NBA teams that gained or lost the most roster value this offseason - ESPN

Parity has emerged as a defining feature of this NBA era.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder's breakthrough in June, the league has crowned seven different champions in as many years — a streak unmatched in NBA history. Of those seven, the Thunder's young core has arguably the best chance to parlay the victory into a dynastic run, but that doesn't mean other teams haven't been working all summer to make sure it was a one-off.

While fewer blockbuster and major fireworks meant this offseason was quieter than most, plenty of teams reshaped their rosters in meaningful ways.

The Houston Rockets splurged on Kevin Durant in a swap with the Phoenix Suns, who slotted in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks via the same deal. The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks lost key veterans and shuffled in new talent. The Orlando Magic bet on Desmond Bane, part of their rise to No. 7 in title odds at ESPN BET. The Los Angeles Clippers made some interesting moves. And the Portland Trail Blazers made headlines by reacquiring Damian Lillard, though fans will have to wait a season for his return, with an injury shelving him until 2026-27.

To size up all these wheelings and dealings, we projected how a player's addition (or absence) could shift a team's standings by setting a baseline of the player's expected performance using their established level of Estimated RAPTOR Wins Above Replacement (WAR), then identifying the five teams that gained — and the five teams that lost — the most roster value.

We did not factor in the value of literal contracts and salaries, but we did adjust for rookies who could make an immediate impact — hello, Cooper Flagg — and for newcomers with injuries, such as Lillard. We also considered pending free agents as departures. And