Eastern Conference reset: How Celtics’ competitors fared in offseason moves originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Eastern Conference title race ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season is more wide open than it’s been in a long time.
That’s what happens when the best team — the Boston Celtics — loses its top player (Jayson Tatum) to a ruptured Achilles and has to trade away multiple starters due to the second apron of the luxury tax. The reigning East champion Indiana Pacers also lost their best player, Tyrese Haliburton, to a torn Achilles during the playoffs. You can take them out of the East title mix.
That leaves the Cavaliers, Magic, Knicks, Bucks, Hawks and maybe the 76ers as the top teams in the conference, and all of them have plenty of flaws and/or concerns.
Which East teams have fared the best in free agency and trades during the offseason to this point? Let’s rank the top 10 teams in the East based on betting odds to win the conference and analyze their moves.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Odds to win East: +245
- Key additions: Lonzo Ball (trade)
- Key departures: Ty Jerome (free agency), Isaac Okoro (trade)
Getting Ball from the Bulls was a nice addition for the Cavs. When healthy, Ball is a very good playmaker and can add some scoring off the bench. They’ll need that offense after Jerome departed in free agency following a career season in which he placed third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Cavs also re-signed Sam Merrill to a four-year, $38 million contract, which is good value. Overall, Cleveland didn’t have a ton of options to bolster their roster as a second-apron team, but running it back with mostly the same roster isn’t a bad idea considering the Cavs won 64 games last season.
2. New York Knicks
- Odds to win East: +290
- Key additions: Jordan Clarkson (free agency), Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
- Key departures: None
The Knicks appear to be bringing back mostly the same roster that defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele give the Knicks some much-needed scoring depth off the bench.
Perhaps the most notable offseason move for the Knicks was firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with Mike Brown.
3. Orlando Magic
- Odds to win East: +550
- Key additions: Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones (free agency)
- Key departures: Cole Anthony (trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), Garry Harris (free agency).
When healthy, the Magic were a very good team last season thanks to their young core of Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Banchero, in particular, has superstar potential.
The Magic gave up a lot to get Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies, but his scoring and outside shooting should make him a perfect fit.
Orlando will be a trendy pick to win the East next season. Credit to the Magic front office for making a bold Bane trade and trying to take advantage of what could be a very wide open East in 2025-26.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images4. Philadelphia 76ers
- Odds to win East: +1000
- Key additions: VJ Edgecombe (draft)
- Key departures: Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
The 76ers once again are among the favorites (based on conference title odds) to win the East.
On paper, the Sixers have a good roster. Joel Embiid is an MVP-caliber center and Paul George is a very good two-way wing. But how many games are these guys going to play? Embiid played just 19 games last season and 39 games in 2023-24 due to injuries. George was limited to 41 games last season. Banking on either player to be healthy for a full campaign would be a mistake.
The Sixers do have some impressive young talent. Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star caliber player. Quentin Grimes was a nice pickup from the Mavericks last February. Jared McCain made a nice impact offensively as a rookie. VJ Edgecombe, who Philly selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft, could be a very good player.
It’s easy to see why there’s some optimism surrounding this team. But again, the health of Embiid will ultimately make or break the Sixers’ season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
- Odds to win East: +1100
- Key additions: Myles Turner (free agency), Gary Harris (free agency)
- Key departures: Pat Connaughton (trade), Damian Lillard (waived), Brook Lopez (free agency)
The Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that by itself is a win for the franchise. But have they done enough this offseason to convince the superstar forward to stay in Milwaukee long-term?
Losing Brook Lopez and signing Myles Turner was an upgrade at center. Waiving Damian Lillard and tying up $20-plus million in cap space for the next five years as a result was a shocking and bold gamble, even though the star point guard could miss all of next season recovering from a torn Achilles.
And aside from the Turner addition, the Bucks have mostly brought the same team back, so are they really a contender in the East? Milwaukee re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins and Gary Trent Jr.
The Bucks need an upgrade at point guard, but with Antetokounmpo still in the fold, they could maybe be a top-four team in a weak East next season.
6. Atlanta Hawks
- Odds to win East: +1100
- Key additions: Kristaps Porzingis (trade), Luke Kennard (free agency), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (sign-and-trade), Asa Newell (draft)
- Key departures: Clint Capela (free agency), Caris LeVert (free agency) Georges Niang (trade), Terance Mann (trade)
The Hawks have been a huge winner of the offseason so far. They reportedly acquired Kristaps Porzingis for very little in a trade with the Celtics and Nets. They got rid of Terance Mann’s contract in the same deal. The Hawks also picked up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft day move, giving them one of the most prized assets in the league.
Atlanta could be a sneaky contender in the East next season, especially if All-Star caliber point guard Trae Young has another great campaign. And with one year left on his contract, he has plenty of motivation to take his game to a higher level.
7. Boston Celtics
- Odds to win East: +1500
- Key additions: Anfernee Simons (trade), Georges Niang (trade), Luke Garza (free agency), Josh Minott (free agency)
- Key departures: Jrue Holiday (trade), Kristaps Porzingis (trade), Luke Kornet (free agency)
We all knew the Celtics were going to shed salary to get under the second apron, and that’s exactly what they looked to accomplish early in the offseason by reportedly trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Getting a young guard with high offensive potential in Anfernee Simons from the Trail Blazers as part of the Holiday trade was a nice pickup for the C’s. Simons’ defense is lackluster, but he can score 20 points per game and shoots 3-pointers at a high rate.
The C’s added a few end-of-the-rotation guys in Luke Garza and Josh Minott in free agency. It’s possible that with more playing time and an increased role, one or both players could see an uptick in performance.
Al Horford remains a free agent, and the latest reports suggest he could sign with the Golden State Warriors. Luke Kornet signed a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs early in free agency. Losing both Horford and Kornet would be a tough blow to Boston’s frontcourt. The Celtics’ starting center right now is probably Xavier Tillman Sr. or Neemias Queta. That’s not an ideal scenario.
Of course, the one story hanging over the franchise is Jayson Tatum’s recovery from an Achilles injury suffered in mid-May. With Tatum potentially missing most or all of next season, it’s fair to wonder if the Celtics will try to get their salary structure/luxury tax situation in order this season to ensure they have the flexibility to make bold moves once Tatum is back to full strength.
8. Detroit Pistons
- Odds to win East: +1700
- Key additions: Caris LeVert (free agency), Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
- Key departures: Tim Hardaway Jr. (free agency), Dennis Schroder (free agency)
The Pistons took a huge step forward last season, improving their win total by 30 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. It hasn’t been a great offseason, though.
They lost plenty of scoring depth with the departures of Schroder and Hardaway. Malik Beasley’s future is uncertain, too, as the NBA investigates him for gambling allegations. If Beasley — who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting — doesn’t go back to Detroit, replacing him with Duncan Robinson is a downgrade. LeVert is a nice player, but certainly not a difference-maker.
If the Pistons are going to be better next season, they’ll need their young players (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, Ron Holland, etc.) to take another positive step in their development.
9. Indiana Pacers
- Odds to win East: +3300
- Key additions: Jay Huff (trade)
- Key departures: Myles Turner (free agency)
Losing starting center Myles Turner wasn’t a complete shock, but it was pretty surprising to see him go to the Bucks after they created salary cap space by waiving Damian Lillard. A lot of the other good centers who were available this offseason have already found a new team, so the Pacers don’t have many viable options left to replace Turner.
Similar to the Celtics, the 2025-26 season likely will be one of transition for the Pacers. The loss of superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals has taken away Indiana’s ability to get back to the conference finals for the third straight year.
10. Miami Heat
- Odds to win East: +6500
- Key additions: Norman Powell (trade), Kasparas Jakucionis (draft)
- Key departures: Duncan Robinson (free agency)
It’s been a mostly quiet offseason in Miami, except for Monday’s three-team trade with the Clippers and Jazz in which the Heat acquired Norman Powell.
Duncan Robinson was a good 3-point shooter but was also overpaid and a poor defensive player. Powell, who averaged 21.8 points and shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range for the Clippers last season, is a nice upgrade for Miami.
The Heat also re-signed Davion Mitchell to a two-year deal.
The Heat are not contenders and likely destined to be in the mix for a play-in spot yet again. That’s what happens when Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are your best and most expensive players.
Eastern Conference reset: How Celtics’ competitors fared in offseason moves
Four or five teams have a legit chance to win the East next season.
The Eastern Conference title race ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season is more wide open than it’s been in a long time.
That’s what happens when the best team — the Boston Celtics — loses its top player (Jayson Tatum) to a ruptured Achilles and has to trade away multiple starters due to the second apron of the luxury tax. The reigning East champion Indiana Pacers also lost their best player, Tyrese Haliburton, to a torn Achilles during the playoffs. You can take them out of the East title mix.
That leaves the Cavaliers, Magic, Knicks, Bucks, Hawks and maybe the 76ers as the top teams in the conference, and all of them have plenty of flaws and/or concerns.
SIGN UP HERE Which East teams have fared the best in free agency and trades during the offseason to this point? Let’s rank the top 10 teams in the East based on betting odds to win the conference and analyze their moves.
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1. Cleveland Cavaliers
- Odds to win East: +245
- Key additions: Lonzo Ball (trade)
- Key departures: Ty Jerome (free agency), Isaac Okoro (trade)
Getting Ball from the Bulls was a nice addition for the Cavs. When healthy, Ball is a very good playmaker and can add some scoring off the bench. They’ll need that offense after Jerome departed in free agency following a career season in which he placed third in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The Cavs also re-signed Sam Merrill to a four-year, $38 million contract, which is good value. Overall, Cleveland didn’t have a ton of options to bolster their roster as a second-apron team, but running it back with mostly the same roster isn’t a bad idea considering the Cavs won 64 games last season.
2. New York Knicks
- Odds to win East: +290
- Key additions: Jordan Clarkson (free agency), Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
- Key departures: None
The Knicks appear to be bringing back mostly the same roster that defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics in the second round and advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 2000.
The additions of Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele give the Knicks some much-needed scoring depth off the bench.
Perhaps the most notable offseason move for the Knicks was firing head coach Tom Thibodeau and replacing him with Mike Brown.
3. Orlando Magic
- Odds to win East: +550
- Key additions: Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones (free agency)
- Key departures: Cole Anthony (trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), Garry Harris (free agency).
When healthy, the Magic were a very good team last season thanks to their young core of Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner. Banchero, in particular, has superstar potential.
The Magic gave up a lot to get Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies, but his scoring and outside shooting should make him a perfect fit.
Orlando will be a trendy pick to win the East next season. Credit to the Magic front office for making a bold Bane trade and trying to take advantage of what could be a very wide open East in 2025-26.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
4. Philadelphia 76ers
- Odds to win East: +1000
- Key additions: VJ Edgecombe (draft)
- Key departures: Guerschon Yabusele (free agency)
The 76ers once again are among the favorites (based on conference title odds) to win the East.
On paper, the Sixers have a good roster. Joel Embiid is an MVP-caliber center and Paul George is a very good two-way wing. But how many games are these guys going to play? Embiid played just 19 games last season and 39 games in 2023-24 due to injuries. George was limited to 41 games last season. Banking on either player to be healthy for a full campaign would be a mistake.
The Sixers do have some impressive young talent. Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star caliber player. Quentin Grimes was a nice pickup from the Mavericks last February. Jared McCain made a nice impact offensively as a rookie. VJ Edgecombe, who Philly selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 draft, could be a very good player.
It’s easy to see why there’s some optimism surrounding this team. But again, the health of Embiid will ultimately make or break the Sixers’ season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks
- Odds to win East: +1100
- Key additions: Myles Turner (free agency), Gary Harris (free agency)
- Key departures: Pat Connaughton (trade), Damian Lillard (waived), Brook Lopez (free agency)
The Bucks still have Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that by itself is a win for the franchise. But have they done enough this offseason to convince the superstar forward to stay in Milwaukee long-term?
Losing Brook Lopez and signing Myles Turner was an upgrade at center. Waiving Damian Lillard and tying up $20-plus million in cap space for the next five years as a result was a shocking and bold gamble, even though the star point guard could miss all of next season recovering from a torn Achilles.
And aside from the Turner addition, the Bucks have mostly brought the same team back, so are they really a contender in the East? Milwaukee re-signed Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Ryan Rollins and Gary Trent Jr.
The Bucks need an upgrade at point guard, but with Antetokounmpo still in the fold, they could maybe be a top-four team in a weak East next season.
6. Atlanta Hawks
- Odds to win East: +1100
- Key additions: Kristaps Porzingis (trade), Luke Kennard (free agency), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (sign-and-trade), Asa Newell (draft)
- Key departures: Clint Capela (free agency), Caris LeVert (free agency) Georges Niang (trade), Terance Mann (trade)
The Hawks have been a huge winner of the offseason so far. They reportedly acquired Kristaps Porzingis for very little in a trade with the Celtics and Nets. They got rid of Terance Mann’s contract in the same deal. The Hawks also picked up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans in a draft day move, giving them one of the most prized assets in the league.
Atlanta could be a sneaky contender in the East next season, especially if All-Star caliber point guard Trae Young has another great campaign. And with one year left on his contract, he has plenty of motivation to take his game to a higher level.
7. Boston Celtics
- Odds to win East: +1500
- Key additions: Anfernee Simons (trade), Georges Niang (trade), Luke Garza (free agency), Josh Minott (free agency)
- Key departures: Jrue Holiday (trade), Kristaps Porzingis (trade), Luke Kornet (free agency)
We all knew the Celtics were going to shed salary to get under the second apron, and that’s exactly what they looked to accomplish early in the offseason by reportedly trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Getting a young guard with high offensive potential in Anfernee Simons from the Trail Blazers as part of the Holiday trade was a nice pickup for the C’s. Simons’ defense is lackluster, but he can score 20 points per game and shoots 3-pointers at a high rate.
The C’s added a few end-of-the-rotation guys in Luke Garza and Josh Minott in free agency. It’s possible that with more playing time and an increased role, one or both players could see an uptick in performance.
Al Horford remains a free agent, and the latest reports suggest he could sign with the Golden State Warriors. Luke Kornet signed a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs early in free agency. Losing both Horford and Kornet would be a tough blow to Boston’s frontcourt. The Celtics’ starting center right now is probably Xavier Tillman Sr. or Neemias Queta. That’s not an ideal scenario.
Of course, the one story hanging over the franchise is Jayson Tatum’s recovery from an Achilles injury suffered in mid-May. With Tatum potentially missing most or all of next season, it’s fair to wonder if the Celtics will try to get their salary structure/luxury tax situation in order this season to ensure they have the flexibility to make bold moves once Tatum is back to full strength.
8. Detroit Pistons
- Odds to win East: +1700
- Key additions: Caris LeVert (free agency), Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
- Key departures: Tim Hardaway Jr. (free agency), Dennis Schroder (free agency)
The Pistons took a huge step forward last season, improving their win total by 30 and making the playoffs for the first time since 2019. It hasn’t been a great offseason, though.
They lost plenty of scoring depth with the departures of Schroder and Hardaway. Malik Beasley’s future is uncertain, too, as the NBA investigates him for gambling allegations. If Beasley — who finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting — doesn’t go back to Detroit, replacing him with Duncan Robinson is a downgrade. LeVert is a nice player, but certainly not a difference-maker.
If the Pistons are going to be better next season, they’ll need their young players (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Jalen Duren, Ron Holland, etc.) to take another positive step in their development.
9. Indiana Pacers
- Odds to win East: +3300
- Key additions: Jay Huff (trade)
- Key departures: Myles Turner (free agency)
Losing starting center Myles Turner wasn’t a complete shock, but it was pretty surprising to see him go to the Bucks after they created salary cap space by waiving Damian Lillard. A lot of the other good centers who were available this offseason have already found a new team, so the Pacers don’t have many viable options left to replace Turner.
Similar to the Celtics, the 2025-26 season likely will be one of transition for the Pacers. The loss of superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a torn Achilles during Game 7 of the NBA Finals has taken away Indiana’s ability to get back to the conference finals for the third straight year.
10. Miami Heat
- Odds to win East: +6500
- Key additions: Norman Powell (trade), Kasparas Jakucionis (draft)
- Key departures: Duncan Robinson (free agency)
It’s been a mostly quiet offseason in Miami, except for Monday’s three-team trade with the Clippers and Jazz in which the Heat acquired Norman Powell.
Duncan Robinson was a good 3-point shooter but was also overpaid and a poor defensive player. Powell, who averaged 21.8 points and shot 41.8 percent from 3-point range for the Clippers last season, is a nice upgrade for Miami.
The Heat also re-signed Davion Mitchell to a two-year deal.
The Heat are not contenders and likely destined to be in the mix for a play-in spot yet again. That’s what happens when Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo are your best and most expensive players.
