The 2026 offseason will be remembered as one of the wildest and most unbelievable transaction periods the NBA has had in years, maybe even decades. From the start, everybody knew this offseason had a chance to get chaotic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and Ja Morant were all real trade candidates, so the league already had enough drama waiting. But honestly, what happened over the last few days still feels hard to process.
Then came moves nobody really expected. LaMelo Ball, who looked like the Hornets’ franchise guard for years, was traded. Jaylen Brown, a former Finals MVP and one of the faces of the Celtics, was moved too. Just like that, free agency and the offseason became one of the best stretches I can remember as someone who enjoys the NBA drama almost as much as the games.
Once the ball stops bouncing, this league becomes a different sport. Front offices start moving fast, stars start getting linked everywhere, and suddenly players who looked untouchable are wearing different jerseys before July even settles.
So, without more setup, here are all the major trades that have happened in just a couple of weeks since the offseason started.
The Hawks Bought Rotation Help With Aaron Wiggins
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Aaron Wiggins
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Two future second-round picks
The first move on this list wasn’t crazy, but it was very league-office June. The Thunder moved Aaron Wiggins to the Hawks for two future second-round picks, starting what became a small bench sell-off from one of the deepest teams in the league.
This wasn’t a star trade, but the Thunder were in desperate need to shed salary. Wiggins averaged 9.4 points last season, and his value is mostly in the way he can fit without needing plays. He has shot well enough from three across his career, defends with heart, and usually doesn’t make coaches want to throw a clipboard in the second quarter.
For the Hawks, that is useful. They needed playable depth after starting a new roster cycle, and Wiggins gives them a guard-wing piece who can take regular-season minutes without needing the offense to bend around him.
For the Thunder, it was about cost. Good teams always say they want to keep everyone, then the cap sheet says no. Wiggins was useful, but Oklahoma City’s luxury-tax penalty was projected around $213.0 million before the move, and trading his $9.2 million salary reportedly cut that bill by about $61.0 million.
The Randle Deal Quietly Changed Three Teams
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Julius Randle, No. 28 overall pick
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: Mo Gueye, No. 33 overall pick
Chicago Bulls Receive: Nic Claxton
The Julius Randle trade wasn’t a complete surprise, but the destination and return made it awkward at first. The Nets landed Randle and the No. 28 pick. The Timberwolves moved down to No. 33 and added Mo Gueye. The Bulls used cap room to absorb Nic Claxton into their new frontcourt with No. 4 pick Caleb Wilson.
For the Wolves, this was a cap and fit decision. Randle can still score, and nobody should pretend otherwise, but his playoff fit next to Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert never felt easy. He gives you points, pressure, and rebounding, but he also needs touches in spots where the spacing can get crowded.
The Nets took the talent side. Randle gives them a veteran forward scorer to pair with Michael Porter Jr. That is useful for a team trying to rebuild value without looking completely empty, and with tanking being addressed harder by the league.
The Bulls might have had the most interesting part of the trade. Claxton gives them a defensive center with mobility, rim protection, and a contract that fits their two-year reset. They later added Norman Powell, so this trade now looks like the start of a more serious roster structure, not just a random salary play.
The Giannis Drama Ended In Miami
Miami Heat Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis
Milwaukee Bucks Receive: Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, No. 13 pick, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick, 2033 second-round pick
I bet you were waiting for this move to take place all summer long, right? This is the trade that turned the offseason into something else.
The Heat finally got the superstar they had been chasing for years, landing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Bucks. The Bucks got Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, the No. 13 pick, a 2030 first-round pick swap, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033, and a 2033 second-round pick.
For the Heat, this is the kind of move they were always aiming for. Giannis averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists last season, while shooting 62.4% from the field. The health wasn’t there with just 36 games, but he still makes them a title contender instantly.
The fit with Bam Adebayo isn’t simple on offense. That is the one concern. Two non-shooting frontcourt stars means the Heat need shooting everywhere else. But defensively, physically, and in transition, the Heat now have one of the scariest cores in the league.
For the Bucks, this is the type of trade nobody wants to make but sometimes has to make. Giannis was the franchise. He gave them the 2021 title, MVP seasons, and relevance for more than a decade. Herro, Ware, Jaquez, Jakucionis, and the picks give them a restart, but nobody wins a Giannis trade emotionally.
The Grizzlies Added Isaiah Stewart’s Edge
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Isaiah Stewart
Detroit Pistons Receive: Three future second-round picks
The Grizzlies added Isaiah Stewart from the Pistons for three future second-round picks, a deal that looked small next to the star trades but still said something about where Memphis is going.
Stewart averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 22.7 minutes last season. He isn’t a star and he isn’t a floor-spacing center in the modern dream version, but he brings strength, physicality, and edge. Those things still have value, especially for a team trying to rebuild an identity after moving off major names.
For the Grizzlies, Stewart can eat frontcourt minutes, protect the young players, and make the roster more physical. He is the type of player who makes sense on a team that doesn’t want to be soft during a reset.
For the Pistons, the trade was more about accounting. Detroit had pushed itself into a different phase after winning 60 games, and Stewart became a movable salary. Getting three second-round picks while opening money is a normal front-office outcome.
The Wolves Bet High On LaMelo Ball
Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: LaMelo Ball, Josh Green
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Naz Reid, 2033 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2029 first-round pick swap, 2030 first-round pick swap, 2029 second-round pick, 2032 second-round pick, 2033 second-round pick
The Wolves made one of the boldest swings of the summer by acquiring LaMelo Ball and Josh Green from the Hornets. The Hornets got Naz Reid, a 2033 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029, and 2030, plus second-round picks in 2029, 2032, and 2033.
This is a high-upside gamble for the Wolves. Ball averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists last season, and the most important number was 72 games played. His talent was never the big debate. His availability was.
The Wolves are betting that Ball’s passing and shooting can unlock easier offense for Edwards and Gobert. Edwards doesn’t have to carry every late-clock possession. Gobert gets a passer who will throw the ball early. The offense gets more pace, more pull-up shooting, and more creativity.
The Hornets, meanwhile, chose picks and a frontcourt player who fits a new build. Reid is not a small return, especially after winning Sixth Man of the Year earlier in his career, but this trade is really about the draft control.
The risk is obvious. If Ball misses major time again, the Wolves will be holding a very expensive idea. If he stays healthy, Edwards finally has the kind of offensive partner who can change their ceiling.
The Pistons Found Their Shooter In Isaiah Joe
Detroit Pistons Receive: Isaiah Joe
Oklahoma City Thunder Receive: Two future second-round picks
The Pistons adding Isaiah Joe from the Thunder was one of those trades front offices tend to like more than casual fans. Not because Joe is a star, but because the fit is very easy to understand.
Joe averaged 11.1 points in 21.2 minutes last season and shot 42.3% from three on six attempts per game. That is the whole deal. Detroit needed shooting around Cade Cunningham after a harsh playoff exit, and Joe gives them a high-volume movement shooter who doesn’t need the ball.
The Pistons won 60 games last season, but playoff teams always need more shooting. It sounds boring because it is obvious, but it is still true. When defenses loaded up on Cade, the Pistons never had a second guy who could keep the paint open. Shooting was their biggest, most glaring need.
For the Thunder, this was the same story as Wiggins. Oklahoma City had depth, but depth gets expensive. Moving Joe for seconds doesn’t make the team better today, but it helps manage the books and future roster spots.
The Suns Took On Miles Bridges
Phoenix Suns Receive: Miles Bridges, 2029 first-round pick, 2027 second-round pick
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, 2033 first-round pick
The Hornets continued their reset by moving Miles Bridges to the Suns with a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The Hornets got Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and a 2033 first-round pick.
For the Suns, this was about adding a forward with size and scoring. Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists last season, and Phoenix had been linked to him before. He gives them a more natural power forward option and another player who can attack mismatches for a team that struggled offensively last season.
The picks are the interesting part. The Suns didn’t just take Bridges. They also got a 2029 first-round pick, which helps a franchise that has spent years dealing away future capital. That pick could become useful later if the Suns need another move.
For the Hornets, the deal continued the teardown after the Ball trade. Allen and O’Neale give them shooting and veteran rotation play, but the bigger piece is the 2033 first-round pick. Charlotte is clearly moving into long-range asset collection while aiming to be competitive with Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Coby White, and Naz Reid at the helm.
The Blazers Got Ja Morant For A Crazy Low Price
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Ja Morant
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Jerami Grant, Kris Murray
The Blazers made the kind of trade that makes the whole league pause for five seconds. Ja Morant to Portland for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. No first-round pick. No giant package. Just a distressed star deal that could swing hard in either direction. As much as we knew Morant was leaving this summer, that return will never stop amusing me.
Morant averaged 19.5 points and 8.1 assists in 20 games last season. The talent is still obvious, but so is the risk. He has played only 79 games over the last three seasons because of injuries and suspensions. That is why the price was so low, but still, it’s a two-time All-Star we are talking about.
For the Blazers, the logic is upside. They had already pushed back into the playoff picture, and Morant gives them rim pressure and creation they didn’t have enough of. The guard room is crowded with Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson, and now Morant, so I don’t think Portland is finished making moves.
For the Grizzlies, this was the end of an era. Morant was the face of the franchise, but the relationship had clearly reached the point where moving him became the better basketball decision. Grant gives them a veteran forward, and Murray gives them another younger piece, but this was not about equal talent.
Kawhi Leonard Returned To The Raptors In A Great Clippers Move
Toronto Raptors Receive: Kawhi Leonard
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, two second-round picks
Kawhi Leonard going back to the Raptors is something that no one had in the cards a week before. The main talk connected him to the Warriors and the Pistons, but Toronto got Leonard from the Clippers for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, two unprotected first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, and two second-round picks.
Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in 65 games last season. The injury history always comes with him, but the production was still elite. Toronto paid a lot because that level of playoff shot creation is almost impossible to find.
The Raptors already had Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl. Ingram was important, and losing Dick takes shooting away, but Leonard gives them a different kind of late-game offense. When playoff games get slow, he can still get to his spots.
For the Clippers, this is the end of the Kawhi era. They never got the Finals run they wanted, and moving him now gives them a younger scorer in Ingram, a shooter in Dick, and future draft capital before the Kawhi deal expires in the summer.
The Raptors are taking the health gamble because they think the roster is close enough. The Clippers are taking the reset because the return is still incredibly valuable for a distressed situation like Kawhi’s.
The Lakers Paid Big For Walker Kessler
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Walker Kessler
Utah Jazz Receive: 2031 first-round pick, 2033 first-round pick, 2028 first-round pick swap, 2030 first-round pick swap
The Lakers got their Luka Doncic center. They also paid like a team that knows it doesn’t have time to keep waiting. Kessler went to the Lakers in a sign-and-trade with the Jazz on a four-year, $130.0 million deal, with Utah getting 2031 and 2033 first-round picks plus pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.
Kessler averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks in 2024-25 while shooting 68.1% from the field. He gives the Lakers the exact center profile Doncic needed: screen, roll, catch, rebound, block shots, and don’t demand touches. He also only played 5 games last season due to a shoulder injury that sidelined him entirely.
The fit is obvious. Doncic creates advantages. Kessler finishes them. On defense, Kessler gives the Lakers a real back-line protector behind Doncic and Reaves, which was not optional anymore after LeBron James left.
The price is the uncomfortable part. Two unprotected Lakers picks that far out carry serious value. In 2031 and 2033, nobody knows what the Lakers will look like. That is why the Jazz wanted those picks while still having Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. at bay.
The Celtics Finally Moved Jaylen Brown
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Jaylen Brown
Boston Celtics Receive: Paul George, 2028 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick, 2028 second-round pick, 2030 second-round pick
The Celtics finally moved Jaylen Brown, but it wasn’t the Giannis trade a lot of people were expecting. Instead, they ended up sending him to another team in the East, which basically helped create a new rival. That’s the part that feels messy, and Brad Stevens is going to have some explaining to do.
The 76ers got Brown. The Celtics got Paul George, first-round picks in 2028 and 2031, a 2028 second-round pick that is the best of Warriors/Thunder/Bucks, and a 2030 second-round pick that is the best of Wizards/Blazers/Suns.
Brown leaves the Celtics after 10 seasons, five All-Star selections, the 2024 title, and the 2024 Finals MVP. Last season, with Jayson Tatum recovering from an Achilles tear, Brown averaged career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
For the 76ers, this is a massive talent upgrade over the version of George they had. Brown gives them power, downhill pressure, wing defense, and another top scorer next to Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid.
For the Celtics, it feels like the bill came due after a messy Brown market. George is still a name, but not the same player Brown is right now. The picks help, especially if the Celtics are trying to reset around Tatum after the injury year, but helping the 76ers get better is a very dangerous side effect.
It’s still difficult to process this one, even after a few days.
The Mavericks Took A Shot On Santi Aldama
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Santi Aldama, draft rights to Tarik Biberovic
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: AJ Johnson, 2030 first-round pick, two future second-round picks
The Mavericks got involved late last night by acquiring Santi Aldama and the draft rights to Tarik Biberovic from the Grizzlies. Memphis got AJ Johnson, a protected 2030 Warriors first-round pick, and two future second-round picks.
Aldama averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 43 games last season. He is 7 feet tall, can pass, can play as a stretch frontcourt piece, and gives the Mavericks another player who fits the modern forward-big mold.
For the Mavs, this is not a crazy swing. But they are trying to build a more versatile frontcourt around Cooper Flagg, and Aldama gives them shooting, size, and connective passing. It’s expected now that veteran pieces like P.J Washington could be dealt next.
For the Grizzlies, the trade continues the asset reset. After moving Morant and adding Stewart, Memphis turned Aldama into a young guard and more draft capital. The 2030 Warriors first is protected, so it isn’t a guaranteed premium pick, but it is still another chip.
Aldama won’t headline the offseason. He also might help more than some louder names because he fits without needing the offense to stop for him. That is usually where these middle trades can age well.
