After a flurry of NBA action over the past week that included trade agreements involving players like Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown, Paul George, Ja Morant, and Walker Kessler, the holiday weekend has provided a much-needed breather.

The break in the action likely won’t last long. The July moratorium is set to end on July 6, which means a ton of previously reported signings and trades will be formally completed on Monday and Tuesday. Often, the end of the moratorium brings a mini-rush of new moves as well, now that they can be officially finalized.

Before another busy week gets underway, I want to highlight a few under-the-radar offseason subplots that have caught my eye despite being overshadowed by splashier headlines.

The Ja Morant trade bonus that wasn’t

While most of the blockbuster trade agreements reached so far this summer weren’t able to be completed during the 2025/26 league year for various cap- or apron-related reasons, one major deal that could legally be made official in June was Portland’s acquisition of Morant. And both the Grizzlies and Trail Blazers had a major incentive to get that trade done as soon as possible — much to Morant’s chagrin, I imagine.