Former No. 2 pick Lonzo Ball joined the Cavaliers this offseason via trade with the Bulls.
The 2025 NBA offseason has been filled with big moves, headlined by Kevin Durant landing in Houston as part of the NBA’s first-ever 7-team trade, along with Desmond Bane to Orlando and Cam Johnson to Denver. But beyond the blockbuster deals, there are always moves that go a bit under the radar that prove to be impactful.
Here’s a look at five offseason moves you might have missed.
1. Tyus Jones joins Magic (via free agency)
In addition to extending franchise star Paolo Banchero and acquiring Bane, the Magic added a proven pass-first point guard in Jones to help orchestrate an Orlando offense that ranked 28th in points (105.4) and 30th in assists (23.0) last season. A 10-year veteran joining his fifth team, Jones averaged 10.2 points, 5.3 assists and 1.1 turnovers while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range for Phoenix last season. His 4.71 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked second to Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton among 278 players that logged 2000+ possessions. A steady hand at the point should help create easy scoring opportunities for Banchero, Bane, Franz Wagner and the rest of the team.
2. Jake LaRavia joins Lakers (via free agency)
While the Lakers saw 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith depart in free agency to sign with Houston, the addition of LaRavia gives them a chance to make up much of that production with a younger player at a lower cost. LaRavia is a versatile defender, possessing the strength to guard 4s and the quickness to stay with 3s, and is coming off a breakthrough season as a 3-point shooter. After shooting 33.8% and 34.0% from beyond the arc in his first two NBA seasons, respectively, LaRavia knocked down 42.3% (60-for-142) of his 3-point shots last year with the Kings. Now playing alongside Luka Dončić and LeBron James should provide LaRavia with plenty of open looks (he shot 45.5%, or 46-for-101, on wide-open 3s last season).
3. Jay Huff joins Pacers (via trade with Grizzlies)
After the 2025 Finals run, the Pacers lost Myles Turner to the rival Bucks in free agency. To help fill the void, Indiana acquired Huff from Memphis in exchange for two future second-round draft picks. That was a small price to pay for a young player who has shown potential as a stretch 5. Huff is coming off his best NBA season, averaging 6.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.3 3-pointers and 0.9 blocks in just 11.7 minutes per game. He shot 81-for-200 (40.5%) from 3-point range, which was just one shy of meeting the minimum requirement as a league leader (if so, he would have been tied for 34th). Defensively, he’s a solid rim protector, allowing 54.5% on shots inside of six feet (23rd among 209 players to defend at least 200 such shots).
4. Luke Kornet joins Spurs (via free agency)
The Spurs wasted little time in adding Kornet, agreeing to a four-year deal with the former Celtics reserve center just hours into free agency. The move secures a backup center for Victor Wembanyama and offers the Spurs a chance to unleash a Twin Towers lineup with the 7-foot-1 Kornet alongside the 7-foot-3 Wembanyama. While Wembanyama’s signature is his versatility, Kornet offers the Spurs more of a traditional center. Offensively, only four of his 187 buckets last season came from outside the paint as he shot 66.8% from the field. Kornet is also a strong screener – averaging 2.3 screen assists in just 18.6 minutes per game – which should help the Spurs’ backcourt duo of De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle. Defensively, Kornet ranked 5th in field goal percentage allowed inside six feet at 50.5%. Just behind him was Wemby at 50.8% allowed.
5. Lonzo Ball joins Cavaliers (via trade with Bulls)
With Cleveland losing Ty Jerome in free agency, the Cavs had a hole in their backcourt bench and acquired Ball from Chicago in exchange for Isaac Okoro. Ball returned to the court last season after missing the previous two seasons with a left knee injury that required multiple surgeries to repair. In 35 games, Ball showed flashes of the playmaking, shooting and defense while averaging 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.9 3-pointers made and 1.3 steals in 22.2 minutes per game before missing the season’s final two months with a sprained wrist. Ball’s return to the court after missing over 1,000 days was a triumph in and of itself. Now, he has an opportunity to continue working his way back to his full potential on a title contender.