Counting Down The Top 8 Storylines Of The NBA Offseason

The Oklahoma City Thunder were officially crowned champions of the NBA for the first time in franchise history after downing the Indiana Pacers in an all-time great NBA Finals. Now, all attention turns to the offseason, which is never short on storylines. In this slideshow, we count down the top eight storylines in an offseason that could completely reshape the NBA.

The Oklahoma City Thunder established themselves as the predominant power in the NBA en route to their first championship in franchise history.

But getting on top and staying on top are two completely different battles, and there is a host of NBA teams hot on their tails hoping to take another step forward before the 2025-26 season begins.

We’re counting down the top eight storylines of what is sure to be an eventful offseason.

8) Where do the Denver Nuggets go from here?

When the Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship in 2023, it appeared they’d be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Nikola Jokic was the league’s best player, and he was surrounded by a fellow star in Jamal Murray and two elite role players in Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

But Denver took a step back the following year and yet another this past season, culminating with the firing of head coach Mike Malone and a second-round playoff exit.

What the Nuggets does over the next couple months will decide whether they get back to a championship-contending level or continue to slide back to the pack.

7) Who fills the apparent power vacuum in the Eastern Conference?

The best player on both of the last two Eastern Conference champions will miss the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from achilles tears suffered during the playoffs.

With Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton out of the equation, the top spot in the Eastern Conference appears wide open.

Who takes a step forward to fill that void? Will it be a young upstart like Orlando or Detroit? Perhaps a more established contender like Cleveland or New York? Or can Boston and Indiana stay atop the heap?

6) Can the Philadelphia 76ers get their aging stars back healthy?

One team that could well step into the picture in the Eastern Conference is the Philadelphia 76ers.

When the Sixers went out and signed Paul George in free agency last season, many believed they could be a genuine title threat with the trio of George, Joel Embiid, and rising star Tyrese Maxey.

But neither Embiid nor Maxey stayed healthy for any significant period of time, and even Maxey missed 30 games due to injury.

Can Philly find a way or get Embiid and George, both on the wrong side of 30, back healthy? And if they do, will they do enough elsewhere to rebuild into a contending team?

5) How do the Boston Celtics play the difficult hand they've been dealt?

Even before Jayson Tatum suffered a heartbreaking torn achilles in the Eastern Conference semis, the 2024 champion Boston Celtics were staring down the barrel of a difficult offseason.

The league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement meant new owner Bill Chisholm either had to shed significant salary or pay a hefty price to keep his team together.

It appears he’s opted for the first option, already discarding veteran guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trailblazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons.

Will the sell-off continue, and if so, what can GM Brad Stevens get in return with significant salary cap constraints?

4) How do the new-look Houston Rockets continue to take shape?

The Houston Rockets took a leap from middle-of-the-road young team to genuine threat this past season, finishing second in the Western Conference before bowing out in the first round to a battle-tested Golden State Warriors team in seven games.

General Manager Rafael Stone wasted no time in continuing to improve his team, trading young guard Jalen Green and the 10th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to Phoenix in exchange for superstar forward Kevin Durant.

Odds are, Stone isn’t done either, as Houston looks to go all-in to try to capitalize on its championship windows. What moves he makes from here could go a long way toward shaping the league next season.

3) Who do the Knicks bring in to replace Tom Thibodeau?

The Tom Thibodeau era in New York is officially over at the Knicks fell in the Eastern Conference finals at the hands of Indiana.

Thibodeau had a strong run during his five seasons in New York, building the Knicks from fringe playoff team to genuine title contender. But owner James Dolan decided that now is the time to look in a different direction.

After striking out on an attempt to lure Ime Udoka out of Houston and Jason Kidd away from the Dallas Mavericks, the Knicks remain coachless with the NBA Draft right around the corner.

Where will they go from here, and how will their next coach handle a roster full of talent?

2) How Does The New Los Angeles Lakers Ownership Shape The Team’s Offseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers sold for a world-record $10 billion as the Buss Family ended its 36-year run as the team’s majority owners.

New owner Mark Walter, head ofGuggenheim Partners, has deep pockets and has already shown his willingness to dig into them to win a championship with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Walter and company will face more constraints given the NBA’s salary cap, but if they’re willing to repeatedly go over the second luxury tax apron, the Lakers could be in a position to add some serious firepower to a core already containing LeBron James and Luka Doncic in the offseason.

1) Has Giannis Antetokounmpo played his last game for the Milwaukee Bucks?

Two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo reached the mountaintop when he led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA championship in 2021.

But the Bucks have taken a step back every year since that point and, at 30 years old, Antetokounmpo’s window to win another championship as a team’s best player is beginning to close.

For the first time in his career, the Greek Freak has expressed a willingness to leave Milwaukee this offseason, and there will undoubtedly be a long list of suitors.

Could Antetokounmpo join Durant in Houston, or perhaps Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio? Will the Knicks look to make another big swing after acquiring Mikal Bridges last summer, or will a surprise team emerge and acquire the biggest name on the market?

It’s also entirely possible Antetokounmpo remains in Milwaukee, but his future is clearly and obviously the biggest story to keep an eye on this NBA offseason.