NBA Summer 2025: A Breakdown of the Biggest Trades and Signings

During a busy NBA summer season, many notable players found new homes via trades and free agency. The Oklahoma City Thunder are still favorites to win next year's title. But before complaining about the inevitability of NBA playoff results, remember that the last team to reach the NBA finals two years in a row was, in fact, the Golden State Warriors back in 2018-2019. And with the Western Conference littered with the most high-end talent it's had since the mid-2000s, a number of teams see themselves as legitimate contenders.

It is also a virtual guarantee that the Eastern Conference will have a new winner following the devastating Achilles injury to Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers are one of many teams that will look a different, especially after Myles Turner signed with Milwaukee. The Bucks waived another star with a torn Achilles, future hall of famer Damian Lillard, in early July. The Achilles bug also hit Celtics superstar, Jayson Tatum, who went down in round two against the New York Knicks. Tatum's injury led to a number of moves by Boston to lower payroll to get out of the dreaded second apron and to be in a better position to compete with a younger roster once Tatum returns.

Here are, in this writer’s opinion, the two biggest summer winners in each conference.

Note: This article will focus on trades and free agency, but not the draft. The Mavericks should be improved for years with Cooper Flagg falling into their laps. The Spurs may end up benefitting from Victor Wembanyama's injury last season, since they were able to add Dylan Harper. But more on that down the road.

Eastern Conference:

Most Improved Team - Orlando Magic

Acquiring Desmond Bane from Memphis for KCP, Cole Anthony, and four unprotected first rounders may seem like a lot to give up. But Orlando knows the time to win is now in a completely wide-open conference. The Grizzlies added a stockpile of draft picks to keep should they go younger with uncertainty about their future with Ja Morant. Or they could package picks and players to lure another veteran to Memphis.

Meanwhile, Bane feels like a slam dunk for Orlando, which is tough defensively but struggles to find easy buckets on the other end, especially in crunch time. Bane joins rising superstar Paolo Banchero and forward Franz Wagner to complete an impressive starting lineup that should be good enough to win the Southeast Division. Orlando is one of a handful of teams that nobody will want to face in May.

Most Improved Team Runner Up - Atlanta Hawks Speaking of rising contenders, the Hawks didn’t make the loudest moves of the off-season, but they bolstered their depth tremendously. In early July, Atlanta acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker from Minnesota in a multi-team trade. The versatile wing has shown potential despite fighting for minutes on a Timberwolves team with a ton of guys who need the ball to be effective. Atlanta arguably made their biggest move one day later, when they acquired Kristaps Porzingis from Boston for very little, as the C's were desperate to shed salary. The issue with KP has never been his talent, but rather his health. He was virtually nonexistent in the 2025 playoffs after making invaluable contributions to the C’s title run in 2024. Atlanta, which also signed guard Luke Kennard, has enough talent on the roster now to wait until Porzingis is fully ready to play. For once, the Hawks don’t feel locked into the eighth seed before the season even starts.

Western Conference: Most Improved Team - Denver Nuggets I know that Denver didn’t go all-in on a three-for-one trade to pair another proven star with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. But they made a series of moves that could pay dividends during next year’s playoff run. Getting Cam Johnson from Brooklyn and moving away from Michael Porter Jr.’s contract was a major win. I like Porter Jr., but Johnson is a more versatile scorer, and a safer bet to stay on the court. Denver also got some much need relief for Jokic in big man Jonas Valanciunas, who at 6’ 11” and 265 lbs, will be able to hold down the forte while Joker rests for six minutes at a time. To add more depth, Denver signed Tim Hardaway Jr. for scoring punch, and brought back fan favorite Bruce Brown. I expect The Nuggets to be a true challenger again in the Western Conference.

Most Improved Team Runner Up - Houston Rockets Houston's inclusion is all about one name: Kevin Durant. Experts identified Houston as a likely landing spot for KD months ago. What surprised folks was how little they had to give up to get one of the best scorers in NBA history. Unwilling to include their top young assets in a potential deal, Houston instead sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the number ten overall pick in the 2025 draft, and a parade of virtually useless second rounders for the 36-year-old. I like Green, but he should not be the centerpiece of this deal. Brooks is going to be an instigator who contributes little else to a Phoenix Sun’s squad that had five shooting guards on the roster when the trade took place. I give Devin Booker until about January 7th to demand a trade.

As for Houston, they were was missing a go-to scorer and they got one, as well as a willing passer and underrated defensive player to uphold their team identity. I didn't love Houston giving up on Cam Whitmore, but with the minutes available, this may have been necessary.

In other news, the LA Clippers added forward John Collins in exchange for Norman Powell, who had a breakout season and should've made the all-star team in 2024-25. I was surprised by this trade, which made them younger, but then they started to stockpile aging players whose best years are behind them, including Chris Paul (who will likely retire with his former team), Brook Lopez, and drum roll please..... Bradley Beal. Are they better? As always with LAC, it depends on health.

Their LA roommates, the Lakers, meanwhile, added both Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton. Smart has a long injury history, but nobody plays harder. Ayton should benefit from the passing skills of Luka Doncic and Lebron James, who will finally have a big target around the rim. LA could contend for the Pacific Division, but their prospects would be better in the Eastern Conference.

The Miami Heat, who traded for the aforementioned Powell, definitely add a presence and third scorer to team with Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. Still, Miami is very slow and their ceiling is limited. They also traded sharp shooter Duncan Robinson to Detroit. I expect them to be better, but that's a pretty low bar. Miami remains the likeliest bet in the league to finish at exactly .500.

The Celtics made a smart move in shipping Jrue Holiday back to Portland. I have always liked Holiday, but it became clear that the two time champion has slipped a level. He is still a terrific defender, but his offensive contribution was minimal and he missed twenty regular season games. In exchange, the C's acquired scoring guard and expiring contract, Anfernee Simons. Simons, despite his defensive shortcomings, is capable of scoring 25 on any given night and should settle in between Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. He also could find himself on the trading block come February depending on Boston's record at the all-star break. But Simons is an asset at 26-years-old, and someone that didn't cost too much to take a flyer on.

Among other notable moves, the New Orleans Pelicans brought in Jordan Poole for CJ McCollum. I don't know if the Pelicans are the most directionless franchise in the league, but they are close. I actually feel bad for McCollum now.

The San Antonio Spurs brought in former Celtic's center, Luke Kornet, who became a fan favorite with his hustle and ability to thrive in the paint on both ends. He is also a reliable back up for Wemby, who won’t have to see his minutes overextended.

Agree or disagree with the NBA summer assessment? Feel free to post comments below.

Thanks for reading!

Zach