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• Tim BontempsJun 23, 2025, 10:47 AM ET

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  Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

The Oklahoma City Thunder won their first championship Sunday night, beating the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals to become the seventh straight new titleholder in a record-setting era of parity in the league.

Only time will tell if that milestone number stretches to eight next year or if OKC is about to become the league’s next dynastic force. What is certain is that the Thunder’s victory officially puts a bow on the 2024-25 NBA season. As a result, the chase to catch the champs is officially on.

To set up what portends to be a massive offseason in the NBA, we took a holistic look at where all 30 teams stand in their pursuit of a crown and the biggest questions each faces this summer.

To do so, we divided the 30 franchises into 10 tiers. We started with the true title contenders and ended with the teams facing what the Thunder themselves faced just four years ago: the throes of a full rebuild.

(Note: Teams are organized alphabetically within each tier, and the projected salary cap space for each comes via ESPN’s Bobby Marks.)

True NBA title contender

Oklahoma City Thunder (68-14)

Total players under contract: 15
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 10 first-round picks, 17 second-round picks

Oklahoma City has an embarrassment of riches. Not only did the Thunder just win their first title with a roster featuring no players older than 31 and only two older than 27. They also have 15 players under contract, with two more first-round picks coming in this year’s draft, meaning they will have to create some roster room this summer. Meanwhile, Oklahoma City secured the Larry O’Brien Trophy without paying the luxury tax, and it won’t be paying the tax next season, either. This will allow the Thunder to sock away savings for the future as the roster begins to get expensive this summer, when Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren are eligible for rookie extensions and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander can agree to a massive future supermax extension.

It pays to be in the East

Cleveland Cavaliers (64-18)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 4 second-round picks

The Cavaliers had a terrific regular season with the second-highest win total in franchise history, before falling flat in their Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the Pacers. But while the Cavaliers had some issues exposed in that series, there aren’t a lot of avenues for them to be addressed, given Cleveland has a decision to make on Ty Jerome, who is going to get a significant raise from the $2.5 million he made this season. (The same goes for Sam Merrill and his $2.1 million.) But unless the Cavaliers make trades, they’ll be largely running it back.

New York Knicks (51-31)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 7 second-round picks

The Knicks made their first major move of the summer when they chose to dismiss coach Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Finding a new voice in the locker room comes with figuring out what the Knicks will do to try to augment the roster. With some creative accounting, New York should be able to use the $5.6 million taxpayer’s midlevel exception and stay below the second apron. Can the Knicks land a difference-maker with it? And can they add more depth beyond their top seven, with the bright lights of New York, a contending team and playing time to offer players on minimum deals? Or will they try to do something bigger and move players from that top seven to swing for a bigger fish? There’s also a potential Mikal Bridges extension to consider. Moving on from Thibodeau shows New York isn’t satisfied with just being good; the Knicks have made it clear that only a 2026 Finals berth will be deemed a success next season.

Best of the rest in the West

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Stephen A.: KD has plenty left to be Rockets’ No. 1 option

Stephen A. Smith loves the Kevin Durant trade for the Houston Rockets as they look to compete for an NBA title next season.

Denver Nuggets (50-32)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 1 second-round pick

If not for a wild fourth quarter from Thunder guard Luguentz Dort in Game 5 of the conference semifinals, perhaps Denver would be celebrating a second title in three years. Instead, the Nuggets are reeling from a second straight seven-game exit in the second round. The first order of business will be determining who will lead the front office after the team officially retained David Adelman as coach. Whomever Denver hires as general manager will face roster decisions right away. First, Denver has to see if it can get Christian Braun, one of the better young guards in the league, signed to a contract extension. Beyond that, the Nuggets will hope to upgrade their roster, with limited assets, to try to chase down OKC atop the West.

Houston Rockets (52-30)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks

After a tremendous season that saw the Rockets finish second in the conference and lose in seven hard-fought games to the Warriors during the first round, it became clear Houston needed to upgrade its offense. How about landing Kevin Durant? That was exactly what the Rockets did hours before Sunday’s Game 7, adding the future Hall of Famer in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft. That will allow the Rockets to remain an option if another star becomes available later this offseason or next year. And while Fred VanVleet has a $44 million team option for next season, expect him to remain in Houston either on that deal or a new one.

Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33)

Total players under contract: 8
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: no first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

Coming off back-to-back conference finals appearances is justifiable cause for celebration in the Twin Cities. But as Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez fully take over as owners this summer, there are several big decisions ahead. Will Tim Connelly, who can opt out of his contract, remain in charge of the franchise moving forward? What will happen with pending unrestricted free agents Julius Randle and Naz Reid — both of whom have player options for next season — and Nickeil Alexander-Walker? Connelly expressed optimism during his end-of-season media session that all three would be back, and Minnesota can’t afford to take any steps backward in the West.

Elite contenders with injury woes

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Rick Carlisle on Hali: ‘He will be back’

Rick Carlisle gives an update on Tyrese Haliburton’s injury and assures that “he will be back.”

Boston Celtics (61-21)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

Few offseasons in NBA history have been more fascinating than what’s awaiting the Celtics. Because of Jayson Tatum’s left Achilles tear, a team that has ruled the East for the better part of a decade has massive questions as new owner Bill Chisholm gets set to take over this summer. There were doubts even before Tatum’s injury that Boston would have the first $500 million roster in NBA history. It’s impossible to see that happening now. How Boston approaches this summer could be the most important decision any team in the league makes, in terms of the ripple effects it could cause. Then there’s the future of franchise stalwart Al Horford. In the wake of Tatum’s injury, could Horford choose to play elsewhere? If he does, his stretch-big skill set would fit with any contending team, and he has shown he’s still a highly effective player even at 39 years old.

Indiana Pacers (50-32)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 8 second-round picks

After their stunning run to the NBA Finals, and to within a few shots of the franchise’s first championship, the focus shifts to Tyrese Haliburton’s recovery from the right Achilles injury he suffered early in Game 7. Indiana has proved its resiliency in these playoffs, but if Haliburton is out for all of next season, it’s hard to see the Pacers replicating this year’s run. In the meantime, they also have to decide what to do about Myles Turner, the best available free agent center and a vital part of Indiana’s five-out offense. The Pacers are expected to re-sign Turner; the question is whether the Pacers will go into the luxury tax to do so.

Milwaukee Bucks (48-34)

Total players under contract: 7
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 2 second-round picks

Like the Celtics, the Bucks have a decision that could cause ripple effects throughout the league: What does Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future in Milwaukee look like? After 12 seasons with the franchise, there are real questions about how competitive the Bucks can be next season following Damian Lillard’s left Achilles tear. The expectation is that the Bucks would like to get out of the luxury tax after paying hundreds of millions in recent years, meaning franchise stalwart and unrestricted free agent Brook Lopez could be priced out of a return.

Aging star power

Golden State Warriors (48-34)

Total players under contract: 9
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 1 second-round pick

After landing Jimmy Butler III at the trade deadline, Golden State managed to win a playoff round before Stephen Curry got hurt and the Timberwolves dispatched the Warriors in five games in Round 2. Now, the focus shifts to what likely will be yet another eventful summer in the Bay Area, beginning with the tricky negotiations with restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. Golden State likely will either bring him back on a new deal or sign and trade him to add reinforcements. Each path has a differing level of complexity. Regardless, the Warriors will need to find ways to augment the roster to keep up in the very difficult West.

LA Clippers (50-32)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

The Clippers outperformed this season, finishing fifth in the West and pushing the Nuggets to seven games in a thrilling first-round series. LA’s top priorities? Sorting out the future of James Harden, who has a $36.3 million player option, and deciding whether to extend Norman Powell, who is coming off the best season of his career. (Powell has a $20.4 million expiring contract in 2025-26.) The Clippers also could have most of the full midlevel exception available or they could use that salary flexibility to make moves via trade.

Los Angeles Lakers (50-32)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 1 second-round pick

Summer is never boring for the Lakers, and this year is no different. Not only did the Lakers just sell for a record $10 billion, but the franchise is waiting on another free agency decision from LeBron James. Now 40, he can opt into his $52.6 million player option for next season with an extension, opt in without an extension or opt out and sign a new contract. (Forward Dorian Finney-Smith faces the same three choices with his own $15.3 million option.) Luka Doncic, meanwhile, could choose to sign an extension or leave the Lakers in limbo until next summer. Austin Reaves can agree to an extension off his $13.9 million contract. And finally: After declining to complete the Mark Williams trade in February, can the Lakers get a rim-running center for Doncic?

Rising young teams with upside

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Why did the Magic trade for Desmond Bane?

Brian Windhorst breaks down the Grizzlies trading Desmond Bane to the Magic for a package that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and several draft picks.

Detroit Pistons (44-38)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None (most likely)
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 13 second-round picks

The Pistons, who won a playoff game for the first time since 2008, have two very different paths they can take. Assuming they re-sign unrestricted free agents Tim Hardaway Jr., Malik Beasley and Dennis Schroder, they’ll operate as an over-the-tax team and try to add to their roster with the full midlevel exception or via trade this summer. The other choice? Let those players go, clear cap space and go after a free agent — potentially a floor-spacing big to create more room for All-NBA guard Cade Cunningham to operate. Either way, after general manager Trajan Langdon spent his first season in charge building a solid ecosystem around Cunningham — helping to launch him to another level as a player — expect that to be the guiding principle of Detroit’s summer.

Orlando Magic (41-41)

Total players under contract: 14
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 1 first-round pick, 11 second-round picks

After years of inactivity under president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman, Orlando pushed in all of its chips by sending four first-round picks plus a swap to Memphis in last week’s stunning trade for guard Desmond Bane. Bane, a terrific shooter who also can create for himself and others and isn’t a defensive liability, is a dream fit for a Magic roster desperately in need of offense after ranking last in 3-point shooting this season. Bane boosts Orlando without the team sacrificing its defensive identity, and he’ll slot right in alongside Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero (up for a max extension this summer) and Franz Wagner as Orlando’s core moving forward. Trades such as this, however, are made only if you believe it makes you a true contender to reach the NBA Finals. Given Orlando hasn’t won a playoff series since 2010, that’s a lofty bar to clear.

San Antonio Spurs (34-48)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 15 second-round picks

Having traded for De’Aaron Fox in February and then landing the second pick in this week’s NBA draft, San Antonio will be front and center in any discussion of stars changing teams this summer to potentially pair with rising superstar Victor Wembanyama, whom the Spurs believe will be healthy to start the season after having this campaign cut short due to a deep vein thrombosis diagnosis. The other question in San Antonio: What will Chris Paul do after a very successful first season with the Spurs?

Will the real team please stand up?

Dallas Mavericks (39-43)

Total players under contract: 13
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 2 second-round picks

What a wild ride in Dallas. The Mavericks shocked the league by trading Luka Doncic in February, only to shock it again by jumping from 11th to first in the draft lottery last month to secure the right to draft another phenom in Cooper Flagg. With Flagg set to anchor the franchise for the next decade, the Mavs have to figure out what to do with Kyrie Irving, who will miss at least the majority of next season with a torn left ACL and has a $42.9 million player option on the books. Though Irving is expected to be back, Dallas desperately needs some more ballhandling, especially while he’s out.

Memphis Grizzlies (48-34)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: Fluid
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

After a disappointing final few months of the season, culminating in firing coach Taylor Jenkins and getting swept out of the playoffs by the Thunder, the first order of business in Memphis is figuring out whether Jaren Jackson Jr. can secure a new extension. Jackson is on an expiring $23.4 million deal, one far below his current value, meaning Memphis will need to renegotiate and extend the former Defensive Player of the Year to get a deal done. That’s why the Grizzlies moved on from Marcus Smart during the season. And Memphis has hoped to get Jackson locked up. Assuming the Grizzlies do, they also have to figure out the future of restricted free agent Santi Aldama and guard Luke Kennard.

Philadelphia 76ers (24-58)

Total players under contract: 9
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

Any predictions for Philadelphia hinge on Joel Embiid’s health, which remains very much an open question. Philly will be hoping it can get something close to full strength from Embiid next season, as well as a better version of Paul George and an able-bodied Jared McCain, after the rookie standout was shut down with a left meniscus injury in December. The 76ers enjoyed a good start to their offseason by jumping to third in the lottery and thus keeping their top-six protected pick.

Stuck in purgatory

Atlanta Hawks (40-42)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

After firing GM Landry Fields in April and promoting Onsi Saleh to run basketball operations, the first question for owner Tony Ressler and the Hawks is whether they’re going to hire a president of basketball operations over Saleh. (Ressler has made it clear — a year after hiring Saleh away from Golden State — that Saleh will be a huge part of the organization going forward.) Once that’s settled, a pivotal offseason awaits the Hawks, beginning with a decision on franchise player Trae Young. With one year left on his deal before a player option for the 2026-27 season, will Atlanta lock him up long term or potentially look to move on? Beyond that, there’s a fascinating extension discussion ahead for guard Dyson Daniels, who won the Most Improved Player Award after coming over in the Dejounte Murray trade last summer. The Hawks also have decisions on unrestricted free agents Caris LeVert and Larry Nance Jr.

Chicago Bulls (39-43)

Total players under contract: 12
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 5 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

There is no team more stuck than the Bulls, who enter the summer with their roster largely under contract but with some significant decisions to make — beginning with restricted free agent Josh Giddey, whom they acquired for Alex Caruso last summer. Giddey is going to expect a big payday. Are the Bulls willing to give him one? Coby White has outplayed his contract to the point where an extension off his $12.9 million seems unlikely to get done. Does that make him a trade candidate? The Bulls have almost no money on the books for the 2026-27 season, but a Giddey extension would quickly change that.

Miami Heat (37-45)

Total players under contract: 12
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 1 second-round pick

With the Butler saga officially behind them, what will it take for the Heat to regain their status as a top-tier team in the East after floating around in the play-in? Rookie Kel’el Ware had an impressive season, and he, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo give the Heat young building blocks moving forward. But how Miami improves isn’t clear. There’s a decision to be made on Duncan Robinson, who has $9.8 million of his $19.8 million expiring contract guaranteed until early July. And the Heat also could preserve what could be a ton of cap space for the summer of 2026, when a more active free agent crop could be available.

New Orleans Pelicans (21-61)

Total players under contract: 13
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 5 first-round picks, 4 second-round picks

New lead executive Joe Dumars has some work to do this summer. The Pelicans likely will be without Dejounte Murray for all of next season after he tore his right Achilles tendon, meaning the expectation will be for this team to again be deep in the lottery. With Zion Williamson representing the team at this year’s lottery, what does that portend for his future in New Orleans? He has three more years on his contract. Does New Orleans keep trying to build around this young core of Williamson, Murray, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones or begin moving in another direction?

Phoenix Suns (36-46)

Total players under contract: 11
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 2 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

The first move of the Suns’ new era, directed by lead executive Brian Gregory and coach Jordan Ott, was to send Kevin Durant to the Rockets in the hours leading up to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Though Houston got back Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft, the deal won’t be official until July 6. By then, expect the Suns to look a lot different from today. Devin Booker is going to get a massive two-year extension next month, but the Suns are expected to be aggressive in trying to retool the roster around him, sources said, and try to get Phoenix back into the playoff mix. That won’t be easy: The skill sets of Green, Booker and Bradley Beal — who still has his no-trade clause — all overlap, and there are limited mechanisms for the Suns (who remain wildly expensive) to improve.

Sacramento Kings (40-42)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 6 first-round picks, 3 second-round picks

New lead executive Scott Perry takes over an unbalanced Kings roster. Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Malik Monk all have overlapping skill sets, and the De’Aaron Fox trade left the team without an obvious point guard option on the roster. Perry has an intriguing decision to make on Keon Ellis, who has a $2.3 million team option and has turned into a nice developmental story as a 3-and-D guard, a necessity for a roster devoid of many defensive options. But the Fox move seemed like the first of a two-step process; and though Perry didn’t make that first move, it will be up to him to make the second.

Toronto Raptors (30-52)

Total players under contract: 13
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 4 first-round picks, 6 second-round picks

President of basketball operations Masai Ujiri declared Toronto wouldn’t be rebuilding forever, and the Raptors have stuck to that vision, quickly overhauling the roster in 18 months. Now, they are bumping up against the luxury tax and are going to have to make some interesting decisions this summer after trading for Brandon Ingram and signing him to an extension in February. Because of a left ankle sprain that kept him out the remainder of the campaign, we never saw what this Raptors group looked like together after the trade.

Rebuilding teams with talent

Charlotte Hornets (19-63)

Total players under contract: 12
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 11 second-round picks

The Hornets had designs on jumping up in the lottery and getting either Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper in the draft but instead fell to seventh. And after Mark Williams was traded to Los Angeles — then wasn’t — back in February, those will be very interesting extension negotiations. As long as the franchise remains near the bottom of the East standings, there will at least be a question as to Charlotte’s long-term direction, and what that means for star guard LaMelo Ball. And veterans Miles Bridges ($25 million this year, $22.8 million next year) and Jusuf Nurkic (expiring $19.3 million) could also be potentially traded. They also have to make a decision on restricted free agent Tre Mann after he missed most of the season with a back injury.

Portland Trail Blazers (36-46)

Total players under contract: 13
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 3 first-round picks, 5 second-round picks

There’s a lot happening in Portland. The team is now up for sale, and after a strong close to the season, both general manager Joe Cronin and coach Chauncey Billups were given extensions. But where does Portland go from here? Anfernee Simons is on an expiring contract; does he get an extension, or does he potentially get dealt? What about Deandre Ayton, who is on a $35 million expiring contract of his own and remains an impediment to giving last year’s seventh overall pick, Donovan Clingan, a full runway as the team’s starting center?

Sitting at Step 1

Brooklyn Nets (26-56)

Total players under contract: 10
Projected salary cap space: $40-60 million
Total tradable picks: 9 first-round picks, 15 second-round picks

The Nets, like several other teams, hoped for good lottery luck. Instead, they moved back two spots to eighth. They enter the summer with the most cap space in the league but with little of value to spend it on. They also have a ton of picks, but it makes more sense for this team to struggle one more season and use its draft pick (the rights to which it reacquired from Houston in the Mikal Bridges trade last year). Still, the Nets could choose to use their cap space to speed up the rebuild this summer, they could use it to allow teams to save money and get even more assets, or some combination of the two. There’s also the possibility of moving their two veterans under contract, Nic Claxton and Cameron Johnson.

Utah Jazz (17-65)

Total players under contract: 14
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 7 first-round picks, 7 second-round picks

After locking up coach Will Hardy to a long-term contract extension and hiring Austin Ainge away from the Boston Celtics to be the team’s president of basketball operations, Utah’s leadership is set for years to come. Now comes the hard part: beginning to build out this roster out to the point where it can contend in the ruthless Western Conference. Step 1 in that plan? Deciding what to do with Lauri Markkanen. After last year’s tank for Flagg failed, could Markkanen be traded to add more assets and align the team around its young players — including the fifth pick in this year’s draft — going forward? Veterans John Collins, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson also have a combined $60 million in expiring deals that could be used in a variety of ways.

Washington Wizards (18-64)

Total players under contract: 13
Projected salary cap space: None
Total tradable picks: 6 first-round picks, 14 second-round picks

Yet another team that struck out in the lottery, the Wizards can at least point to young players such as Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George getting valuable experience as part of Washington’s season among the dregs of the league. But don’t expect a wildly different playbook in D.C. next season, as the young guys will continue to play a lot, veterans such as Marcus Smart and his expiring $21 million could be used to bring back more assets in deals and the Wizards will again likely remain in the hunt for one of the league’s three worst records.

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