The NBA offseason never disappoints. Even in an era marred by the harsh ramifications of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), teams have found a way to maneuver such stringent rules. Sign-and-trades are more common than ever, buyouts are no longer reserved for midseason, and seven-team trades have since come to fruition.
Considering the sheer amount of movement across the NBA, the pecking order in each respective conference will certainly look different from this past season. Postseason injuries have ravaged several teams, internal improvements are evident among the scrappy up-and-comers, and savvy trade acquisitions have thrust numerous middling squads up the totem pole.
Below, we've attempted to make sense of each acquisition and departure by ranking all 15 Eastern Conference teams now that the free agency dust has settled.
15. Brooklyn Nets
Key Additions: Egor Demin, Michael Porter Jr., Terrence Mann
Key Departures: Cameron Johnson, D'Angelo Russell
Coming in at the bottom of the proverbial totem pole are the Brooklyn Nets. The scrappy 2024-25 iteration miraculously won 26 games despite fielding one of the league's worst rosters. Perhaps Jordi Fernández would have led his squad to even more victories if not for a mini-trade deadline purge and the absence of Cam Thomas for the majority of the season.
Staying the course, Brooklyn added five, yes five, first-round draft picks—most of which are ball handlers. Moreover, the Nets swapped Cameron Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. The team won't look much different this upcoming season, sans for more youth experimentation.
14. Washington Wizards
Key Additions: CJ McCollum, Cam Whitmore, Tre Johnson
Key Departures: Jordan Poole, Marcus Smart
The Washington Wizards won the second-least amount of games a season ago. Unfortunately for the Wizards, lottery luck wasn't on their side as they came away with the sixth overall pick, still nabbing sensational freshman Tre Johnson. Like Brooklyn, Washington will rely heavily on its youth in the 2025-26 season.
Unlike the Nets, the Wizards have made it a priority to build their roster by acquiring veterans, in turn obtaining draft compensation and young prospects by facilitating trades. Thus, the Wizards will feature an intriguing mix of fresh faces, both teenagers and longtime veterans, as they begin the baby steps of the post-Bradley Beal rebuild.
13. Charlotte Hornets
Key Additions: Collin Sexton, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kon Knueppel
Key Departures: Mark Williams
Although they come in at 13th, the Charlotte Hornets are trending in the right direction. Besides a quality at option at the five, the Hornets have built a well-rounded quartet from point guard to power forward. Nonetheless, as always, health will play a huge factor in whether Charlotte will improve after a 19-win campaign.
Besides an impressive (and young) starting unit, the Hornets will feature several quality reserves. Collins Sexton and returnee Tre Mann make for an explosive second unit.
12. Indiana Pacers
Key Additions: Jay Huff
Key Departures: Myles Turner
The Eastern Conference champion tumbles down the rankings after losing its best and third-best players. Of course, Tyrese Haliburton, arguably a top-20 player in the NBA, remains on the roster, but he won't suit up next season after suffering an Achilles tear in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Moreover, the Pacers will be without franchise stalwart Myles Turner after the 7-footer signed with the Milwaukee Bucks in a shocking turn of events to kick off free agency. Indiana will rely heavily on postseason star Andrew Nembhard to fill the playmaking void and a platoon of centers, including Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson (returning from an Achilles tear), and Tony Bradley.
11. Chicago Bulls
Key Additions: Isaac Okoro, Noa Essengue
Key Departures: Lonzo Ball
Perhaps continuity will play a part in squeezing the usual 40~ wins out of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls will trot out nearly the same lineup that went 17-10 post-All-Star break.
Nevertheless, Chicago's lineup isn't all that inspiring. Soon-to-be 35-year-old Nikola Vučević is the lone former All-Star. However, it's a real possibility that Coby White or Josh Giddey, who's yet to be re-signed, make a case for an All-Star nod next season.
Although retaining Head Coach Billy Donovan and signing him to an extension is borderline incomprehensible after compiling a 195-205 record across five seasons. Donovan has done a terrific job in extracting talent from a middling crop of players.
10. Miami Heat
Key Additions: Norman Powell, Simone Fontecchio
Key Departures: Duncan Robinson, Kyle Anderson
For the most part, the Miami Heat will look similar to a season ago. Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are the bookends that hold the Heat in place. However, Miami has done a nice job over the past two seasons in filling in the gaps amid the Jimmy Butler debacle. Andrew Wiggins, Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell, and Kel'el Ware are great ancillary pieces.
Still, the Heat don't have a superstar talent. Herro and Adebayo are close, but neither is a full-fledged star; both are better secondary options. Employing Erik Spoelstra guarantees 37 wins, but that might not be enough to earn a playoff bid, even in the East.
9. Toronto Raptors
Key Additions: Collin Murray-Boyles, Sandro Mamukelashvili
Key Departures: None
The Toronto Raptors are almost the anti-Bulls. Toronto features a former lottery pick at nearly every position. Immanuel Quickley is the only starter who was drafted outside the lottery, yet an expensive one at that—he'll earn $32.5 million next season.
Regardless of the Raptors' perceived star power, continuity is a big issue. Midseason acquisition Brandon Ingram has yet to play a game; the reliance on on-ball creators is overwhelming; and the bench is littered with high draft picks, grappling for playing time. Toronto's ceiling is high, but its floor is low.
8. Boston Celtics
Key Additions: Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang
Key Departures: Kristpas Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Luke Kornet
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Well, not yet, at least. Nonetheless, the Boston Celtics will inevitably win fewer than the 61 games they won a season ago. Boston will be without Jayson Tatum (due to an Achilles tear) and will have lost Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in cost-cutting moves.
Jaylen Brown will have his shot as Boston's primary option—a first in his nine-year career. Brown will be flanked by guards Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, and Payton Pritchard. However, the Celtics' frontcourt is especially weak and will be a cause for concern.
7. Milwaukee Bucks
Key Additions: Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Myles Turner
Key Departures: Brook Lopez, Damian Lillard
Milwaukee finally waved goodbye to 37-year-old center Brook Lopez, but was fortunate enough to sign his replacement, Myles Turner. The Bucks will once again feature a floor-spacing five next to the perennial All-NBA First Teamer Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Yet, outside of Antetokounmpo, the roster is weak. Kevin Porter Jr., Gary Trent Jr, Cole Anthony, Tauren Prince, and Bobby Portis will be overextended to produce for Milwaukee.
6. Philadelphia 76ers
Key Additions: VJ Edgecombe
Key Departures: Guerschon Yabusele
Rostering former MVP Joel Embiid comes with great uncertainty. The 31-year-old big man has played merely 452 games since being drafted in 2014. Embiid only suited up for 19 contests this past season. Consequently, the Philadelphia 76ers won just 24 games.
Relying on Embiid to suit up for even 60 games is a substantial imposition. But if he does, it's fair to assume Philadelphia will win 45-plus games. Embiid's supporting cast is good enough to carry the burden when the 7-footer misses time. The 76ers' ceiling is third.
5. Detroit Pistons
Key Additions: Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson
Key Departures: Dennis Schröder, Simone Fontecchio, Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Detroit Pistons have admirably navigated internal improvement, while supplementing the roster with veterans. Detroit's core has been built through the draft, but veterans Tobias Harris, Caris LeVert, and Duncan Robinson fill in the gaps with shooting, playmaking, and leadership.
The Pistons surprisingly finished sixth in the East last season, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them finish in the top four next year. Cade Cunningham is a superstar in the making, and Jaden Ivey returns from injury to form one of the NBA's better backcourts.
4. Atlanta Hawks
Key Additions: Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kennard, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Key Departures: Caris LeVert, Clint Capela, Georges Niang, Larry Nance Jr., Terrence Mann
Ding, ding, ding, the Atlanta Hawks are the Eastern Conference's offseason winner. Atlanta added Kristaps Porzingis, Luka Kennard, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and drafted Asa Newell in the matter of a month. All four players are picture-perfect fits next to franchise player Trae Young.
Furthermore, the Hawks are banking on internal improvements from Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Zaccharie Risacher. Don't be surprised if the Hawks surpass 50 wins; this is arguably the best team Young has been surrounded by.
3. Orlando Magic
Key Additions: Desmond Bane, Tyus Jones
Key Departures: Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Gary Harris
Sure, the Orlando Magic gave up quite a bit to acquire Desmond Bane, who's never been named an All-Star. But the Bane acquisition fills Orlando's biggest needs—shooting and tertiary playmaking. Orlando relied far too heavily on Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero to pilot the offense. With Bane in the fold, the Magic are immensely better.
Orlando finished seventh in the East a season ago, but held third place for the first part of the season before a rash of injuries. The Magic's talent is through the roof; don't rule out the Bancheor-led squad finishing first in the conference.
2. New York Knicks
Key Additions: Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele
Key Departures: None
The New York Knicks were the Eastern Conference runner-ups, yet didn't live up to expectations considering their starting five is worth roughly $175 million. The Knicks were arguably better on paper than the Pacers.
New York will feature the same starting lineup, flanked by free agent additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele. Although lineup continuity solidifies the Knicks' top-two rankings, their new coach, Mike Brown, is a question mark. Former Head Coach Tom Thibodeau oversaw the Knicks' steady rise to the East's upper echelon.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Key Additions: Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr.
Key Departures: Isaac Okoro, Ty Jerome
The Cleveland Cavaliers, like the Knicks, return the same starting group from this past season. The quintet of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen is one of the more proven groups in the NBA. However, the Cavaliers' lack of playoff success is disappointing, especially because this squad won 64 games together.
Although a relatively boring choice, the Cavaliers are the favorite to win the East. The Lonzo Ball acquisition offsets the loss of Ty Jerome, and DeAndre Hunter will begin the season with Cleveland, instead of learning the concepts and schemes on the fly as a midseason acquisition.