After an eventful July full of big trades, intriguing signings and the game's biggest star shocking everyone by heading East, the NBA offseason is nearly complete. And with the regular-season schedule now out, it's time to start thinking about the 2026-27 season.
ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for every team.
Check out the rollout schedule below, with stories added daily:
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Northwest Division
Portland Trail Blazers: Aug. 17
Key additions: G Ja Morant, F Jeremy Sochan
Key retentions: C Robert Williams III
Key subtractions: F Jerami Grant, F Kris Murray, G Matisse Thybulle
Sadly, the Blazers made far more noise this offseason with their off-court business dealings than anything they did with their roster. New owner Tom Dundon's aggressive cost-cutting measures and ongoing fight for arena financing have distracted from the progress that Portland made on the court last season, when it reached the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Although the Blazers were the only team that sat out June's draft by not making a pick, they will add two high-profile guards to a rotation that otherwise looks very similar to last season. Lillard, a franchise icon, is back from an Achilles tendon injury that sidelined him for the entire 2025-26 campaign, and Morant, a two-time All-Star, arrived in a trade that sent Grant and Murray to the Memphis Grizzlies. -- Ben Golliver
Read the full Blazers offseason recap/season preview
Utah Jazz: Aug. 18
Minnesota Timberwolves: Aug. 19
Denver Nuggets: Aug. 20
Oklahoma City Thunder: Aug. 21
Southwest Division
Memphis Grizzlies: Aug. 14
Key additions: F Cameron Boozer, G D'Angelo Russell, F Isaiah Stewart, F Jerami Grant, F Kris Murray, C Quinten Post
Key retentions: None
Key subtractions: G Ja Morant, F Santi Aldama
Memphis finally traded Ja Morant, turning the last page from an ultimately disappointing chapter in franchise history, and already has his replacement as the face of the franchise in place: No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer. GM Zach Kleiman has overhauled the roster in the past few transaction cycles, acquiring four first-round picks when he traded Desmond Bane, a few more when he dealt Jaren Jackson Jr. and none for Morant, whose departure signaled a fresh start for the Grizzlies and him.
Memphis is in a full-blown youth movement, as 21-year-old forward GG Jackson is now the longest-tenured player on the roster. The Grizzlies say they believe they have a long-term foundation in place with their last few lottery picks: center Zach Edey, small forward Cedric Coward and power forward Boozer. -- Tim MacMahon
Read the full Grizzlies offseason recap/season preview
New Orleans Pelicans: Aug. 13
Key additions: None
Key retentions: C DeAndre Jordan
Key subtractions: F Kevon Looney
Despite capturing a combined 47 wins over the last two seasons under executive vice president Joe Dumars and general manager Troy Weaver, the Pelicans clearly believe that internal growth is the best path forward. Perhaps that justifies a near-silent summer in which the hiring of new coach Jamahl Mosley turned out to be the team's most notable move. Mosley becomes New Orleans' third coach since Dumars took the helm in April 2025. In addition to drafting Jaron Pierre Jr. in the second round, New Orleans signed just two new players over the summer in Kobe Bufkin and Hunter Dickinson, while bringing back 14 of the 15 players from last season's squad. -- Michael C. Wright
Read the full Pelicans offseason recap/season preview
Dallas Mavericks: Aug. 12
Key additions: F Morez Johnson Jr., F Zaccharie Risacher
Key retentions: Moussa Cisse
Key subtractions: Khris Middleton, Ryan Nembhard
The major changes made by the Mavericks this offseason were in the managerial and coaching ranks. After a seasonlong search, team governor Patrick Dumont hired Masai Ujiri to run the franchise's basketball operations, bringing the architect of the Toronto Raptors' 2019 title team to Dallas. Ujiri decided to part ways with coach Jason Kidd and recruited Dusty May, fresh off an NCAA title with Michigan, to replace him.
Johnson, who played for May at Michigan before the Mavs selected him with the No. 9 pick in the draft, is the headliner of the additions to the roster. Dallas added three potential immediate contributors in a six-team deal, acquiring former Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama, ex-Pistons guard Marcus Sasser and EuroLeague veteran Tarik Biberovic. The franchise also landed former No. 1 pick as part of the trade that sent Luguentz Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks. -- MacMahon
Read the full Mavericks offseason recap/season preview
Houston Rockets: Aug. 11
Key additions: G Marcus Smart, G Bogdan Bogdanovic
Key retentions: F Tari Eason
Key subtractions: F Dorian Finney-Smith, G Josh Okogie
After suffering a first-round postseason exit for the second consecutive season, the Rockets resisted the temptation to jump into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes after adding former MVP Durant last summer. General manager Rafael Stone and coach Ime Udoka will instead lean on growth from the team's collection of young talent acquired in recent years, not to mention the continuity that comes with those players developing together over multiple seasons.
Houston signed Tari Eason to a five-year, $81.5 million extension over the summer. But outside of that, the Rockets focused on bolstering depth by bringing aboard veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The club also brought in renowned shooting coach Chip Engelland from Oklahoma City. Engelland spent more than a decade with the San Antonio Spurs, winning two titles. -- Wright
Read the full Rockets offseason recap/season preview
San Antonio Spurs: Aug. 10
Key additions: F Tobias Harris
Key retentions: F Harrison Barnes
Key subtractions: None
San Antonio's surprising run to the NBA Finals never obscured its long-term vision for building a sustainable competitor around Victor Wembanyama. Clearly, the Frenchman views the future similarly, considering he signed a 25% max extension worth $252 million instead of the available 30% supermax escalators that would've rocketed the contract to $303 million.
Wembanyama did it to keep San Antonio's talented young core together for as long as possible, with added flexibility to acquire needed supporting players. The Spurs grabbed one of those in free agency in Harris, an experienced, reliable scorer who adds size (6-foot-8, 226 pounds) and physicality on defense while bolstering frontcourt depth in the draft. -- Wright
Read the full Spurs offseason recap/season preview
Pacific Division
Los Angeles Lakers: Aug. 24
LA Clippers: Aug. 25
Golden State Warriors: Aug. 26
Phoenix Suns: Aug. 27
Sacramento Kings: Aug. 28
Southeast Division
Miami Heat: Aug. 31
Washington Wizards: Sept. 1
Charlotte Hornets: Sept. 2
Atlanta Hawks: Sept. 3
Orlando Magic: Sept. 4
Central Division
Milwaukee Bucks: Sept. 7
Chicago Bulls: Sept. 8
Cleveland Cavaliers: Sept. 9
Indiana Pacers: Sept. 10
Detroit Pistons: Sept. 11
Atlantic Division
Philadelphia 76ers: Sept. 14
Boston Celtics: Sept. 15
Brooklyn Nets: Sept. 16
Toronto Raptors: Sept. 17
