NBA Offseason: Draft Drama, Free Agency, and a Critical Owners Meeting

The NBA Finals are in the rearview mirror, but the league’s calendar continues to move along.

The 2025 NBA draft starts Wednesday, and Cooper Flagg is expected to be the first American in three years to be selected with the No. 1 pick. However, there could be chaos across the board, especially as projected top-five pick Ace Bailey has refused to work out for teams.

The league couldn’t even wait for the Finals to wrap up before some major shake-ups, as two blockbuster trades occurred over one week. The Magic acquired Desmond Bane from the Grizzlies for a package that included four first-round picks last Sunday. A week later, the Suns sent Kevin Durant to Houston in a deal involving Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.

The No. 10 pick in Wednesday’s draft will move to Houston in the deal, but the trade won’t be finalized until at least July 6 due to a restriction in Green’s rookie extension.

Several big names could be on the move, including Jazz star Lauri Markkanen and former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who, last month, was reportedly “open-minded” about moving on from the Bucks. 

“People think this offseason is going to be crazy. In talking to teams, there’s way more chatter on trade discussions at this point in the calendar than there is in most years,” ESPN senior NBA writer Brian Windhorst said earlier this month.

Even the NBA finalists face major decisions. Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren are extension-eligible this offseason, while the Pacers need to decide on the future of Myles Turner, an unrestricted free agent who may put them over the luxury tax for the first time in two decades. 

Among the key dates on the NBA offseason calendar:

• June 25–26: 2025 NBA draft
• June 30: Teams may begin negotiating with all free agents
• July 1: New salary cap and tax levels apply
• July 6: Teams can begin signing free agents
• July 10–20: Las Vegas Summer League

Critical Owners Meeting

The NBA’s board of governors is expected to meet in Las Vegas during Summer League next month, and several key topics need to be discussed.

Approval for the two most expensive sales in NBA history should also be on the table in July. The Celtics were sold at a $6.1 billion valuation in March, while the Lakers were sold at a $10 billion valuation last week. 

League expansion is another topic, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this month on The Dan Patrick Show that the league will look at expansion this summer. When exactly the expansion will happen is up in the air.

“It’s not obvious to me [that] we should expand. … I don’t mean to tease people with this, [but] this is the summer we’re going to look at it seriously,” Silver said. 

The NBA’s expansion in Europe will also be discussed in Las Vegas. Silver announced in March that the league is “ready to explore” options for expansion across the pond.