2024-25 Kia Season Preview

2024 NBA Offseason: 20 things you need to know that happened

What's happened since the Celtics won their 18th title? Here's everything to know before the 2024-25 NBA season begins.

Zaccharie Risacher, Alex Sarr

Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr were the top duo on NBA Draft Night 2024.

1. French duo makes history at 2024 NBA Draft

A year after Victor Wembanyama became the first French-born player selected with the No. 1 overall pick, for the first time France produced the first two picks — Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher (No. 1 to Atlanta) and Alex Sarr (No. 2 to Washington) — in the 2024 NBA Draft. Go deeper.


2. Bronny James joins LeBron in Los Angeles

The Lakers selected Bronny James — the eldest son of NBA all-time leading scorer LeBron James — with the 55th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to create the first-ever active father-son duo in NBA history. Go deeper.


3. Paul George signs with Philadelphia

The Sixers entered the offseason flush with cap space and landed nine-time All-Star Paul George to team with Joel Embiid, an extended Tyrese Maxey and fellow free agent signee Caleb Martin. Will winning the summer be enough to help the Sixers get past the East Semis for the first time since 2001? Go deeper.


4. Thompson leaves the Bay, heads to Dallas

After 13 years and four titles in Golden State, Klay Thompson was traded to Dallas as part of the first six-team trade in NBA history. The veteran sharpshooter will help spread the floor for the dynamic backcourt of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as the Mavs look to build on a 2024 NBA Finals run.  Go deeper.


5. Bridges crosses the bridge

Mikal Bridges is reuniting in New York with his former Villanova teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson for the 2024-25 season.

The New York City squads made their first trade with one another in 41 years to send Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn to Manhattan to join the Knicks in exchange for a draft haul and Bojan Bogdanovic. The trade briefly reunited Bridges with former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte Vincenzo. Go deeper.


6. Towns dealt to New York

The Villanova quartet never took the court together as DiVincenzo is part of a trade between the Knicks, Timberwolves and Hornets to bring sharpshooting big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York with Julius Randle and DiVincenzo headed to Minnesota. Go deeper.


7. Celtics re-sign Tatum to record contract

A year after making Jaylen Brown the highest-paid player in NBA history, the Celtics did it again this summer with their other superstar wing, Jayson Tatum, who signed a five-year, $314 million extension. The Celtics also extended Derrick White as the defending champs look to run it back. Go deeper.


8. East contenders re-sign key players

After matching their deepest playoff run in a decade, the Pacers brought back Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell and Obi Toppin. Meanwhile, the Cavs extended Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Isaac Okoro. Not to be outdone, the Knicks locked in with Brunson and OG Anunoby. Go deeper.


9. Paul joins Wembanyama in San Antonio

After being waived by Golden State, 2006 Rookie of the Year Chris Paul signed with the San Antonio Spurs to team up with 2024 Kia Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama. Paul’s arrival, along with Harrison Barnes coming to town, brings a veteran presence and leadership to a young Spurs team looking to build.  Go deeper.


10. Thunder bolster West-leading roster with Caruso, Hartenstein

Last season, OKC became the youngest team to ever finish first in a conference but fell to Dallas in the West Semis. The Thunder made two key moves to improve their roster — trading for defensive standout guard Alex Caruso and signing center Isaiah Hartenstein after his impressive playoff run with New York. Go deeper.


11. More All-Stars on the move

Dejounte Murray moves from Atlanta to New Orleans to team with Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram with the Pelicans. After three seasons in Chicago, DeMar DeRozan looks to light the beam in Sacramento. Former Kia MVP Russell Westbrook joins reigning Kia MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets in Denver. Go deeper.


12. Redick to Lakers headlines six coaching changes

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka introduces JJ Redick as the 29th head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The coaching carousel was active over the summer with six teams hiring new coaches. Three have coaching experience: Mike Budenholzer in Phoenix, Kenny Atkins on in Cleveland and J.B. Bickerstaff in Detroit. Two are former assistants: Brooklyn’s Jordi Fernandez and Charlotte’s Charles Lee. And one is a true rookie with the Lakers’ job being Redick’s first coaching gig outside of youth hoops. Go deeper.


13. Welcome aboard, Emirates NBA Cup

Following the success of last year’s inaugural in-season competition, the newly-named Emirates NBA Cup returns in 2024. The name and logo may be different, but the format remains the same with Group Play and the Quarterfinals in team markets followed by the Semifinals and Championship in Vegas. Go deeper.


14. Heat nab NBA 2K25 Summer League title

The 20th NBA Summer League in Las Vegas featured 76 games over 11 days in the desert, culminating with the Heat defeating the Grizzlies in an overtime thriller to close out the event and win the championship. Go deeper.


15. First look at 2024 Draft lottery picks

Tipping off just two weeks after the Draft, Summer League is the first chance to see the draftees with their new squads. Four first round picks were named to the All-Summer League teams: Houston’s Reed Sheppard (No. 3 pick) and Miami’s Kel’el Ware (No. 15) on the First Team, with Portland’s Donovan Clingan (No. 7) and Washington’s Bub Carrington (No. 14) on the Second Team. Go deeper.


16. Team USA wins its 5th straight gold

Team USA won their 5th Gold Medal in a thrilling matchup vs. France in Paris.

After cruising in their first four games at the Paris Olympics, Team USA looked in peril against Nikola Jokic and Serbia in the semifinals. Trailing by as many as 17 points and down 13 entering the fourth quarter, the Americans rallied behind a 36-point game from Steph Curry and a triple-double from LeBron James.

That set up a true road game as Team USA would have to beat Victor Wembanyama and France in Paris to win gold. It was a tight game down the stretch before Curry caught fire from 3-point range, knocking down four triples in the game’s final three minutes to seal the win and the gold. Go deeper.


17. Curry says ‘Night, Night’ in Paris, extends with Golden State

During Golden State’s run to the 2022 title, Curry debuted his signature “Night Night” celebration – placing his hands to his head as he puts the game to sleep with a clutch shot. The move translates well as Curry unleashed it on France near the end of the gold medal game — then celebrated the win while wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the phrase in French: “Nuit Nuit.” After winning his first Olympic gold medal, Curry signed a one-year extension with the Warriors that will keep him in the Bay until he is 38. Go deeper.


18. Carter leads 2024’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class

Vince Carter, known as a player as “Half Man, Half Amazing” for his incredible dunking prowess, will lead the way for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024. He, along with Chauncey Billups, Michael Cooper, Seimone Augustus and the late Jerry West – who will become the first-ever three-time inductee — mark a memorable class. Go deeper.


19. Historic rookie class and MVP season fuels explosive growth in WNBA

The WNBA’s 28th season was the most-watched in 24 years, the highest-attended in 22 years and set records for digital consumption and merchandise sales. Rookie phenoms Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese had record-breaking seasons and helped fuel the league’s popularity, while unanimous MVP A’ja Wilson had a season for the ages. Go deeper.


20. New-look squads debut as training camps open

After the summer frenzy of player movement, preparations for the 2024-25 season began Monday with Media Day across the league, followed by training camps opening on Tuesday. The preseason tips off on Friday with the past two champions — the Celtics and Nuggets — meeting in Abu Dhabi. Go deeper.

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