With the calendar flipping to August, the contention landscape of the 2026–27 season is just about set in stone. Every now and again there will be a late offseason trade that alters championship odds; the Knicks’ 2024 October acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns stands out as a strong example in recent years. But for the most part, the time between now and the opening season tip-off is quiet, with only general housekeeping moves being made.
Which might come as a relief to some in the NBA world. It’s been an absolutely chaotic summer to this point, with huge names changing teams all over the place. What’s more, nearly every team actively made moves to improve in light of new lottery rules next season that will punish the bottom three teams in the league. You could make a credible argument that 80% of the NBA tried to get better this offseason—a much higher ratio than in previous years.
