Five winners of the NBA offseason so far

The NBA offseason has been a wild one. Departures, free agent arrivals, drafts, trades, and so much more have filled the headlines this summer. Key moves have been made, and teams have gotten better. Which teams, though, have gotten significantly better?

We found five that not only got out from under some bad deals, but also acquired talent that may have made them into championship contenders. Teams that have shaken up the expected standings as the 2026-2027 season comes to a close. These teams made the biggest, boldest moves of the offseason. 

The Toronto Raptors were going to be on this list, but with the Kawhi Leonard deal currently on hold, they're going to be removed from consideration for now. 

Washington Wizards

Key additions: C Deandre Ayton, F Khris Middleton, F AJ Dybantsa (round 1, pick 1)

Key losses: G Jaden Hardy, G D'Angelo Russell

The Trae Young deal is bad, but that's for the Wizards to figure out next season and beyond. Right now, they should not only be a playoff team in 2026-2027 but a real threat to win it all, barring injuries. You just combined Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington with rookie AJ Dybantsa, Deandre Ayton and Khris Middleton. If Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly continue to improve and the team stays healthy, this group could be a real threat in the Eastern Conference. Year-to-year improvement is the only thing that matters when looking at winners and losers in the offseason, and the Wizards clearly got better.

Charlotte Hornets

Key additions: G Grayson Allen, F Dorian Finney-Smith, F Royce O'Neale, F/C Naz Reid, PF Hannes Steinbach (round 1, pick 14), PG Christian Anderson Jr. (round 1, pick 18)

Key losses: PG LaMelo Ball, F Miles Bridges, F Josh Green

The Charlotte Hornets are changing their culture. There's no denying that Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball had their share of issues. Bridges was a nightmare off the court and on. He couldn't/can't stay out of the headlines and was starting to show some decline as a player. Ball wasn't much better, as he has serious concerns about his ankles' long-term health. Not to mention his history of reckless and dangerous driving. The Hornets decided to turn the team over to Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, a move that many pundits cheered. The Hornets landed some good pieces back in the respective trades of Bridges and Ball, namely Grayson Allen and Naz Reid. Those two trades also netted the Hornets two first-round picks, three first-round pick swaps, and three second-round picks. All the while getting off of money that would likely be better spent down the road. They may not be better by the time 2027 comes to a close, but they have a much brighter future, and when your stars are 22 and 20, respectively, that's all that matters. 

Milwaukee Bucks

Key additions: G Tyler Herro, G Kasparas Jakučionis, F Jaime Jaquez Jr., G/F Caris LeVert, C Kel'El Ware, G Brayden Burries (round 1, pick 10), SF Nate Ament (round 1, pick 13)

Key losses: F Giannis Antetokounmpo, G Gary Harris, F/C Bobby Portis, F Taurean Prince

Depending on what the Bucks decide to do with Kevin Porter Jr., Kyle Kuzma, and Myles Turner, it's fair to think the Bucks may have a better record than the Miami Heat when 2027 closes out. The Bucks gave up Giannis Antetokounmpo for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, rookie Nate Ament, two first-round picks, one pick swap, and one second-round pick. Plus, they also drafted Brayden Burries. Realistically, the Bucks may have landed either four starters or two starters and two key role players. Not to mention two new rookies with untold potential. Herro and Ware can provide proper spacing for their respective positions, while Jaquez may be the best jack-of-all-trades player in the league. If they keep Turner and Jakucionis developing, the Bucks may not be too far away from returning to the playoffs. Even if they do move on from Turner, his return, while not as impressive as Giannis', would further help the Bucks' future development. Whether they're great now or great down the line, the trade with the Heat really set the Bucks up for success. 

Philadelphia 76ers

Key additions: G Anfernee Simons, G/F Jaylen Brown, C Ariel Hukporti, F/C Dean Wade, Labaron Philon Jr. (round 1, pick 22)

Key losses: F Paul George, G Quentin Grimes, F Kelly Oubre Jr., C Andre Drummond

The 76ers landed Jaylen Brown, Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and rookie Labaron Philon (no. 22 overall) in one offseason. They lost Andre Drummond, a strong backup, but that's really it. They added size and defense with Wade, elite-level play in Brown, incredible multi-faceted skillsets with Simons and Philon, who could be a real world-beater if he develops. The 76ers arguably made the best moves this offseason and did more than anyone to solidify themselves as the team to beat in the East. If everyone is healthy, you're looking at a starting five that has Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Brown, Wade, and Joel Embiid as your starting five, with Simmons and Philon coming off the bench. They need two more bigs, ideally, unless the team has a lot of faith in Adem Bona, but beyond that minor trade, the 76ers are looking like a real force in the East.

Memphis Grizzlies

Key additions: F Jerami Grant, SG AJ Johnson, F Kris Murray, C Quenten Post, PG D'Angelo Russell, PF/C Isaiah Stewart, PF Cameron Boozer (round 1, pick 3), Richie Saunders (round 2, pick 32),

Key losses: F Santi Aldama, PG Ja Morant

The Memphis Grizzlies didn't just get out of Ja Morant's contract, but they added guys who can actually help change the culture of the team on and off the court. With the addition of Isaiah Stewart and Cameron Boozer, the Grizzlies are going to be a much more physical team than many are probably ready for. Couple that with guys like Kris Murray, Jerami Grant, and D'Angelo Russell, and you've added some key pieces who can help boost the team's on-court product or become attractive pieces for future teams to trade for. The Grizzlies may not be playoff-ready in 2027, but this is a team that will be markedly better than it was as 2026 closed out. The Grizzlies are looking like a team on the rise, and if guys like Boozer can live up to the hype, and Richie Saunders can return from injury and be the player many thought he could be before his torn ACL, then the Grizzlies may be much closer to returning to the dance than not.