Mike Lowry wrote: Sun Jan 25, 2026 10:36 pm
What were the biggest headlines of the offseason?
To me, the biggest headline of the offseason was the Mullin/Branch for Aguirre/Vandeweghe trade. The Spurs did a great job leveraging the Kiki Vandeweghe signing toward additional long-term excellence while the 76ers served the league notice that they are willing to make big swings.
How will these stories play out in the regular season?
The Spurs retooled their team on the fly, and the Spurs are full steam ahead into the Jordan era and aren't in as much tax danger as they looked to be last season. The 76ers are likely to make some noise and make the playoffs, but I think another move or two will be necessary to compete for the Atlantic.
How has the league landscape shifted?
This was my second-biggest story, but the Celtics bringing Ralph Sampson back was huge - seven foot four huge. With the Bullets blowing things up, the Nets sending off Darryl Dawkins, the Knicks seeing training camp erode their evero-30 squad, and the Bullets and 76ers coming off lotto appearances, the Atlantic looks ripe for the taking by the Celtics. The Bucks will dominate the Central again despite trading away Kevin McHale - the Hawks made some nice moves, but the gap between the Bucks and the rest of the division was too big. The Spurs will rule the Midwest and everyone is chasing the championship Lakers in the Pacific. So, really, I only see big changes in the Atlantic an more moderate changes in the playoff makeup (I think the Hawks and 76ers are in, and I also think with a great TC we may see the Rockets in the hunt in the West).