After a historic trade, Kevin Durant joins the Houston Rockets for his 18th season.
1. Mavs select Flagg with No. 1 pick
A new era begins in Dallas with the selection of Duke star Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after Dallas defied the odds at the Draft Lottery by winning with just a 1.8% chance entering the draw. Flagg was the fifth Duke player taken first overall in the Draft Lottery era, and one of three Blue Devils taken in the top 10 in this year’s draft. Read more.
2. Durant to Rockets in historic trade
After their first-round playoff exit, the Rockets made the biggest trade of not just the summer, but the first-ever seven-team trade in league history, to land Kevin Durant from Phoenix in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and future draft picks. Durant enters his 18th NBA season as the eighth leading scorer in league history. Read more.
3. OKC trio resigns to run it back
Fresh off their run to the 2025 NBA title, the Thunder wasted little time in locking up their star trio to run it back and challenge for championships for years to come. League and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year supermax contract while All-Star forward Jalen Williams and defensive anchor Chet Holmgren each signed five-year rookie max extensions. Read more.
4. Luka re-signs, LeBron picks up option to remain in L.A.
Exactly six months after he was acquired at the trade deadline from Dallas (Feb. 2), Luka Dončić signed a contract extension (Aug. 2) to remain in Los Angeles through at least 2028. Meanwhile, LeBron James picked up his player option to begin his eighth season as a Laker in an unprecedented 23rd NBA season. After being thrust together at last year’s trade deadline, the duo will open their first full season as teammates. Read more.
5. Bane to Magic opens summer of player movement
After finishing 28th in scoring and 30th in 3-point shooting, the Magic wasted no time addressing both needs by acquiring Desmond Bane from Memphis in the first big deal of the offseason. Bane – a career 41% 3-point shooter who averaged 19.2 points per game last season – heads to Orlando with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony and four first-round draft picks going to Memphis. Read more.
6. Flurry of resigning’s from both young stars and veterans
While free agency brought some key player movement, a number of young stars opted to sign extensions with their current teams, including Paolo Banchero (Magic), De’Aaron Fox (Spurs), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies), Mikal Bridges (Knicks), Jabari Smith Jr. (Rockets), Naz Reid (Wolves) and Devin Booker (Suns).
It wasn’t just players in their 20s looking to re-up with their current squads, as some key vets in their 30s also did the same, including James Harden (Clippers), Julius Randle (Wolves), Bobby Portis (Bucks), Kyrie Irving (Mavs) and Fred VanVleet (Rockets). Read more.
7. Wemby cleared for return
After making his first career All-Star appearance, Victor Wembanyama’s sophomore season was cut short due to a blood clot in his shoulder. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is expected to be a full participant in Spurs training camp as he prepares for his third NBA season. Read more.
8. Homecomings for CP3 and Dame
Chris Paul and Damian Lillard both returning to familiar ground for the 2025-26 season.
After playing the past two seasons in Milwaukee, Damian Lillard returned to Portland in July following a contract buyout from the Bucks. Lillard, who will miss the 2025-26 season with a torn Achilles, signed a three-year deal to play in the city where he spent the first decade of his career. Meanwhile, Chris Paul signed a one-year deal to return to the LA Clippers, where he spent six seasons from 2011-2017. Read more.
9. Hornets win summer league while draft picks shine in summer debuts
Just two weeks after hearing their names called at the NBA Draft, the class of 2025 took to the hardwood in Las Vegas for NBA 2K26 Summer League, giving teams and fans a first look at the rookies along with select sophomores and veterans looking to make an impression. In addition to seeing a showdown between the top two picks, it was No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel and the Hornets that generated the most buzz, winning the Summer League title for the first time. Read more.
10. New ‘heave’ rules come in play for upcoming season
Expect to see more end-of-quarter heaves from deep this season after a rule change was approved that will keep those potential miracle buckets from adversely affecting player shooting percentages. Now, any shot taken within the final three seconds of the first three quarters and launched from at least 36 feet away on any play that starts in the backcourt will count as a team shot attempt, but not a player one. Read more.
11. Ayton, Beal, Smart head to LA after buyouts
Los Angeles was the city of choice for key veterans that hit the open market after reaching contract buyouts with their previous teams. Bradley Beal made the move from Phoenix to L.A. to join the Clippers, while Deandre Ayton (from Portland) and Marcus Smart (from Washington) both signed with the Lakers this summer. Read more.
12. Turner leaves Pacers, joins Bucks
After being a key piece of the Indiana squad that ended Milwaukee’s season in the first round of the playoffs the past two seasons, Myles Turner signed a four-year deal to join the Bucks as a free agent. Turner, who was the most tenured player on the Pacers’ 2025 Finals team, joins the rival Bucks seeking another deep playoff run with a new team. Read more.
13. Celtics shake up roster, trade KP to Hawks, Holiday to Blazers
Following the loss of Jayson Tatum to an Achilles tear during the Eastern Conference Semifinals – an injury expected to sideline him for much of, if not all, of the 2025-26 season – the Celtics decided to move two key pieces from their 2024 championship team. Boston traded Kristaps Porziņģis to Atlanta and Jrue Holiday to Portland with Anfernee Simons coming to Boston. Read more.
14. Mike Brown to coach Knicks
Mike Brown, two-time NBA Coach of the Year, joins the Knicks as head coach.
After falling to the rival Pacers in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks decided to make a coaching change as they look to break through and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Two-time NBA Coach of the Year Mike Brown was hired to replace Tom Thibodeau, bringing a new voice to the New York City sidelines. Read more.
15. McCollum, Powell, Connaughton, Ball and more vets on the move
Durant wasn’t the only veteran to make a move this offseason. CJ McCollum was traded from New Orleans to Washington for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey. Norman Powell moved from L.A. to Miami as part of a three-team trade that sent John Collins from Utah to L.A. Pat Connaughton was traded to Charlotte after a seven-season run in Milwaukee. After making a triumphant return after missing two-plus seasons with a knee injury, Lonzo Ball was traded to Cleveland for Isaac Okoro. Read more.
16. Nuggets trade MPJ to Brooklyn, acquire Johnson, Valančiūnas, Brown
Since winning the 2023 NBA championship, the Nuggets have been eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals each of the past two seasons. Looking to make another title run around three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, the Nuggets had a busy offseason, acquiring Cam Johnson from Brooklyn for Michael Porter Jr., Jonas Valančiūnas from Sacramento for Dario Šarić, and signing former Nugget Bruce Brown, who was a key piece in their 2023 title team. Read more.
17. Germany wins EuroBasket
Dennis Schröder (16 points, 12 assists) scored the game’s final six points, while Franz Wagner added 18 points as Germany defeated Turkey 88-83 to win the European championship for the first time since 1993. Germany, which also won the 2023 World Cup, finished EuroBasket a perfect 9-0. Schröder, who signed with Sacramento this summer, was named EuroBasket MVP. Read more.
18. Melo, Dwight, Redeem Team headline HOF class of 2025
The 2008 U.S. Basketball Men’s National Team is honored during the 2025 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony.
A new group of stars earned hoops immortality by entering the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in early September. The Class of 2025 was headlined by Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Redeem Team and a trio of WNBA legends in Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles. Bulls coach Billy Donovan, Heat governor Micky Arison and referee Danny Crawford round out the inductees. Read more.
19. Extensions for coaches Carlisle, Mazzulla, Donovan, Redick
Players weren’t the only ones inking extensions this summer as Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, Bulls coach Billy Donovan and Lakers coach JJ Redick will be on the sidelines for their respective teams for years to come. Read more.
20. Injuries and recoveries that will impact upcoming season
Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game. While Lillard and Tyrese Haliburton are expected to miss the entire 2025-26 season due to torn Achilles tendons, Tatum has not fully ruled out a possible return this season from the same ailment. Those All-Stars aren’t the only players on the mend. Last week, VanVleet suffered a torn ACL that will likely cost him the entire season, while Miami’s Tyler Herro (eight weeks, foot surgery), Memphis’ Zach Edey (6-9 weeks, ankle surgery) and Philadelphia’s Jared McCain (4-6 weeks, thumb) will all likely miss the start of the season. Read more.
