Three most underrated moves of the 2026 NBA offseason

Fred VanVleet's ACL tear last preseason has left the NBA world wondering for a whole year what the full extent of the Kevin Durant Rockets could look like. VanVleet will return to the floor in 2026-27, but he is unlikely to hit the ground running at 100% health. Having a veteran presence in Smart ready to go in his place, either from the bench or in the starting five as needed, could prove vital for a team that still considers themselves contenders in the Western Conference.

Nic Claxton to Bulls

Largely treated as a footnote of the trade that sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, center Nic Claxton's move to the Chicago Bulls is a very interesting one for a team that could take a step forward this season. Claxton would enter the season as the only true center on Chicago's roster, according to ESPN, and Bulls fans are hopeful that the big man will be a strong defensive presence in the backcourt.

Development will be the main focus for Tiago Splitter this year, from the continued growth of Matas Buzelis to a potential Rookie of the Year push from Caleb Wilson. With that being the case, Claxton's ability to slot into this Bulls roster and give Splitter one less thing to worry about will be critical to the team's success as a whole.

Dusty May to Mavericks

Player rosters weren't the only area that saw a shakeup this offseason; coaching rooms did, too. After the surprising decision to part ways with Jason Kidd, the Dallas Mavericks are taking a chance on NCAA champion head coach Dusty May to lead their team through Cooper Flagg's sophomore season and Kyrie Irving's comeback campaign.

This move has been underrated less in the sense that it's likelier than expected to be successful, and more in the sense that it's just likely to be very impactful for better or for worse. New president Masai Ujiri and the rest of the Dallas front office have already shown themselves willing to hand the keys fully over to May by drafting one of his former players from Michigan, Morez Johnson, Jr. If May doesn't start strong in his first year in the NBA, the impacts on Flagg's development — not to mention willingness to stay in Dallas long-term — would be difficult to overstate.