While the NBA Finals are reaching their dramatic conclusion, teams around the league are preparing for what comes next. The 2026 offseason has the potential to be an exciting one, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, who break down 10 teams that could define the summer.
The Celtics will be a team to watch as they look to continue building a contender around a healthy Jayson Tatum. Boston lacks the bigger-dollar contracts needed to bring in top-tier players unless the front office decides to move one of Jaylen Brown or Derrick White. The Celtics will also have to decide if they want to decline Neemias Queta‘s team option and sign him to a long-term deal or pick up the option and figure out his contract by next summer.
The Cavaliers have decisions to make on their high-scoring backcourt, as Donovan Mitchell is extension-eligible and James Harden is up for a new deal at 36 years old. The Pistons, meanwhile, have the choice between continuing to build slowly and steadily or taking a big swing.
The Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, Nuggets, Wolves, Heat, and Thunder round out the rest of the teams that ESPN’s duo believes will help shape the outlook of the offseason.
We have more news and notes from around the basketball world:
- Thomas Haugh was one of the higher-profile prospects to withdraw from this year’s draft class, having opted to go back to Florida. His decision was influenced by new NIL money, though he also appreciates the stability of one more year in college before he embraces the chaos of the NBA lifestyle, according to Mark Long of The Associated Press. “The NBA life is no joke,” Haugh said. “I think my mom didn’t really realize that until she talked to [Grizzlies guard Walter Clayton Jr,‘s] mom a little bit. Like, you can get traded any day of the week. You’re not out there getting dinners with your guys every night or going on fun trips and stuff like that. It’s a job.” He’s hoping that his return will allow the Gators to compete for another national championship.
- After leading Paris Basketball to its third straight Finals in France’s domestic league, German coach Julius Thomas has drawn interest from several NBA teams looking to add to their coaching staffs, Kevin Martorano writes for Sportando, citing a BeBasket report. While there are no specific teams listed, multiple clubs have reportedly approached Thomas with an eye towards next season.
- Former Sixers wing Furkan Korkmaz has reached a deal with Besiktas in his home country of Turkiye, Bugra Uzar reports for Eurohoops. Besiktas’s future is uncertain, as it has a chance to be promoted to the EuroLeague or stay in the BTK EuroCup. Korkmaz helped lead Turkiye to the silver medal in the 2025 EuroBasket tournament and is coming off a season with Tofas in the Turkish league, where he averaged 9.0 points in 19.7 minutes per game. He appeared in 328 NBA regular season games from 2017-24.