Basketball News
In the Shadow of Superstars
🖋️ Tamas | ⏱️ 4 min read | 📅 July 16, 2026 | 🏷️ Sports
In the Shadow of Superstars: The 10 Most Under-the-Radar Moves of the 2026 NBA Offseason
The headlines and social media feeds are naturally dominated by massive blockbuster trades and marquee superstar signings. Giannis Antetokounmpo has moved to the Miami Heat, Jaylen Brown signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, Paul George headed to Boston, Ja Morant joined Portland, and LaMelo Ball relocated to Minnesota—while LeBron James' future remains to be determined. However, championship teams are not built on superstars alone. Based on insights from NBA analyst Jeff Zillgitt, we look at 10 brilliant, under-the-radar moves that could quietly shift the balance of power for the 2026–27 season.
Based on contract value, past performance, and projected roles, here are 10 of the most underrated yet potentially season-defining moves in the Eastern and Western Conferences:
1. John Collins (Detroit Pistons)
How acquired: Free agency
Collins is a proven veteran who has flirted with All-Star status in the past with Atlanta and Utah. Even though his scoring average dipped to 13.6 points per game with the LA Clippers last season, his efficiency remained elite: he shot 55.2% overall and a superb 40.6% from beyond the arc. He gives the Pistons an efficient scorer, a strong finisher in the paint, a reliable rebounder, and a highly capable defender.
2. De'Anthony Melton (Golden State Warriors)
How acquired: Re-signed
In 49 games last season, Melton averaged a career-high 12.3 points and matched his career-best with 1.6 steals per game. While he struggled with his shot returning from an injury that limited him to just six games in 2024–25, his track record speaks for itself: prior to last season, he shot at least 37.1% on three-pointers in five consecutive seasons. Now that Melton is fully healthy, the Warriors are confident he will return to those elite percentages.
3. Kelly Oubre Jr. (Indiana Pacers)
How acquired: Free agency
The Pacers reached the 2025 NBA Finals, but Tyrese Haliburton missed the entire 2025–26 campaign with an Achilles injury sustained in Game 7 of those Finals. With their star playmaker returning, Indiana made a highly savvy move by adding Oubre on a reported two-year, $16.5 million contract. Oubre averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals while shooting 46.7% overall and 36.0% on threes for Philadelphia last season, adding tremendous depth alongside Pascal Siakam and Ivica Zubac.
4. Tim Hardaway Jr. (Miami Heat)
How acquired: Free agency
When coming off the bench, Hardaway is a perennial candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award, finishing third last season while averaging 13.5 points on 44.7% shooting and 40.7% from deep. Knowing how much depth and assets the Heat had to sacrifice to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo, they desperately needed another reliable bucket-getter. They got exactly that in Hardaway.
5. Landry Shamet (New York Knicks)
How acquired: Re-signed
The Knicks needed to retain key rotation pieces from their 2025–26 championship team, and keeping Shamet was a top priority. The reserve guard averaged 9.3 points and shot 39.2% on threes during the regular season, but truly exploded in the playoffs. He shot a blistering 47.5% from deep in the postseason, including a legendary 23-for-34 stretch during the Conference Semifinals, Conference Finals, and NBA Finals.
6. Anfernee Simons (Philadelphia 76ers)
How acquired: Free agency
While trading for Boston's Jaylen Brown was the Sixers' crown jewel of the summer, signing Anfernee Simons adds terrifying depth to an already elite roster. Simons, a two-time 20-ppg scorer, averaged 14.3 points last season while shooting 44.0% overall, 38.5% on threes, and 89.6% from the free-throw line.
7. Dean Wade (Philadelphia 76ers)
How acquired: Free agency
Alongside Simons, the Sixers secured 6-foot-9 forward-center Dean Wade. He represents the ideal modern role-player: a big man who can stretch the floor, grab key rebounds, move the ball intelligently, and provide highly versatile defensive coverage against multiple positions.
8. Luke Kennard (Phoenix Suns)
How acquired: Free agency
The Suns added elite perimeter gravity by signing Kennard to a two-year contract. Kennard is one of the league's most lethal marksmen, having shot an incredible 47.8% from three-point range last season.
9. Collin Gillespie (Phoenix Suns)
How acquired: Re-signed
Undrafted but highly determined, Gillespie enjoyed a breakout third year in Phoenix. Over 80 games, he posted career highs in scoring (12.7 ppg), assists (4.6 apg), rebounds (4.1 rpg), and steals (1.2 spg) in 28.5 minutes per game. He shot 41.8% overall and 40.1% on threes, earning a well-deserved four-year contract extension to lock down the Suns' backcourt alongside Kennard.
10. Julian Champagnie (San Antonio Spurs)
How acquired: Re-signed
Another incredible undrafted success story, Champagnie went from being waived early in his career to establishing himself as a vital starter for San Antonio. He averaged 11.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in the regular season, raising those numbers to 11.2 points and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 39.6% on threes in the playoffs. With Champagnie on the floor in 23 playoff games, the Spurs scored 112.7 points and allowed just 104.0 points per 100 possessions, proving his immense value to Gregg Popovich's system.