NBA Free Agency Report Card Grades for Every Team

The NBA has been immersed in a free-agency feeding frenzy since teams officially gained access to this year's pool.

Many of the moves witnessed were predictable, while others came out of nowhere. Every team has been active in the market to a certain extent, with some engaging in more substantial acquisitions than others.

The goal of any team is to come out the other side of free agency a better organization as a result of any additions made. Has each team met this universal standard? 

Not at all.

Some teams have hit a home run in this year's market, while others have simply put up an air ball.

Atlanta Hawks

Free-Agent Signings: Tracy McGrady, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jannero Pargo, Willie Green and Jerry Stackhouse

The Atlanta Hawks have signed a wealth of athletes to help strengthen their bench.

That being said, the departure of Jamal Crawford weakened their bench significantly, so at best, they are as deep as they were last season.

Stackhouse and McGrady can provide offense, but not in the way Crawford could. Until Teague is fully healthy, Green serves as a solid insurance policy. As far as Pargo and Radmanovic go, don't expect them to make a major contribution.

Grade: C

Boston Celtics

Free-Agent Signings: Mickael Pietrus, Chris Wilcox, Greg Stiemsma, JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore and Sashsa Pavolic; re-signed Jeff Green and Marquise Daniels

The biggest splash the Boston Celtics have made is acquiring Brandon Bass from the Orlando Magic in exchange for Glen "Big Baby" Davis. Re-signing Jeff Green was no small feat either. The rest of their signings are geared toward general maintenance and solidifying the bench though.

With Green out for the season, Boston's focus will now shift to signing another a forward. If their actions thus far are any indication, they will likely play it safe in who they choose.

Had it not been for the unfortunate circumstances that have transpired, the Celtics' grade would be a bit higher. That being said, the Mickael Pietrus signing was a great move.

Grade: B+ 

Charlotte Bobcats

Free-Agent Signings: Reggie Williams, Cory Higgins and Derrick Brown

The Bobcats needed a shooter, and that's what they got in Williams. That being said, it's difficult to commend them for his two-year deal because he will be out for the first six to eight weeks of the condensed season. 

Derrick Brown never wanted to leave Charlotte, so his signing was a no-brainer. 

Why sign Cory Higgins after he was released by the Nuggets? Apparently you can never have too many guards, as Higgins makes five for Charlotte.

Also noteworthy is the fact that Rod Higgins, Cory's father, is the Bobcats president of basketball operations. Just saying.

Grade: C

Chicago Bulls

Free-Agent Signings: Richard Hamilton; re-signed Brian Scalabrine

The Bulls were in dire need of a competent backcourt mate for Derrick Rose, and Richard Hamilton was a great route to take. He provides instant offense and has rendered Chicago the favorites to come out of the East.

Brian Scalabrine toughness is understated, and re-signing him was yet another solid move by the Bulls.

Grade: A 

Cleveland Cavaliers

Free-Agent Signings: Re-signed Anthony Parker

Anthony Parker is a stellar shooter and a tenacious defender, and bringing him back was a smart move for the Cavaliers.

Parker's signing has become even more pivotal now that Baron Davis is long gone. His level-headed presence and experience will be welcomed as Cleveland looks to groom Kyrie Irving into a star point guard.

Grade: B

Dallas Mavericks

Free-Agent Signings: Vince Carter, Sean Williams, Delonte West and Brandan Wright; re-signed Brian Cardinal

The Mavericks got a capable scorer in Vince Carter and a savvy perimeter veteran in Delonte West, yet their most eventful free-agency move came when they trade Tyson Chandler to the Knicks.

Chandler's departure left a 7'1" hole though, and it's one that Dallas did not address, or could not address thanks to a shallow pool of talent. 

Brian Cardinal's return was a smart move, as he has performed fairly well in his time with the Mavs.

Grade: B-

Denver Nuggets

Free-Agent Signings: Michael Ruff; re-signed Nene Hilario and Arron Afflalo

After losing two key wing players to China in J.R. Smith and Wilson Chandler, the Nuggets desperately needed to retain the ever-improving Arron Afflalo, and they did just that.

In a center-dominated league, it was also important that Denver keep Nene Hilario, and again, they did just that.

Afflalo and Nene will allow the Nuggets to remain competitive in the brutal Western Conference.

Grade: B 

Detroit Pistons

Free-Agent Signings: Damien Wilkins; re-signed Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince

Damien Wilkins will be a great veteran presence to have in the locker room, rendering him a solid addition. Bringing back Tayshaun Prince was also a stellar move, as he is a proven leader with plenty of gas left in the tank. 

Stuckey's three-year deal wasn't a bad one, but it wasn't a great one either. Retaining Stuckey was a necessity more than anything else, thanks to the departure of Richard Hamilton.

Grade: B

Golden State Warriors

Free-Agent Signings: Kwame Brown and Dominic McGuire; claimed Ish Smith off of waivers from Memphis

Andris Biedrins is not the solution for the Warriors at center, and they could have done much worse than Kwame Brown. He never blossomed into a superstar, but he should be able to lock down the low post defensively for Golden State.

Outside of that though, nothing major is happening on the Warriors' front. 

Grade: B-

Houston Rockets

Free-Agent Signings: Samuel Dalembert and Jeff Adrien; claimed Jeremy Lin off of waivers from Golden State

After missing out on Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler and Nene Hilario, the Rockets needed to land a big man. They landed just that in Samuel Dalembert, who will help sure up the middle as Houston eyes the postseason.

The best part about Dalembert's contract is it comes with very little risk. Essentially, it can become a one-year deal if Houston wishes, and that's a bargain.

Grade: B-

Indiana Pacers

Free-Agent Signings: David West; re-signed Jeff Foster

Jeff Foster remains a solid low-post player. The real story here is David West.

When healthy, West is an athlete with the capability to make a two-way impact. However, his knee problems have left some serious doubt as to whether or not he can withstand the rigors of an NBA season.

This signing has the potential to pay large dividends, but it is not without substantial risk.

Grade: B

Los Angeles Clippers

Free-Agent Signings: Caron Butler, Chauncey Billups and Reggie Evans; re-signed DeAndre Jordan

The Chris Paul acquisition stole the show for the Clippers but their other additions cannot be overlooked.

Reggie Evans helps provide size, and Caron Butler and Chauncey Billups are instant offense when healthy. Los Angeles is clearly going to great lengths to ensure a Blake Griffin and Paul success.

DeAndre Jordan's return was expected, but he should flourish under Paul's direction. The point guard revived Tyson Chandler's career, and is now poised to create one for Jordan.

Health is the only factor that prevents these signings from being deemed perfect.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Lakers

Free-Agent Signings: Jason Kapono, Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts

Josh McRoberts is very talented big man, but he is no Lamar Odom or Dwight Howard. His defense will be welcomed in the low post, as will his rebounding.

Jason Kapono gives the Lakers an extremely lethal long-range threat, but health is an issue for him. The same goes for Troy Murphy, only he is more of a liability on defense.

Los Angeles only created new holes to fill this offseason, instead of addressing more important ones, specifically that of a starting point guard.

Grade: C-

Memphis Grizzlies

Free-Agent Signings: Dante Cunningham; Re-signed Marc Gasol

Dante Cunningham was a solid pick-up but it's re-signing Marc Gasol that made Memphis' offseason a home run. Gasol's stock is on the rise, and it was imperative that the Grizzlies keep him in Memphis.

Without Gasol, the Grizzlies would have had a gaping hole in the middle, and would have no longer been considered a team to fear in the West. He has a great touch around the basket, and has the potential to become a lockdown defender.

Retaining Gasol has allowed Memphis to keep the same core from last year intact, rendering them an organization to be taken seriously. 

And don't be surprised if Gasol is considered a superstar by the end of this season.

Grade: A

Miami Heat

Free-Agent Signings: Shane Battier and Eddy Curry; re-signed Mario Chalmers

Shane Battier may still be sidelined, but he will prove to be a great pickup for the Heat. While he is a competent scorer, he is superb on the other end of the floor. Battier is one of the few players in the league who can quickly diagnose and then exploit an opponent's weaknesses.

Keeping Mario Chalmers was a must. He is a solid player who understands his role on the team, and do not underestimate the value of that.

Miami really dropped the ball on the Eddy Curry signing. They wold have had a perfect offseason if it wasn't for this addition. He brings their grade down significantly, and it would not be surprising for him to see him sidelined for the entire season, again.

Grade: B

Milwaukee Bucks

Free-Agent Signings: Mike Dunleavy; re-signed Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is not much of a scorer, but he is widely considered one of the best defenders in the NBA. 

At 6'8", he can defend four out of the five positions on the court. He is a strong rebounder and isn't averse to hard work. For the services he provides, four years and $18.7 million is a reasonable number to pay him.

Mike Dunleavy has also joined the party and gives the Bucks some much-needed scoring off the bench.

Grade: B

Minnesota Timberwolves

Free-Agent Signings: J.J. Barea and Bonzi Wells

Giving Bonzi Wells an opportunity is not a mistake. At his peak, he could score, pass and rebound with the best of them. If he can do any of those things even half as well, he is a great pickup.

J.J. Barea's signing is a different story. While he proved to be a stellar point guard last season, the Timberwolves are essentially investing $19 million in him because he has won a championship.

Minnesota already had a sufficient number of point guards, and Barea was not a clear upgrade over either of them. Inking him was not a good move.

Grade: D

New Jersey Nets

Free-Agent Signings: Shelden Williams, DeShawn Stevenson Ime Udoka and Shawne Williams; re-signed Kris Humphries

Kris Humphries had a career year with the Nets last season, averaging a double-double, so it makes sense for them to have brought him back. He also only inked a one-year deal, meaning he poses little risk to New Jersey.

Shelden Williams provides the Nets with a strong low-post player. When he is on his game he can block a lot of shots and even put up some points; he will prove to be a key signing now that Brook Lopez is sidelined.

Shawne Williams has also joined the roster, giving New Jersey a strong outside shooter and tough defender. DeShawn Stevenson''s presence should help a great deal as well.

While the Nets did not sign a star to pair with Deron Williams, they have surrounded him with capable talent for the interim, and have done so without killing their chances of acquiring another superstar. It also doesn't hurt that Andrei Kirilenko seems to be on the way either.

Grade: A 

New Orleans Hornets

Free-Agent Signings: Re-signed Carl Landry, Marco Belinelli, Jason Smith and Gustavo Ayon.

After dealing Chris Paul, the Hornets made a number of necessary moves, re-signing players who were familiar with the system.

Carl Landry is the most important signing of them all, as New Orleans would have had no other options at power forward now that David West is with the Pacers. The team beefed up the middle a bit, with the recent signing of Gustavo Ayon, but barely-English speaking athlete won't make an immediate impact.

Nothing out of the Hornets' free-agency playbook is noteworthy though, and they would be doing themselves a favor by procuring an extra veteran presence on this incredibly young team.

Grade: C 

New York Knicks

Free-Agent Signings: Tyson Chandler, Baron Davis, Mike Bibby and Jerome Jordan; claimed Steve Novak and Jeremy Lin off of waivers from San Antonio; re-signed Jared Jeffries

The Knicks were more active in the free-agent market than was first anticipated, landing a number of key players.

New York acquired Chandler in a sign-and-trade, and while the center is a defensive guru, his past transgressions and bloated salary are of major concern. His signing was, in fact, not a great one.

Jerome Jordan was a necessary addition and added even more size. Jeffries is an offensive liability, but he excels on defense and can run the floor well. He is also familiar with the team's system. Steve Novak will help out on the perimeter as well.

Baron Davis may be the best acquisition for the Knicks this offseason though. He is sidelined for now, but once he is healthy, he is a two-way floor general and could be the difference between New York contending for a title and simply cruising into a low-seed playoff spot. His discounted salary also helps balance out some of Chandler's unwarranted pay grade.

Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder

Free-Agent Signings: Re-signed Daequan Cook

The Thunder's "if it's not broke, don't fix it" approach to free agency is a great one, as their best chance at improving lies with the development of their young players, including James Harden, Serge Ibaka, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Daequan Cook is a solid role player and will give the team some quality minutes off the bench. He is now familiar with the system and has a clear idea of what his role on the team is.

The best option for Oklahoma City was to make as few moves as possible, and they did just that, this signing being more of a lateral one.

Grade: A-

Orlando Magic

Free-Agent Signings: Glen Davis and Larry Hughes; re-signed Jason Richardson

The Magic's free-agency moves have been slightly confusing.

Orlando gave up Brandon Bass, a budding young talent, in a sign-and-trade for Glen "Big Baby" Davis. They also re-signed Jason Richardson.

Neither move is a terrible one, although Bass should have been a player they held onto, and neither move helps them secure Dwight Howard long-term either. Howard craves another star to play with, and by trading Bass, Orlando has perhaps restricted themselves even further in what they can offer other teams.

Grade: C

Philadelphia 76ers

Free-Agent Signings: Re-signed Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes and Tony Battie

The 76ers have made numerous lateral moves throughout free agency thus far, which is both good and bad.

Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes are two promising young talents that Philadelphia would have been foolish to give up on, and Tony Battie provides some much-needed size off the bench.

That being said, it's clear this team is in need of a change, as well as a direction. They accomplished neither based on what they have done thus far.

Grade: B- 

Phoenix Suns

Free-Agent Signings: Sebastian Telfair and Shannon Brown; re-signed Grant Hill

Surprisingly, Sebastian Telfair was a solid pickup for the Suns. He came cheap and provides Phoenix with a backup for Steve Nash. It also gives him an opportunity to show the rest of the league he was not a waste of talent.

Shannon Brown was a great signing, as it seems he is finally going to get some major minutes, allowing us to gauge how effective an athlete he actually is. Retaining Grant Hill was an easy decision as well. He provides efficient veteran leadership and proven production, two attributes that are hard to find.

The Suns are in rebuilding mode, and their job right now is take chances on a few promising young players, while developing their incoming rookies' games. A few leadership pieces are also key.

Phoenix has satisfied all of the above.

Grade: A-

Portland Trail Blazers

Free-Agent Signings: Jamal Crawford and Kurt Thomas; re-signed Greg Oden

The Blazers already had most of their core in tact as the NBA opened its doors for business and just needed a few minor touch-ups.

Once Brandon Roy was forced to retire, Jamal Crawford's acquisition became huge. He will play an even more pivotal role for Portland than first realized. Landing the savvy Kurt Thomas was a good move as well. It cost them two guaranteed years, but the guy is a workhorse on both ends of the ball.

And believe it or not, retaining Greg Oden was not a bad move. Should he ever come back healthy, the Blazers are left with a talented big man in the low post. If he doesn't? The team is at a point where they can afford to gamble because they have so much talent already on the docket.

Credit the Blazers for making an already-strong team even stronger.

Grade: A

Sacramento Kings

Free-Agent Signings: Re-signed Marcus Thornton; claimed Travis Outlaw off of waivers from New Jersey

Marcus Thornton is a talented young shooter, and the Kings were smart to hold onto him, but at four years and $31 million, his price tag is a little high. Sacramento already has a bevy of talented shooters on the roster and would have been better served offering less and using the difference on another big man.

Travis Outlaw was a stellar pickup. He will provide even more shooting to this perimeter-heavy team. That being said, Kings should have put even more of an emphasis on their low-post situation; obtaining pieces to the puzzle that you already have in place is overkill.

Chuck Hayes' return boosts their grade substantially though, and makes the Kings' decision to pass on Dalembert a smart one.

Grade: B-

San Antonio Spurs

Free-Agent Signings: T.J. Ford

Speaking of overkill, signing T.J. Ford is arguably overloading the Spurs backcourt. That being said, with an aging Manu Ginobili and apparently volatile Tony Parker, you can never be too careful.

Parker, Ford and Gary Neal will all see time at both the 1 and 2 slots, and don't be surprised to see Corey Joseph enter the fold either.

While Ford was a solid addition, one would have expected the Spurs to solidify their frontcourt situation at least a little bit.

Grade: C-

Toronto Raptors

Free-Agent Signings: Aaron Gray, Jamaal Magloire, Anthony Carter and Rasual Butler

No doubt that the Raptors have added depth to their team, but they have done nothing to visibly improve their team.

Aaron Gray and Jamaal Magloire add size, Anthony Carter is a great defender and Rasual Butler can score, but none of the above are starting-caliber players.

Toronto desperately needed to get better, yet they barely improved their circumstances, if at all.

Grade: F

Utah Jazz

Free-Agent Signings: Josh Howard; re-signed Earl Watson

If Josh Howard can stay healthy, he will actually be an upgrade at the small forward position for the Jazz.

At his best, Howard can score on command and grab a bunch of rebounds. He can get to the basket and will provide some much-needed veteran leadership on this inexperienced Utah team.

Additionally, Howard's one-year contract presents a low risk. If it doesn't work it, the Jazz are able to part ways with the 31-year-old.

At this stage of the game for Utah, Andrei Kirilenko was too expensive an option and did not fit into future plans. Howard was the right choice.

Grade: B

Washington Wizards

Free-Agent Signings: Maurice Evans and Hamady Ndiaye; Re-signed Nick Young

Maurice Evans and Hamady Ndiaye are decent retainments, but the key re-signing was Nick Young.

Young is a scoring machine, and a backcourt of he and John Wall could prove quite formidable. He still has some adjustments to make, but is young enough where he can still develop his game without sacrificing too much.

It would have been wise of the Wizards to pursue a legitimate small forward though. Evans is only a role player, and having Jordan Crawford and Nick Young rotate minutes at the 3 in a short lineup will only get you so far.

Grade: B-

You can follow Dan Favale on Twitter @Dan_Favale.