The NBA's free agency period has been open for more than three weeks, yet the basketball world is still waiting to learn where LeBron James will be playing next season. During this interminable wait, plenty has happened elsewhere around the league that will shape next season's competitive landscape.
To boil down the key developments, here's one thing we've learned about all 30 teams -- including those that are still vying for a certain four-time MVP. Jump to a team: ATL | BOS | BKN | CHA | CHI | CLE DAL | DEN | DET | GS | HOU | IND LAC | LAL | MEM | MIA | MIL | MIN NO | NY | OKC | ORL | PHI | PHX POR | SAC | SA | TOR | UTA | WAS Atlanta Hawks What we've learned: Zaccharie Risacher was the biggest draft miss in years.
The Hawks traded Risacher , the No. 1 pick in 2024, to the Dallas Mavericks this month after two unremarkable seasons.
The 21-year-old French forward alluded to challenges in Atlanta, writing on Instagram that "some nights were everything I dreamed of," while "others were harder than I ever imagined." The last No. 1 pick to be traded this quickly was Markelle Fultz , but his exit from Philadelphia was hastened by his lack of availability.
Whereas Fultz, the top pick in 2017, played in just 20% of the 76ers' games before he was dealt to the Orlando Magic in February 2019, Risacher had appeared in 87% of Atlanta's games since he was drafted. Evidently, Onsi Saleh, who was promoted to general manager last summer, had seen enough.
The 46-win Hawks were better with Risacher off the court last season, and he seemingly lacks the burst, playmaking and takeover mentality to develop into a lead scoring option. While the 2024 draft was regarded as weak at the time, Risacher ranks 20th in his class by career win shares and has been outperformed by Stephon Castle and several other lottery picks, plus a few players drafted 20-plus spots after him, including Baylor Scheierman , Kyle Filipowski and Oso Ighodaro .
Risacher's value dropped to the point that the Hawks didn't recoup a first-round pick in their three-team trade with the Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder . Instead, they added guards Luguentz Dort and Ryan Nembhard as they continue to build out their depth in the post- Trae Young era.
Boston Celtics What we've learned: The second apron can break hearts. The NBA's harsh second apron penalties and restrictions have caused multiple contenders to shed salary and lose talent.
This summer, the 2025 champion Oklahoma City Thunder traded away Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe , and the reigning champion New York Knicks watched Mitchell Robinson leave in free agency. But no apron-related move sparked an outcry like the Celtics' decision to trade Jaylen Brown to the 76ers for Paul George , two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
The 2024 Finals MVP had spent 10 seasons in Boston, reached six Eastern Conference finals, earned five All-Star selections and fostered deep connections with the local community. With that track record, it was hard for fans to view Brown as just another line in the spreadsheet.
But NBA commissioner Adam Silver was unsentimental when asked about the second apron's impacts in Las Vegas last week. Silver said that moves like the Brown trade were "certainly not an unintended consequence" of the apron rules, adding that "people need to manage budgets" and teams "can't have unlimited resources." In other words, any upset Celtics fans should wipe their tears and deal with the league's new economic reality.
Brooklyn Nets What we've learned: The Nets are still buying time. The Houston Rockets own the right to swap 2027 first-round picks with the Nets, so Brooklyn entered the summer with motivation to take a big swing.
If the Nets' ongoing youth movement was unlikely to deliver a lottery pick next June, why not dangle some of their future draft assets in trades that could help them be more competitive after a dismal 20-win campaign? Although Brooklyn acquired Julius Randle in a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves , the 31-year-old forward isn't talented enough to carry a contender or young enough to shepherd the Nets' next era.
Randle should help Brooklyn make progress in the standings, but plugging him in as a stopgap doesn't qualify as a long-term plan. Nets general manager Sean Marks has preached the importance of strategic "flexibility," and for now that means waiting on the development of lottery picks Egor Demin and Mikel Brown Jr .
Demin's strong showing at summer league hint