The NBA offseason has been nothing short of eventful. Stars such as Jaylen Brown, Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo have found new homes ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
However, perhaps the most notable move came when 23-year veteran LeBron James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million contract.
After the flurry of offseason transactions across the Eastern Conference, which four teams now sit atop the conference hierarchy entering the 2026-27 season?
The expected return of Kawhi Leonard to Toronto (a trade agreement is in place between the Clippers and Raptors) is a game-changing move for the Raptors.
Famously, the two-time NBA champion helped the Raptors win their first NBA title in 2019 in his lone season with the franchise. Toronto has a solid core with Scottie Barnes (18.1 PPG) and RJ Barrett (19.3 PPG). The Raptors were in a competitive seven-game first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the lack of a legitimate closer and veteran presence was their ultimate downfall.
With Leonard, the Raptors will gain an elite defender, veteran leadership and another reliable scoring option. Toronto ranked ninth in the NBA in defensive efficiency last season, and the unit should only improve with the addition of Leonard.
The Wizards are primed to make their first playoff appearance since 2021 with how the roster is constructed. Washington’s starting lineup is projected to have Trae Young (PG), Kyshawn George (SG), AJ Dybantsa (SF), Anthony Davis (PF) and Alex Sarr (C).
Washington boasts a blend of veteran talent in Young and Davis, along with a young core featuring Dybantsa, Sarr and George. The frontcourt of Sarr and Davis provides elite rim protection and strong rebounding, while Young, George and Dybantsa bring dynamic scoring and playmaking.
George averaged 14.8 points in 2025-26, a considerable leap compared to his rookie campaign in 2024 -25 (8.7 PPG). Davis is still one of the best two-way superstars in the league, but how often can he stay healthy?
Young remains one of the premier offensive engines thanks to his ability to score and elite playmaking. However, the development of Dybantsa will likely be the biggest storyline for Washington throughout the 2026-27 campaign.
The Knicks ended the franchise’s 53-year championship drought against the San Antonio Spurs. New York trailed by double digits in every game, which included a 29-point comeback victory in Game 4.
NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson solidified himself as the “King of New York” and strengthened his case to make the Hall of Fame. Now, it’s time for New York to shift focus to defending the championship in 2026-27.
The Knicks will keep their core of Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Brunson. However, center Mitchell Robinson went elsewhere, but the Knicks signed veteran center Andre Drummond to keep size around the rim.
New York should be favored to repeat as Eastern Conference champions — that is, until Philadelphia made a gigantic splash recently.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
It is probably fair to say that Philadelphia has had the best NBA offseason in quite some time. The 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown, who is fresh off his best statistical season (28.7 PPG) and earned second-team All-NBA honors.
The 76ers also acquired the 21-time All-NBA member in James. The 76ers’ projected starting lineup consisting of Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Brown, James and Joel Embiid makes for an elite unit.
The health of Embiid is definitely a factor, but Brown is a major upgrade compared to Paul George and can carry a bulk of the offensive load throughout an 82-game season. Maxey is fresh off a third-team All-NBA selection, and Edgecombe impressed with his tenacity on defense and explosive transition scoring as a rookie.
Now that James is in the fold, the four-time NBA champion contributes high basketball IQ along with elite playmaking and likely 20-plus points per contest. James made it abundantly clear he isn’t playing for the money or for personal considerations — he is playing to win another championship.
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