Lonzo, Powell, Bufkin: Every NBA Team's Regrets

The opening month of 2025-26 has become a ledger of offseason regrets: mis-timed trades (Kobe Bufkin), lost draft opportunities (Ryan Kalkbrenner), over-investing in redundant skill sets (Brooklyn’s playmaker spree), costly gambles (Myles Turner, Cameron Johnson) and glaring holes still unaddressed (Lakers’ spacing, Mavericks’ point guard void). Golden State’s Kuminga saga even carried Shams Charania’s line that the deal hinges “if and when Kuminga is traded during the upcoming season,” while Oklahoma City stands alone with “none detected.” Merlin sees front offices waking to structural errors — spacing, playmaking depth and timing — that injuries and market movement will only magnify. Some missteps can be patched at the trade deadline; others (big contracts, lost picks) will linger like a curse. Expect increasing wheeling and dealing as teams scramble to fix the mistakes they can still reverse.