Power Rankings: How teams stack up after free agen...
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- LeBron James signed a two-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, with his agent Rich Paul informing the Lakers eight hours before free agency opened that James would leave after eight seasons
- Philadelphia 76ers climbed to No. 5 after adding Jaylen Brown in a trade, shedding Paul George's contract, and signing Anfernee Simons and Dean Wade in free agency, creating a 'devastating starting lineup' alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey
- Oklahoma City Thunder remained No. 1 after trading Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Luguentz Dort in cost-cutting moves that shed $200 million in luxury tax payments, filling those spots with a pair of first-round picks
- San Antonio Spurs held the No. 2 spot after retaining their Finals roster, with franchise star Victor Wembanyama giving the organization a 'huge discount' on what should have been a supermax extension
- Minnesota Timberwolves executed what ESPN called 'perhaps the biggest boom-or-bust deal of the offseason,' trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid to acquire polarizing guard LaMelo Ball
- Denver Nuggets were criticized for doing 'nothing of consequence' this summer after three years of backsliding since winning the 2023 title, leaving Peyton Watson unsigned as a restricted free agent
- Cleveland Cavaliers missed out on James after waiting on his decision, while coach Kenny Atkinson noted during summer league that the potential addition 'could be our real jump'
Why it matters: The 76ers now face a high-wire integration challenge for coach Nick Nurse, balancing James, Brown, Embiid, Maxey, and second-year guard VJ Edgecombe while managing Embiid's health. Defending champion New York Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson to Boston on a three-year deal to comply with owner James Dolan's second-apron mandate, while Denver's stagnation raises an existential question about Nikola Jokic's championship window.
