The NBA season may have ended just recently, but the NBA offseason has already seen a myriad of big moves from contenders that may have NBA fans scratching their heads.

Most notably, the Boston Celtics, just two years removed from an NBA title and still very much in their championship window, traded away two key contributors in quick succession. The team sent guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and center Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Given how vital each of these players were to the team’s championship run in 2024, these moves seem atrocious at first glance.

However, the Celtics didn’t have much of a choice. The team needed to shed salary in order to get under the second apron threshold. But what is that?

Essentially, the apron system is a soft cap enforced on every team in the league. It is a series of payroll markers that, once crossed, invoke serious penalties on each team that crosses them. These penalties are severe and can damage an organization’s long-term ability to build a championship contender.

NBA players like four-time champion Draymond Green have already expressed discontent with the system, claiming that it prevents the creation of super teams, which has always been a huge draw for NBA fans. Unfortunately for Green, the second apron was agreed upon by the National Basketball Players’ Association when negotiating the latest CBA in 2023.

Here’s everything to know about the NBA’s controversial financial rule.

When did the aprons first come into effect?

The apron system came into effect as part of the 2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement and began prior to the 2024 season.

What are the limits for the aprons this year?

For the upcoming 2025-26 season, the salary cap is projected to be $154.6 million. Any team that crosses this threshold will be forced to pay the luxury tax. However, that hasn’t stopped teams from spending far beyond the luxury tax threshold in the past. The luxury tax threshold is set at $187.9 million.

The first apron does not come into effect until a team reaches $195.9 million for their payroll. The second apron is set at approximately $207.8 million, a $17.8 million increase from last year.

What are the penalties for crossing each threshold?

Penalties via Spotrac:

First apron:

Team loses access to sign-and-trades if the player acquired in the deal keeps the team above the first apron
Team cannot sign waived players with a salary above the mid-level exception ($12.8 million)
When trading, teams cannot use more than 100% in salary matching in a trade

Second apron (includes all first apron penalties):

Team loses access to the mid-level exception in free agency
Team cannot aggregate two or more player salaries in a trade
Team loses option to use trade exceptions agreed to in previous years
Team cannot send out cash in trade negotiations

Though not an immediate ramification of the second apron, any team that remains above the second apron threshold for three years of any five-year period will be forced to move their next first-round pick to the end of the first round, regardless of finish in the previous year or lottery results.

Which teams are currently above the apron thresholds?

Currently, the only teams in danger of opening the 2025-26 season above the second apron are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns (even after the Durant trade). The Boston Celtics were in that group, but the recent trades of Holiday and Porzingis have moved them out of the second apron. They are still above the first apron, though.

Other teams close to the second apron include the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks.

When does the NBA offseason begin?

The NBA offseason officially begins Monday, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET. Per USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt, ‘That’s when teams and players can start agreeing to terms of a contract. However, contracts can’t officially be signed until July 6.’

Teams will take another shot at re-signing their unrestricted free agents before they hit the open market. Restricted free agents could also land new deals.

The 30th is also the deadline for teams to buy out players’ contracts and also to decide whether to give a pending restricted free agent a qualifying offer. Players become unrestricted free agents if they are bought out or don’t get a qualifying offer.

There also could be trades, and the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights announced one.

Here’s a look at the action on June 30 heading into the July 1 start of NHL free agency:

Panthers reach deal with Brad Marchand, per report

Panthers GM Bill Zito has done it. Not official yet from the Panthers, but Marchand has joined fellow free agents Aaron Ekblad and Sam Bennett in staying with the back-to-back champions. It’s a six-year deal, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, averaging a little over $5 million. Sam Bennett (eight years, $8 million average) and Aaron Ekblad (eight years, $6.1 million) also agreed to team-friendly deals to try to build a dynasty. Marchand, who scored six goals in the Stanley Cup Final, will be 43 when his deal expires.

Blue Jackets reach deal with Ivan Provorov, per report

He’ll get $8.5 million over seven years, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. The Blue Jackets get a deal done with two key free agents after earlier re-signing defenseman Dante Fabbro.

Kings re-sign Andrei Kuzmenko for one year

Kuzmenko was traded twice last season but found a fit in Los Angeles. He scored 17 points in 22 games during the regular season and averaged a point a game in the playoffs. He’s making less in the new deal ($4.3 million) than last year ($5.5 million cap hit) but has a chance to bump that up next season if he builds on the end of last season.

Oilers reach deal with Evan Bouchard, per reports

He’ll average $10.5 million in the four-year contract, according to multiple reports. He’ll be the third $10 million player on the Oilers, following Leon Draisaitl ($14 million) and Connor McDavid ($12.5 million), who has another year on his contract. Bouchard averaged $3.9 million in last contract, a two-year bridge deal. During those two years, he totaled 32 goals and 149 points, reaching the Stanley Cup Final both seasons. The four-year deal will allow Bouchard to cash in later as the salary cap continues to rise.

Panthers reach terms with Aaron Ekblad, per report

He’s the second key free agent to return to the two-time champion Panthers. (Sam Bennett was the first and Brad Marchand is the other}. Ekblad takes a hometown discount with eight years at a reported $6.1 million, per TSN. He’s on the top pairing with Gustav Forslund and led the Panthers defense in regular season and playoff scoring despite time missed with suspensions. The Panthers had Seth Jones in case Ekblad left, but the team is much better with both on the blue line.

Islanders re-sign Alexander Romanov

The 25-year-old gets eight years at a reported $6.25 million cap hit. The second pair defenseman blocks shots and is known for his physical play with nearly 900 hits in his career. The Islanders got him locked in after their trade of defenseman Noah Dobson on draft day. New York drafted defenseman Matthew Schaefer No. 1 overall.

Maple Leafs acquire Matias Maccelli from Mammoth

The Mammoth get a conditional 2027 third round pick in return. Maccelli, 24, gets a fresh start after dropping to 18 points in 55 games this past season. But he can provide secondary scoring for Toronto after totaling 106 points over the two seasons before that. If he gets 51 points this season and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs, the third rounder becomes a 2029 second-round pick.

Red Wings trade Vladimir Tarasenko to Wild

Tarasenko has won two Stanley Cup titles but he disappointed with 33 points in his lone season in Detroit while averaging less than 15 minutes a game. He has another year on his contract at $4.75 million, so the Wild get secondary scoring at a reasonable price. Detroit gets future considerations in the deal.

Oilers re-sign forward Kasperi Kapanen

His one-year contract is worth $1.3 million. He scored the series-clinching goal against the Golden Knights in overtime and finished the playoffs with three goals and three assists in 12 games. The Oilers had claimed him off waivers in November.

Predators-Golden Knights trade

The Nashville Predators acquire defenseman Nicolas Hague and a conditional third-round pick from the Golden Knights in exchange for forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Nashville will retain 50 percent of Sissons’ salary. If Vegas wins two rounds in the 2026 playoffs, the Golden Knights will move a second-round pick instead.

Hague was a restricted free agent and Vegas needs to clear out cap space to prepare for free agency. He signed a four-year, $22 million contract with Nashville after the trade. He was the Golden Knights’ second round pick in 2017 and is a physical player with 572 hits. Sissons and Lauzon are entering the final years of their contracts.

Bruins re-sign three players

The Boston Bruins re-signed defenseman Henri Jokiharju (three years, $3 million average), forward John Beecher (one year, $900,000) and goaltender Michael DiPietro (two years, $812,500 average). Jokiharju averaged more than 21 minutes a game and had four assists in 18 games after arriving in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres. Beecher had 11 points in 78 games and DiPietro was the American Hockey League goalie of the year.

June 29 signings

Boston’s Morgan Geekie signed a six-year contract ($5.5 million average) after a breakout 33-goal season.
Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux signed a bonus-laden one-year deal with a $2 million base salary. The contract can be worth another $2.75 million in bonuses.
Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dante Fabbro will average $4.125 million in his four-year deal.

Top NHL free agents

Playoff MVP Sam Bennett and other pending free agents have already re-signed. Here’s a list of the top 20 available players.

On Monday, the Miami Dolphins agreed to a trade that sends the All-Pro cornerback to the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to the cornerback himself. In return, the Dolphins are reuniting with three-time All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, whom they originally drafted in the first round in 2018.

Rumors have been swirling around Ramsey since before the NFL draft, after Miami announced its mutual intentions to seek a trade. As the Dolphins entertained offers, it was unclear which team would come forward with the necessary compensation to complete a deal.

Ramsey still has four years remaining on his deal, including the entirety of a three-year, $72.3 million extension he signed prior to the 2024 season. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the trade to Pittsburgh included a $1.5 million raise for this season. Ramsey is expected to earn $26.6 million in 2025.

Despite his strong play, committing big money to the 30-year-old cornerback likely depressed the market. Still, the deal eventually came to fruition.

According to Over The Cap, Ramsey’s status as a post-June 1 trade means the Dolphins will get a $6.75 million cap hit in each of the next three seasons, plus a nearly $5 million hit in 2028. However, the move also saves them nearly $10 million in 2025 space, $18.3 million in 2026, $20.1 million in 2027, $31.2 million in 2028 and $12.4 million in 2029.

For the Steelers, Ramsey adds to a secondary that already looked strong on paper. Joey Porter Jr. and Beanie Bishop Jr. are two solid young players at cornerback, and veteran Darius Slay also signed on in free agency. With Fitzpatrick going back to the Dolphins as part of the trade, DeShon Elliott and free agent signee Juan Thornhill are expected to start at the two safety spots.

Jalen Ramsey trade details

Steelers receive:

CB Jalen Ramsey
TE Jonnu Smith
2027 seventh-round pick

Dolphins receive:

S Minkah Fitzpatrick
2027 fifth-round pick

It’s a straight-up, player-for-player trade, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Steelers add a strong piece to their secondary but lose another one. The same goes for the Dolphins, who bring back the safety they drafted with the No. 11 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Following the successful return of the college football franchise ― EA Sports College Football 25 ― by EA Sports in the summer of 2024, the company teased the return of the basketball rendition of the video game in a social media post on June 30.

‘Bring the Madness. Let’s run it back,’ the social media post by EA Sports read.

The game will feature both men’s and women’s basketball rosters.

The last installment of the EA College basketball franchise was ‘NCAA Basketball 10,’ which was made for the 2009-10 basketball season and was released on Nov. 17, 2008. The 2009 game featured Oklahoma star Blake Griffin on the cover.

The Miami Dolphins’ decision to include tight end Jonnu Smith in Monday’s blockbuster Jalen Ramsey-Minkah Fitzpatrick trade has rubbed one former Dolphin the wrong way.

On Monday morning, Miami traded Ramsey and Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Fitzpatrick and a late-round pick swap.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Raheem Mostert, who played for the Dolphins in 2015 and (more notably) from 2022 to 2024, slammed Miami on social media after the trade news broke.

‘Hot take: Be a Pro-bowler on the Dolphins, get treated like s—. Happy for my guys though! GO BALL OUT!!’ Mostert wrote on the social media site X.

Mostert made his first Pro Bowl in 2023, his ninth year as a pro, after leading the league with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Dolphins. That season was also Mostert’s first in which he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with 1,012 rushing yards on 209 carries.

Mostert began the 2024 season as Miami’s lead back, but a Week 1 injury kept him out of three subsequent games. By the time he returned, second-year De’Von Achane had done enough to take over the top spot on the depth chart.

The Dolphins released Mostert in February, and he subsequently signed a deal with the Raiders the following month.

The Dolphins’ decision to trade Smith months after he finished his first Pro Bowl season was enough to prompt a public reaction from Mostert, who alludes to feeling like he was treated similarly.

Smith had been in contract negotiations with Miami as he attempted to cash in on the most statistically productive season of his career. He ended up in a trade to Pittsburgh, where he received a one-year, $12 million extension as part of the deal.

The Raiders have not yet released an official depth chart, though Mostert is expected to split carries with rookie Ashton Jeanty in both players’ first year in Las Vegas.

In Pittsburgh, Smith reunites with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who has historically enjoyed deploying two-tight-end sets. For at least the next two seasons, Jonnu Smith will likely be paired with tight end Pat Freiermuth in the Steelers’ offense.

Nine of baseball’s top 22 minor-league prospects – and 31 of the top 50 – will be on display at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.

Teenage shortstop prospect Leo De Vries of the San Diego Padres is the highest ranked player on MLB Pipeline’s top 100 list, checking in at No. 3 overall. At age 18, the switch-hitter is the youngest player in the High-A Midwest League. He’s posted a .243/.357/.387 slash line this season with five home runs and six stolen bases in 63 games with the Fort Wayne (Indiana) TinCaps.

Joining De Vries on the National League squad managed by Braves Hall of Famer Chipper Jones will be Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (No. 5), St. Louis Cardinals shortstop JJ Weatherholt (No. 16), Milwaukee Brewers infielder Jesus Made (No. 18) and Rockies slugger Charlie Condon (No. 22).

The American League team, managed by former Braves outfielder Marquis Grissom, is headlined by three Detroit Tigers prospects: Outfielder Max Clark (No. 7 overall), shortstop Kevin McGonigle (No. 21) and catcher/first baseman Josue Briceño (No. 73).

Also on the AL squad are Texas Rangers shortstop Sebastian Wolcott (No. 9) and Chicago White Sox left-hander Noah Schultz (No. 13).

How to watch MLB Futures Game

The 26th annual All-Star Futures Game will be played at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 12, at Truist Park in Atlanta.

TV: MLB Network

Streaming: MLB.TV, MLB.com

Announcers: Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Yonder Alonso (analyst), Jonathan Mayo (analyst) and Sande Charles (reporter)

2025 Futures Game rosters

American League

Pitchers

29 Cijntje, Jurrangelo (SEA)
24 Gillies, Keagan (BAL)
23 Hopkins, Brody (TB)
18 Jump, Gage (ATH)
41 Klassen, George (LAA)
26 Messick, Parker (CLE)
17 Mozzicato, Frank (KC)
36 Santa, Alimber (HOU)
22 Schultz, Noah (CWS)
34 Yesavage, Trey (TOR)

Catchers

34 Briceño, Josue (DET)
6 Ford, Harry (SEA)
17 Jensen, Carter (KC)

Infielders

24 Culpepper, Kaelen (MIN)
12 Kayfus, CJ (CLE)
2 Lombard Jr., George (NNY)
5 Matthews, Brice (HOU)
21 McGonigle, Kevin (DET)
1 Walcott, Sebastian (TEX)
23 White, Tommy (ATH)

Outfielders

23 Bradfield Jr., Enrique (BAL)
13 Clark, Max (DET)
23 Garcia, Jhostynxon (BOS)
33 Montes, Lazaro (SEA)
14 Montgomery, Braden (CWS)

National League

Pitchers

55 Grissom Jr. Marquis (WSH)
99 Harris, Hayden (ATL)
16 Painter, Andrew (PHI)
60 Ritchie, JR (ATL)
13 Sykora, Travis (WSH)
16 Tong, Jonah (NYM)
39 Whisenhunt, Carson (SF)
28 White, Thomas (MIA)
41 Wiggins, Jaxon (CHC)

Catchers

16 Duno, Alfredo (CIN)
8 Mack, Joe (MIA)
13 Tait, Eduardo (PHI)

Infielders

24 Condon, Charlie (COL)
24 De Vries Leo (SD)
28 Griffin, Konnor (PIT)
4 Groover, LuJames (AZ)
12 Made, Jesús (MIL)
16 Stewart, Sal (CIN)
26 Wetherholt, JJ (STL)

Outfielders

10 Benge, Carson (NYM)
17 Caissie, Owen (CHC)
5 Caldwell, Slade (AZ)
46 De Paula Josue (LAD)
51 Hope, Zyhir (LAD)
44 Valdez, Esmerlyn (PIT)