseason whirlpool as the rest of the league, and every team in it has taken a different route through the chaos. Phoenix cleaned house around its priority targets.
Golden State tried to set up a moonshot, then had to pivot. The Clippers are waiting on a blockbuster that still isn’t official.
The Lakers tore down and rebuilt around Luka after losing LeBron. Sacramento, meanwhile, is still chasing the move that might never come.
Phoenix made the most straightforward push of the bunch. The Suns brought in Miles Bridges in a trade with the Hornets that also sent out a 2029 first and a 2027 second, then added Koa Peat at No. 30 after trading up with Dallas.
They also landed Luke Kennard on a two-year, $13 million deal with a player option, re-signed Mark Williams for three years and $38 million fully guaranteed, brought back Collin Gillespie on a four-year, $48 million deal, and kept Jordan Goodwin on a three-year, $19 million contract. Out the door went Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale to the Hornets, along with a 2033 first-round pick.
It was a full sweep of the priority free agents, plus a trade for a 6-foot-7 forward who plays downhill and a local prospect staying home in Arizona. Kennard, who led the league in three-point percentage at 47.8, gives them the shooting fix, and Phoenix managed it all while staying flexible under the second apron.
The Athletic and ESPN both gave the summer a B-range grade, with the main concern centered on how Bridges fits the culture.
Golden State’s offseason started with a big swing that never came off. Draymond Green opted out with the specific goal of opening the door for a LeBron signing and an Anthony Davis trade, the kind of all-in gamble that would have given Curry one more shot at a title run.
That plan is dead now that LeBron chose Philadelphia. What remains is a roster that looks more like a reset around size than a finished masterpiece.
The Warriors re-signed Kristaps Porzingis for two years and $40 million, brought back Al Horford, Charles Bassey, and Draymond Green on a one-year, $27 million deal, and added Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 pick. The front line is bigger than usual, but the bigger question is whether this is the actual plan or just the fallback.
The Clippers are sitting in the middle of a mess that still isn’t resolved. They agreed to a Kawhi Leonard trade with Toronto on June 30, then paused it on July 9 while the NBA investigated whether the team circumvented the cap by funneling money to Leonard through his endorsement deal with the now-bankrupt company Aspiration.
The fact-finding phase is reportedly done, and the league is now weighing discipline for Leonard, the Clippers, or Steve Ballmer, with the possibility that the matter could still go to an arbitrator. Until that gets sorted out, Leonard is technically still a Clipper and Brandon Ingram is technically still a Raptor.
On paper, the deal would send Ingram, Gradey Dick, unprotected 2031 and 2033 firsts, a 2027 swap, and two seconds from Toronto to Los Angeles, with the Clippers also landing Keaton Wagler at No. 5 via Indiana and Baba Miller at No. 36.
They added Rui Hachimura on a two-year, $28 million deal and lost Bogdan Bogdanovic after his option was declined before he signed with Houston, while Bradley Beal declined his player option and became a free agent. If the trade clears, it’s a major haul.
If it doesn’t, the Clippers are still stuck in the league’s most interesting holding pattern.
The Lakers went in the opposite direction after LeBron left for Philadelphia. They responded by spending heavily and leaning into depth, defense, and a roster built around Luka.
Walker Kessler arrived in a sign-and-trade with Utah on a four-year, $130 million deal, while Quentin Grimes got four years and $60 million, Sandro Mamukelashvili landed at four years and $52 million, Collin Sexton signed for two years and $19 million, and Kevon Looney came in on a one-year, $3.9 million contract. Austin Reaves re-signed on a new max deal.
They also moved up for Cameron Carr at No. 24 with the Knicks, a 7-foot-wingspan Baylor wing the fan base had been dreaming about during draft season. Deandre Ayton was flipped to Washington for Jaden Hardy and two seconds, while Rui Hachimura went to the Clippers, Marcus Smart to the Rockets, Luke Kennard to the Suns, and Jaxson Hayes to Utah.
The Lakers also sent out unprotected 2031 and 2033 firsts plus two swaps to Utah. The last loose end is Jonathan Kuminga, who is now a free agent after Atlanta declined his $24.3 million option.
The problem is simple: getting him above the minimum means a sign-and-trade through the Hawks, and that’s where the Lakers are stuck.
Sacramento’s summer has the feel of a team waiting for the big domino that may never fall. The Kings drafted Darius Acuff Jr. at No.
7, Alex Karaban at No. 29 after trading up, and Emanuel Sharp at No. 45, then re-signed Precious Achiuwa for two years and $11.5 million. DeMar DeRozan was waived, and Devin Carter was sent to the Hawks.
Zach LaVine opted into his $49 million deal, DeMar DeRozan got waived, Sabonis is openly on the trade market, and Sacramento is still trying to work a Jalen Duren sign-and-trade that Detroit reportedly wants no part of, with the Pistons holding firm that they won’t move Duren that way. Classic Kings: the biggest move of the offseason still hasn’t happened, and it probably never will.
In Other News...
Suns Preseason Just Became A Real Fight For Rotation Spots
The Suns are heading into preseason with a much clearer purpose than just getting their legs under them. Phoenix has confirmed its exhibition schedule, and the emphasis from the start will be on evaluation, with head coach Jordan Ott using the games to test lineups and see how younger players handle expanded roles. It is the kind of October setup that can reveal a lot about where the back end of the roster stands before the regular season starts.
Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koa Peat are expected to be among the players who get more time than they might once the games start to matter. For a team trying to build out its second unit, those minutes could go a long way in showing who is ready to contribute and who still needs more development. The preseason may not decide everything, but for this group it should offer a real early look at which rotation spots are actually up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Suns May Have Just One Path Back To Contention
Phoenix spent much of last season leaning on defense, and that figure should still be the safest starting point for a team trying to claw its way back into contention. The Suns finished ninth in defensive rating and paired that with a half-court offense that, at its best, looked efficient enough to keep them afloat when the spacing and shot-making were right. Lineups featuring Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Royce ONeale and Oso Ighodaro gave them a workable template, one built more on structure than flash.
Now the wrinkle is that ONeale is gone, sent to the Charlotte Hornets, and Miles Bridges is in his place. Bridges brings a very different offensive profile, one that was boosted in Charlotte by the presence of LaMelo Ball and comes with its own questions about consistency from deep. For Phoenix, the real issue is whether that change helps preserve the balance that made the group functional, or nudges the offense into a less predictable shape just as the Suns are trying to stay anchored by their defense. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Put Former First Round Pick Under Real Preseason Pressure
The Suns have their preseason slate in place, and for a few players, that means every minute on the floor is suddenly a tryout. Ryan Dunn is among the names to watch closest. The third-year forward and former first-round pick has not yet carved out a clear role on the roster, which leaves him in a familiar but uncomfortable spot as camp turns into a real evaluation period.
Preseason games are often about rhythm and conditioning, but for Dunn they carry more weight than that. The coaching staff will use those appearances to decide whether he fits into the long-term picture, and his playing time will tell plenty about where he stands. For a team trying to settle its depth chart, that kind of uncertainty makes every possession matter a little more. [Read more 🡒]