NBA Free Agency Winners and Losers: Biggest Winners and Biggest Losers of 2026

We have witnessed one of the craziest NBA off-seasons in recent history. There have been countless blockbuster trades and free agent signings that have completely reshaped the league. With so many teams making major moves, it's time to break down the five biggest winners and the five biggest losers of the 2026 NBA off-season.

#5. Hornets

The hornets are actually a sleeper team for me with the way their offseason has gone so far. Trading LaMelo Ball was a risky decision. However, acquiring Naz Reid gives Charlotte a proven scorer who can stretch the floor and play either power forward or center alongside Ryan Kalkbrenner.

Resigning Coby White for the Hornets was huge, with LaMelo being traded it gives them stability at the point guard spot and someone that can shoot and score when he has to. Coby White proved last year to be a valuable piece to the Hornets playin run and they became a better team when they traded for him.

They also added Royce O'Neal, Grayson Allen, and Dorian Finney-Smith to add defense and 3 point shooting. Grayson Allen has consistently been top 5 in the 3 point shooting in the NBA the last couple of years. Drafting Christian Andersen was good to giving them another playmaking guard that can shoot 3's.

Overall, the Hornets improved their shooting, defense, and depth while adding more lineup flexibility. If these new pieces develop chemistry quickly, Charlotte could surprise a lot of people next season, which is why they come in at no. 5 on my list of offseason winners.

#4. Spurs

The Spurs didn't make many moves, but the moves they did make were big for them as a team. They signed Tobias Harris who is going to add more scoring and veteran leadership to a young Spurs team that just lost in the finals. Harris had a streak of eight games in a row where he scored 20 or more in each game, his scoring is going to be crucial for the San Antonio Spurs. Harris will most likely start at the power forward which will help Wemby a lot having someone that can create his own shot.

Drafting Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed was also a smart move because it gives them 2 athletic back up bigs that can rebound and block shots. Quaintance is most likely going to miss his first season after getting knee surgery, but Reed may find himself getting valuable minutes at some point in the season because of his athleticism, strength, and physicality.

The spurs signing Tobias Harris along with drafting Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed is huge for what the spurs are trying to do. Tobias Harris is going to be very important in taking some of the offensive responsibility off of Wemby and others. This also allows the spurs to have more scoring off the bench no matter who goes to the bench.

The Spurs didn't make the flashiest offseason moves, but they addressed important needs by adding veteran leadership, more scoring, and frontcourt depth. Those additions should help Victor Wembanyama and and Stephon Castle continue to develop while keeping San Antonio firmly in the playoff conversation. That's why I have them ranked no. 4 among the biggest winners of the offseason.

#3. Heat

The Heat are one of the most interesting teams to me, because they lost a lot of shooting and scoring when they traded Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez, and Kelel Ware, and when Norman Powell signed with the Bulls. But, adding Giannis doesn't just make Miami a playoff team- it immediately puts them back into the eastern conference championship conversation, now pair him with Bam and that's a dominant paint.

There is a lot of concern about the Heat's offense and not having shooters and I understand that. However, the Miami Heat without a doubt will have a top 3 defense in the league with Bam and Giannis holding it down in the paint, and then you have Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins who are elite perimeter defenders. Defensively they will be scary for other teams to face.

Let's not forget about their signing of Tim Hardaway Jr. who has been a deadly three-point shooter his whole career. This pickup by the Heat is overlooked but it's one that I believe will be solid and give Giannis and Bam someone to kick out to.

The lack of shooting might become a problem at some point, so look for Pat Riley to make changes at some point in the season to add more shooters or make some trades to not allow teams to pack the paint against them and force them to shoot.

Even with questions about outside shooting, Miami's elite defense, championship experience, and the addition of Giannis make them one of the biggest winners of the offseason. If they add another reliable shooter before the trade deadline, they could become one of the favorites to come out of the Eastern conference.

#2 Timberwolves

The Timberwolves may have lost Naz Reid and Julius Randle in trades, but they gained another star player in LaMelo Ball. LaMelo being there on the Timberwolves will take a ton of pressure off Anthony Edwards and force teams to not be able to double or triple team him as much. LaMelo's playmaking will make life much easier for Anthony Edwards because teams won't be able to focus all of their attention on him. That should create more open looks and make the Timberwolves' offense much more difficult to stop.

The resigning of Ayo Dosunmo was also huge as he proved last playoffs to be a reliable scorer when he went ballistic against the nuggets in round 1 when Edwards was injured. I believe that Dosunmo playing the way he did in the playoffs made the decision to move on from Naz Reid easier because he proved he can be the third option and take over games when he has to.

The Timberwolves with LaMelo Ball and the resigning of Ayo Dosunmo become a real title contender. They're a team that doesn't have to rely just on Anthony Edwards to initiate the offense and now become more well-rounded.

The Timberwolves did enough to become legitimate championship contenders, but one team's offseason was simply too impactful to rank anywhere but no. 1

#1 76ers

Before LeBron even signed with them I already had them as the number one team in the offseason, but now with LeBron's signing it just solidifies it. The 76ers basically stole Jalen Brown in a move where they only had to give up a 36 year old Paul George. Pairing Jaylen Brown with Tyrese Maxey, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe gives Philadelphia one of the deepest and most talented starting lineups in the NBA

LeBron signing with the 76ers made their championship odds jump all the way to third behind the Thunder and the Spurs. This team has 4 different players that can go off in any game or can close out a game. Brown brings another dynamic scorer to them and LeBron brings the playmaking and veteran leadership that they need to be successful.

Let's not forget about the signings of Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and also drafting Labaron Philon Jr. to the team. Dean Wade last playoffs showed he is an elite defender and was the primary defender on Cade Cunningham and can also knock down 3's. Anfernee Simons is going to be an important piece for them bringing scoring off the bench. Labaron Philon may be another crucial piece for them off the bench as a rookie as a lot of people are high on him and he showed his ability to score in college.

There is no doubt about it that this team is going to be scary for opponents, and with this starting five they're going to be the favorites to come out of the east. The 76ers have three elite scorers in Brown, Maxey, and Embiid, and also have an elite playmaker in LeBron. Only time will tell how good they can be, but if they stay healthy, they will be a dangerous team.

Philadelphia entered the offseason as a contender, but they leave it looking like one of the most complete teams in basketball. If this group stays healthy and develops chemistry, the 76ers have a legitimate chance to reach the NBA finals, which is why they're my biggest winners of the 2026 offseason.

Biggest Losers of the NBA Offseason

#5. Cavs

After another disappointing playoff exit, the Cavaliers entered the offseason needing to improve their roster. Instead, they had one of the quieter offseasons among Easter conference contenders. Especially the way they lost to the Knicks and with Dean Wade leaving to sign with the 76ers. They should have been more focused on improving their team but instead they were too caught up in the LeBron sweepstakes. While other teams in the Eastern conference to become title contenders the Cabs stayed the same and didn't. They should have tried to sign a player to replace Dean Wade who was a big rotational player.

They did draft Maleek Thomas which was a big pickup and he's someone that showed his ability to score on all three levels in the summer league. He will be a solid backup that can provide scoring. He is also a good defender and showed his defensive skills in the Summer League.

Maleek Thomas alone though, is not going to be the overall difference that the Cavs need. The offseason still isn't over, standing still can be just as damaging as making bad moves. Unless Cleveland adds another impact player, they risk falling behind several Eastern Conference rivals who clearly improved this offseason. In order for them to be able to compete with how stacked the east just got they will need to make moves.

#4. Pelicans

The Pelicans have been one of the biggest disappointments this offseason especially considering how last season went. Their biggest move has been resigning a thirty-eight year old DeAndre Jordan. They only won 26 games last year so you would have expected them to be making major moves in the offseason.

They just signed Kobe Bufkin who can be a solid piece and a good scorer off the bench. Bufkin however, isn't going to move the needle much if at all for a team that only won 26 games last year. They've had Trey Murphy and Zion Williamson in trade talks a lot for the past couple months but never pulled the trigger on anything. If Zion can stay healthy, they can be a decent team, but with how stacked teams have become this offseason it's hard to see them competing for a playoff spot.

If the Pelicans have playoff aspirations then they'll need to make a move by the start of the season or fairly early into the season. Teams are not joking around this year with all the moves that have been made. While other Western Conference teams improved through trades and free agency, the Pelicans largely stayed the same. That makes climbing the standings much more difficult.

#3. Trailblazers

Acquiring Ja Morant is a major move on paper, but I'm not convinced it's the right fit for Portland's current roster. Ja Morant and Damian Lillard have potential to be a dynamic duo, but the struggle lies on Ja Morant being able to hit 3's. The Trailblazers will still be a decent team building on an impressive and overachieved season last year.

Ja Morant is coming off an injury-riddled last couple years, and Damian Lillard is coming off an Achilles tear. There are questions about how they will perform together and if the duo can feed off each other. They also still have Deni Avdija who was the Trail blazers go-to scorer last season with Lillard dealing with his injury.

They have so many guards at some point they might have to move on from one or two of them. Teams have improved so much that the current roster of the Portland Trail Blazers is probably not good enough to compete. While Ja Morant raises Portland's talent, he doesn't solve the team's biggest roster concerns. Until the Trail blazers add more size and balance to the lineup, it's difficult to see them taking the next step in. A loaded Western Conference. Damian Lillard and Ja Morant both have also never been good defenders so it will put a lot more pressure on Jrue Holiday to try and do more on the defensive end. They traded Jerami Grant as part of the Ja Morant deal which leaves them thin at the forward spot.

#2. Warriors

The Warriors passed on so many trade opportunities and free agent signings with the hope that LeBron was going to sign with them. Their biggest moves were signing Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford who is entering his 20th season in the NBA to extensions. They were in talks about trading for Anthony Davis but the Wizards shut that down fast. While Porzingis adds size and Horford brings experience, neither move fully addresses the lack of secondary shot creation behind Stephen Curry or make the Warriors significantly younger.

The Warriors did draft Yaxel Lendeborg who I have as someone that will be top five in Rookie of the Year voting. I think he'll be a bright spot for the Warriors but not enough help them make the playoffs in a tough Western Conference. They should have attempted to make a move or two while they were waiting on LeBron's decision but instead Draymond opted out waiting for James to sign so he can take less.

The Warriors are going to have to rely too much on Stephen Curry with a weak roster. It's not like the Warriors to not make any moves at all when they need to, they're usually one of the teams that makes the most needed moves. Unless Golden State makes another meaningful move, they'll likely spend another season relying heavily on Stephen Curry to carry the offense. In a loaded Western Conference, that may only be enough to to keep them in the play-in Tournament rather than true championship contention.

#1. Celtics

I think you already know why I have the Celtics ranked no. 1 for this list. The Jaylen Brown trade shocked the world when they traded him and only received a 36 year old Paul George. The Celtics traded away a player who averaged 28.5 points per game last year and led a Celtics team missing Jayson Tatum to the second seed in the East.

They added Mitchell Robinson which was big for their frontcourt. He adds a defensive presence and a lob threat for Tatum who will not split as much responsibility as he did with Brown. They're also banking on someone like Pritchard to step up and take on more responsibility.

The Celtics trading Brown caught everyone off guard especially when they had a chance at getting Giannis. They refused to give up a couple players that would have landed them Giannis and settled for a Jaylen Brown-for-Paul George trade. Losing an All-NBA caliber player like Jaylen Brown doesn't just hurt Boston's depth-it changes their ceiling as a championship contender.