Every NBA Team's Final Offseason Grade
The NBA never fails to excite. Plot twists abound, friends become enemies, enemies become friends, powerful alliances form and dissolve in a blink, and the drama refuses to relent.
And all that happens without any actual games being played.
The 2023 offseason somehow featured more intrigue than usual, with Damian Lillard turning the Milwaukee Bucks into a seemingly indomitable superpower, only for the Boston Celtics to counter by adding former Buck Jrue Holiday.
We saw coaches fired as early as May, draft-night fireworks in June, a blockbuster deal that brought former Golden State Warriors nemesis Chris Paul to the Bay Area in July and more league-altering swaps in August and September than anyone could have imagined.
Clearly, we have a lot of ground to cover as we hand out grades to each team for its offseason business.
As always, we'll consider an organization's goals so we're not judging contenders and tankers as if there's no difference between them. We'll focus on signings and trades while also taking a broader look at everything that happened during the summer.
Let's see who passed, failed and aced the offseason.
Atlanta Hawks
1 of 30
Grade: C-
Key Additions: Wesley Matthews, Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin (R), Mouhamed Gueye (R), Seth Lundy (R)
Key Subtractions: John Collins, Aaron Holiday
Key Retentions: Dejounte Murray
The Atlanta Hawks don't get credit for the change that should impact their 2023-24 season most: replacing head coach Nate McMillan with Quin Snyder. That move happened with just 23 games remaining in the 2022-23 campaign. Considering Snyder's success with the Utah Jazz, where he compiled a 372-264 record while guiding the team to six straight seasons among the top 10 in point differential, the Hawks are bound to improve on last year's .500 mark.
Other than Dejounte Murray's four-year, $117 million extension, which will look more and more like a bargain as time passes, Atlanta's transactions failed to impress.
John Collins' departure in a trade to the Jazz concluded a drawn-out saga in which the promising forward's value plummeted. In 2019-20, a 22-year-old Collins averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds while shooting 40.1 percent from deep. Flash forward, and all Atlanta could get from Utah for Collins was Rudy Gay (since waived), a 2026 second-round pick via the Memphis Grizzlies and a $23 million trade exception a notoriously tax-averse organization probably won't even use.
Boston Celtics
2 of 30
Grade: A
Key Additions: Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis, Oshae Brissett, Lamar Stevens, Jordan Walsh (R)
Key Subtractions: Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala
Key Retentions: Jaylen Brown
The Boston Celtics raised their ceiling and lowered their floor by exchanging Marcus Smart for Kristaps Porziņģis in one of the offseason's most significant trades. Or at least it seemed that way until Boston swung another blockbuster to bring Jrue Holiday aboard in exchange for Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon and a pair of future first-round picks.
The Holiday move replaces what was lost on D when Smart departed while also adding All-Star-caliber offensive production in the backcourt.
Porziņģis will give the Celtics immense front-line size, elite stretch from the center spot and a weapon to punish switches in the mid- and low-post areas. He also brings major injury risk.
If Porziņģis stays healthy and adds enough new dimensions to an offense that always bogged down in the postseason, and if the Celtics can figure out how to survive with suddenly diminished depth up front, this team could be an absolute monster. That'll be especially true if Oshae Brissett can give Boston 10 good minutes per night on the wing, which would allow Jayson Tatum to play more power forward when necessary.
Lastly, credit the Celtics for spending what it took to keep Brown on a max extension and then undertaking a bold retooling that makes the team a more dangerous title contender.
Brooklyn Nets
3 of 30
Grade: C+
Key Additions: Noah Clowney (R), Dariq Whitehead (R), Dennis Smith Jr., Lonnie Walker IV, Harry Giles
Key Subtractions: Joe Harris, Seth Curry, Patty Mills, Yuta Watanabe, Edmund Sumner
Key Retentions: Cameron Johnson
The above-average mark we're giving the Brooklyn Nets owes mainly to Cameron Johnson's four-year contract. The 27-year-old forward shot over 40.0 percent from long distance on good volume in each of the last two seasons while also grading out as a plus defender. Locking him down for a guaranteed total of $90 million was a nice piece of business in an otherwise quiet summer.
Brooklyn dumped Joe Harris on the strangely vet-hungry Detroit Pistons, which wiped his $19.9 million 2023-24 salary off the books and replaced it with a trade exception—all at the reasonable cost of two distant second-round picks. Those savings may have made the Nets feel better about handing Johnson his new deal.
Dennis Smith Jr. is one of the better on-ball defenders among point guards, and Lonnie Walker IV essentially won the Los Angeles Lakers a playoff game when he erupted for 15 fourth-quarter points against the Warriors in Game 4 of the West semifinals last May. Neither minimum signing is a surefire difference-maker, but both bring more upside than most bargain-bin acquisitions.
Charlotte Hornets
4 of 30
Grade: D
Key Additions: Brandon Miller (R), Nick Smith Jr. (R), Frank Ntilikina, Edmund Sumner
Key Subtractions: Kelly Oubre Jr., Dennis Smith Jr., Svi Mykhailiuk
Key Retentions: LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, P.J. Washington
Considering Michael Jordan's tenure as majority owner was marked by thriftiness, uninspired front-office hires and a general lack of direction, his decision to sell the team to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall for $3 billion should usher in a brighter day—if only by default.
It's not really fair to credit the front office for a move above it in the org chart, but we can evaluate the Charlotte decision-makers on the supermax extension they gave LaMelo Ball, which was totally justifiable. Injuries and a lack of supporting talent made 2022-23 a lost year for the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, but Ball has already been an All-Star and guided the Hornets to a 43-39 record two seasons ago. If his five-year, $205.9 million deal rises higher because Ball plays well enough to bump it up to a full 35 percent of the cap, Charlotte should be glad to fork over the extra cash.
P.J. Washington also returns on a three-year, $48 million pact after a protracted restricted free agency. That'll age well even if Washington is more of a rotation piece than a starter going forward.
All of those positives were necessary for Charlotte to avoid a failing grade because its most consequential move, choosing Alabama wing Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson at No. 2 in the draft, could be a franchise-altering mistake.
Henderson has superstar upside falling out of his pockets, while Miller, according to most of his pre-draft evaluations, lacks that same potential. The Hornets aren't good enough to make draft decisions—especially ones this high in the lottery—on a positional basis. So what if Henderson, a point guard, overlaps with Ball? In this situation, you have to take the guy with the most upside.
Chicago Bulls
5 of 30
Grade: D+
Key Additions: Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig, Julian Phillips (R)
Key Subtractions: Patrick Beverley, Derrick Jones Jr.
Key Retentions: Nikola Vučević, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu
Nikola Vučević's three-year, $60 million deal is defensible in light of the center's steady production. Vooch averaged exactly 17.6 points, 11.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 2021-22 and 2022-23. But he's heading into his age-33 season, has always been a suspect defender and is representative of the Bulls' general willingness to settle for "good enough."
That overarching lack of ambition also shows up in Chicago's failure to trade either Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan, non-moves that signal contentment with a first-round-elimination playoff ceiling. Few teams are more in need of a teardown than this one, but the Bulls instead ran it back by holding onto their highly paid wings and retaining Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu in addition to Vučević.
Jevon Carter is worth more than the $19.5 million he'll get over the next three years, and maybe rookie Julian Phillips will pop. Overall, though, the Bulls didn't use the 2023 offseason to dismount the mediocrity treadmill. A big-market team with a passionate fanbase deserves more than this.
Cleveland Cavaliers
6 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Max Strus, Georges Niang, Ty Jerome, Damion Jones, Tristan Thompson, Emoni Bates (R)
Key Subtractions: Robin Lopez, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens, Raul Neto
Key Retentions: Caris LeVert
A thin free-agent market was always going to make it tricky for the Cleveland Cavaliers to fill their glaring hole at small forward, a positional weakness that contributed to their disappointing first-round elimination last postseason. Though much of the focus fell on Evan Mobley for failing to succeed as a roll man against a packed-in New York Knicks defense, Cleveland's lack of a threatening shooter at the 3 was the reason Mobley had no room to breathe in the paint.
Enter Max Strus, acquired via sign-and-trade from the Miami Heat. He's a career 37.1 percent sniper from deep, and his willingness to fire at high volume means he'll command far more attention than Isaac Okoro, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens or anyone else who played alongside the Cavs' top quartet of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and Mobley. Deep playoff experience and defensive grit mean Strus should start and close all of Cleveland's biggest games.
Arguably the best fit available, nobody needed Strus more than the Cavs. He'll join Georges Niang in what should be a more balanced and effective perimeter attack. If everything breaks right, the Cavs will sustain their excellent defensive numbers (first in 2022-23; sixth the year prior) while adding the ideal offensive reinforcements.
Dallas Mavericks
7 of 30
Grade: B+
Key Additions: Grant Williams, Richaun Holmes, Seth Curry, Derrick Jones Jr., Dante Exum, Dereck Lively II (R), Olivier Maxence-Prosper (R)
Key Subtractions: Christian Wood, Dāvis Bertāns, Reggie Bullock, JaVale McGee, Justin Holiday, Frank Ntilikina
Key Retentions: Kyrie Irving, Dwight Powell, Markieff Morris
The Dallas Mavericks did well to limit Kyrie Irving's new deal to three years (player option on the third) and $120 million. Operating from a tough spot after surrendering rotation pieces and a first-round pick to acquire Irving last year, Dallas couldn't afford to lose him for nothing in free agency. But the only thing more damaging than an Irving walkaway would have been handing the mercurial (but preposterously talented) guard the full five-year, $272 million bag for which he was eligible.
The Mavs' offseason could look worse if Cason Wallace plays well for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Then again, Dallas got off Dāvis Bertāns' contract while trading Wallace, moving down two spots to select Dereck Lively II. The savings and flexibility alone might have been worth it, especially if Lively flashes his interior defensive potential right away.
Seth Curry and his career 43.5 percent hit rate from three-point range will space the floor, while Grant Williams will inject intensity and provide small-ball lineup options. Nitpickers could point to the lack of a shutdown defensive wing on the roster, but precious few of those were available on the market.
Oh, and while it's difficult to account for something like this in a transaction-based set of offseason grades, Luka Dončić's apparent summertime slim-down might matter more than any deal Dallas swung.
Denver Nuggets
8 of 30
Grade: C-
Key Additions: Justin Holiday, Julian Strawther (R), Jalen Pickett (R), Hunter Tyson (R)
Key Subtractions: Bruce Brown Jr., Jeff Green
Key Retentions: Reggie Jackson, DeAndre Jordan
If Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are ready for consistent rotation-level responsibilities, the Denver Nuggets' offseason of attrition may be quickly forgotten. Braun's defense and hustle were legitimate weapons during Denver's title run, leaving his shooting as the only major uncertainty ahead of his sophomore campaign. Watson, a 6'8" wing with dynamic athleticism, has breakout potential. But he logged just 186 minutes all of last year.
Struggles from Denver's pair of second-year players could highlight the void created by Bruce Brown Jr.'s departure. A stopper, point guard, roll man and spot-up shooter by turns, Brown gave the Nuggets a little bit of everything in 2022-23. It's a lot to ask of Braun and Watson to cover so many bases this early in their careers.
The Nuggets couldn't realistically pay the market rate to keep Brown, though, which makes his exit disappointing but understandable. We shouldn't be so forgiving of the Reggie Jackson retention. It remains a mystery how he got more than the minimum and a player option for 2024-25 after shooting 38.3 percent from the field in 16 games with Denver last season.
While the limited financial flexibility that comes from fielding a title-winning roster is mostly to blame, the Nuggets are down two rotation players and look worse on paper than they did a year ago.
Detroit Pistons
9 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Joe Harris, Monte Morris, Ausar Thompson (R), Marcus Sasser (R)
Key Subtractions: Cory Joseph, Hamidou Diallo (unsigned), Rodney McGruder, R.J. Hampton
Key Retentions: Isaiah Stewart
The Detroit Pistons seem to believe in the value of veteran leadership. Monte Morris and Joe Harris are on board to help develop a young core led by Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and No. 5 pick Ausar Thompson.
Detroit actually got two future second-rounders from the Nets to take on Harris, whose spotty health record shouldn't overshadow his career 43.7 percent knockdown rate from deep. He'll make $19.9 million in the last year of his deal. All it cost to land Morris (also on an expiring contract) from the rebuilding Washington Wizards was a second-round pick, well worth it for a steady, low-end starting point guard who can teach Ivey a thing or two about the nuances of the position.
Thompson was the correct pick at No. 5. His highlight reel from summer-league play features flashes of game-changing defensive ability. Also a useful ball-handler with good passing instincts and elite transition scoring chops, Thompson might only be a reliable jumper away from stardom.
Detroit is still in the early stages of its ascent, but its offseason brought on both short- and long-term talent boosts. The Pistons managed that while locking up Isaiah Stewart on a $60 million extension and committing no bad money elsewhere.
Golden State Warriors
10 of 30
Grade: B+
Key Additions: Chris Paul, Dario Sarić, Cory Joseph, Rudy Gay, Brandin Podziemski (R), Trayce Jackson-Davis (R)
Key Subtractions: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green, Ty Jerome, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins
Key Retentions: Draymond Green
Worries about top executive Bob Myers' departure appear to have been overblown. The most successful front-office leader in franchise history stepped down in May after guiding the Golden State Warriors to four championships in 12 years, but replacement Mike Dunleavy Jr.'s first offseason in charge went exceedingly well.
Draymond Green's four-year, $100 million extension proved the organization's commitment to continuity.
Golden State also cut ties with Jordan Poole after a disappointing season that culminated in some of the worst playoff defense anyone's ever seen. Sending him to the Washington Wizards in a deal centered on Chris Paul will provide across-the-board benefits. It rids the Dubs of a costly young player who was never going to fit in the wake of Punchgate, adds financial flexibility and potentially addresses the team's top two offensive weaknesses.
If Paul is open to a reserve role, he'll give the Warriors a second-unit leader who can reliably create offense and, hopefully, help the team avoid repeating last year's No. 29 ranking in turnover rate.
Dario Sarić, two years removed from his torn ACL, is an ideal pick-and-pop threat who'll fit into the Warriors' small-ball preferences at center. Expect him to reprise Nemanja Bjelica's vital role from the 2021-22 championship season, only with more willingness to do the dirty work.
Golden State skewed toward veterans, drafted rookies noted for their high basketball IQs and retooled with an eye toward putting together one or two more all-out title runs.
Houston Rockets
11 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Reggie Bullock, Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday, Jock Landale, Amen Thompson (R), Cam Whitmore (R)
Key Subtractions: Josh Christopher, TyTy Washington Jr., Usman Garuba, Frank Kaminsky, K.J. Martin, Daishen Nix
Key Retentions: Boban Marjanović
The most significant upgrade of the Houston Rockets' offseason won't play a minute for the team. Ime Udoka, who guided the Celtics to the 2022 Finals, replaces Stephen Silas as head coach. The gravitas and unflinching commitment to defense Udoka brings (along with that very recent Finals trip) should have a hugely positive impact on a young Houston roster that played alarmingly undisciplined basketball under Silas.
The Rockets also spent big in smart ways, inking Fred VanVleet to a three-year deal worth an eye-popping $128.5 million. But the third year of that contract is a team option, which means Houston is only on the hook for two years at a max rate. Considering VanVleet is the kind of professional and experienced guard the Rockets need to organize their operation, that's well worth a big chunk of cash over a short stretch of time. Dillon Brooks may be overpaid at up to $90 million across four years, but he'll ratchet up the intensity and bring a premium defensive presence on the wing. If he can keep his shot selection in check, he'll be a helpful addition to the first unit.
Houston is still rebuilding, which is why its rousing success in the draft matters even more than its excellent work in free agency. Amen Thompson was the easy choice after Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson were off the board, but landing Cam Whitmore all the way down at No. 20 was an absolute heist. Whitmore's stock fell ahead of the draft due to reported concerns about everything from his medicals to character issues, but the fact remains Houston landed a top-10 talent in the late first round.
Indiana Pacers
12 of 30
Grade: A
Key Additions: Bruce Brown Jr., Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker (R), Ben Sheppard (R)
Key Subtractions: Chris Duarte, Oshae Brissett, George Hill, James Johnson
Key Retentions: Tyrese Haliburton
The Indiana Pacers weren't nearly as active as the Rockets team we just covered, but they earn an even higher grade because they didn't make a single mistake in a banner offseason.
The easiest move of all was extending Tyrese Haliburton on a five-year max contract that could be worth up to $260 million. The Pacers secured the services of one of the league's best young players through 2028-29, ensuring everyone that populates the roster between now and then will get to work with a truly elite force multiplier. Haliburton's court vision, unselfishness and creativity make everyone around him better.
It also doesn't hurt that, at 22, he became the first player in NBA history to average at least 20.0 points and 10.0 assists while hitting over 40.0 percent of his threes. That production is worth an investment of a quarter-billion dollars.
Indy also snagged Obi Toppin from the New York Knicks for a pair of second-rounders. The 25-year-old never found a niche in New York, but he's a premium athlete with a developing three-point shot (34.4 percent last season) who'll thrive in the Pacers' transition-focused attack. Rookie Jarace Walker should split time at the 4 with Toppin, bringing defensive versatility and playmaking next to Myles Turner.
Lastly, the Bruce Brown deal was a stroke of genius. Indiana spent $45 million over two years to land the former Nugget, but the second year is a team option. Basically, the Pacers landed a versatile two-way guard who can help them now or become a trade chip coveted by every contender in the league. That's a win-win and a brilliant use of cap space.
Los Angeles Clippers
13 of 30
Grade: C+
Key Additions: K.J. Martin, Josh Primo, Kobe Brown (R)
Key Subtractions: Eric Gordon
Key Retentions: Russell Westbrook, Mason Plumlee
The Los Angeles Clippers did well to get Russell Westbrook back on a two-year deal worth just $7.8 million, the most they could offer. That may merely be a reflection on the lack of broader market interest in Russ, but it's not the reason L.A. exits the offseason with a slightly above-average mark.
The Clips earn their C-plus on the strength of the moves they didn't make.
Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are eligible for four-year extensions worth up to $220 million, and with the season mere weeks away, no such offers appear forthcoming. It'd be easy for the Clippers to fork over the cash, thinking they have no alternative to keeping their top two stars regardless of cost. Considering the hefty price paid to acquire them in the first place—both in salary and the picks it took to land George in the trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder—the sunk-cost fallacy is a real danger.
Los Angeles is wise to take a wait-and-see approach with both Leonard and George. The Clippers are 96-46 in games those two have played together over the last four years including the playoffs, a mark that speaks to the duo's dominant potential. But until those two prove they can stay healthy, it's just not worth risking major financial commitments. Better to treat 2023-24 as a prove-it season for the Leonard-George tandem.
Los Angeles Lakers
14 of 30
Grade: A
Key Additions: Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood, Taurean Prince, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, Jalen Hood-Schifino (R)
Key Subtractions: Malik Beasley, Mo Bamba, Troy Brown Jr., Dennis Schröder, Lonnie Walker IV
Key Retentions: Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt
The further we get from Rob Pelinka gutting his team's depth to acquire Russell Westbrook in 2021, the easier it is to view him as one of the more effective executives in the league.
The Los Angeles Lakers brought back most of the principals in last year's stellar post-deadline run, with a series of extensions and re-signings headlined by a three-year, $177.1 million extension for Anthony Davis and a four-year, $53.8 million deal for restricted free agent Austin Reaves.
That last one will go down as one of the best signings any team made this offseason.
In addition to those two, L.A. also retained Rui Hachimura, D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt on market-rate deals. That the Lakers got Russell to waive the implied no-trade clause on his two-year, $36 million extension speaks to their bargaining power. Now, they can flip Russell at the deadline for more playoff-proven pieces if they want to.
Gabe Vincent is an upgrade on Dennis Schröder—bigger, more defensively viable against wings and fresh off a major role for the Miami Heat during their Finals run. Christian Wood, immensely talented on offense but quite clearly a journeyman due to his defensive spaciness, is a worthwhile gamble on a minimum deal. There's a non-zero chance he gets it together, contends for Sixth Man of the Year and makes us all marvel at L.A.'s luck in landing him.
Memphis Grizzlies
15 of 30
Grade: B-
Key Additions: Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose, Shaquille Harrison
Key Subtractions: Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones
Key Retentions: Desmond Bane
Your mileage may vary on the Marcus Smart trade, as it's admittedly hard to imagine he's good enough at age 29 to essentially replace Ja Morant (for the duration of his 25-game suspension) at point guard and then slot into Dillon Brooks' vacated stopper role on the wing. That's a lot to ask of Smart, who's coming off a season marked by notable decline on defense.
Still, Smart is a better offensive player than Brooks and brings a level of veteran savvy that could benefit a team that had more than its share of maturity issues over the last couple of seasons. Smart will engage in gamesmanship on the floor, but he won't make the mistake of poking the bear in the media.
The Grizzlies were right to commit to Desmond Bane on a five-year, $197.2 million extension, and they earn bonus points for getting it done below the max and with no player option at the tail end. Bane is among the best high-volume three-point shooters in the league, averaged 21.5 points per game last year and made a leap as a pick-and-roll playmaker. That last development will be critical to Memphis surviving without Morant as the primary playmaker (and without Tyus Jones as a backup) for the first several weeks of the season.
When Bane makes the first of many All-Star teams this season, everyone will understand why retaining him for nearly $200 million was actually a bargain.
Miami Heat
16 of 30
Grade: F
Key Additions: Josh Richardson, Thomas Bryant, Jaime Jaquez Jr. (R)
Key Subtractions: Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo, Udonis Haslem, Omer Yurtseven, Cody Zeller
Key Retentions: Kevin Love, Orlando Robinson
Everything would have been different if the Miami Heat had landed Damian Lillard. In that scenario, the departures of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent wouldn't have mattered as much, and it would have been easier to talk yourself into the Heat overcoming a lack of depth through the force of sheer star power.
As it stands now, Miami is down two key figures from its run to the Finals and will depend on minimum signing Josh Richardson to take up most of the slack. Though Richardson has never been better than he was during his career-opening four-year stint with Miami from 2015 to 2019, he can't offset the talent drain here.
It's never wise to count Miami out, or to assume that it won't magically concoct the next Strus or Vincent through its unsurpassed player-development machine. But there's simply no getting around the fact that the Heat are worse than they were a year ago and clearly need to swing a trade or two if they want to avoid the play-In round...which they were in last year with Strus and Vincent on the roster.
Milwaukee Bucks
17 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Damian Lillard, Malik Beasley, Robin Lopez, TyTy Washington Jr., Andre Jackson Jr. (R), Chris Livingston (R)
Key Subtractions: Jrue Holiday, Jevon Carter, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles, Wesley Matthews, Goran Dragic
Key Retentions: Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Jae Crowder, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, A.J. Green
Disaster potential loomed over the Milwaukee Bucks' offseason after a first-round ouster led to Mike Budenholzer's firing. And that was before Giannis Antetokounmpo signaled in no uncertain terms to Tania Ganguli of The New York Times that his commitment to the team was wholly contingent on it competing for titles. The clock was already running with Antetokounmpo able to hit free agency in the summer of 2025, but those comments raised the volume on the ticking to ear-splitting levels.
The first order of business was getting free agents Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez back on new deals, which Milwaukee accomplished by giving the former $93 million over three years and the latter $45 million over two. Both are aging and likely to decline, but losing either would have been catastrophic.
And then, of course, the Bucks swung even bigger by acquiring Damian Lillard for two-time All-Star Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, an unprotected 2029 first-rounder and swaps in 2028 and 2030. That move cost Milwaukee control of its first-round picks through the end of the decade, one of the best defensive guards in the league and roster depth it didn't really have to begin with.
The risks here are real, starting with Lillard's age (33), salary ($216.2 million over the next four seasons) and defensive ineffectiveness. And yet, for all that, this is still a colossal win for the Bucks. They quieted the noise about Giannis' eventual departure by giving him one of the greatest offensive players in league history as his top running mate, upping their championship odds in the process.
The Bucks signaled their total focus on winning in the short term, which is all Antetokounmpo wants—and, therefore, all that matters.
Minnesota Timberwolves
18 of 30
Grade: B+
Key Additions: Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr., Daishen Nix, Leonard Miller (R)
Key Subtractions: Taurean Prince, Jaylen Nowell
Key Retentions: Anthony Edwards, Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
If the Minnesota Timberwolves had demolished the Target Center without warning or committed to playing the first NBA game in outer space, they still would have had a quieter, less controversial offseason than they did a year ago.
It'll be awhile before the shockwaves of the Rudy Gobert trade subside.
This time around the Wolves, in relatively subdued fashion, locked down Anthony Edwards on a supermax extension (five years, $205.9 million), kept Naz Reid for three more years on a $42 million deal and brought back Nickeil Alexander-Walker for two years and just $9 million. Though the Reid deal was a head-scratcher in a frontcourt already featuring Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyle Anderson, retaining the promising Alexander-Walker so cheaply counts as a clear win. Plus, Reid is eminently tradeable on his new contract and could capably slide into a larger role in the event Minnesota ships out Towns at some point.
It should go without saying that maxing Edwards, one of the most electrifying young stars in the league, was an easy decision. Bonus points for getting him inked without a player option in the fifth year of the deal.
A solid grade could even improve if Minnesota extends defensive ace Jaden McDaniels for less than $25 million per season.
New Orleans Pelicans
19 of 30
Grade: C
Key Additions: Cody Zeller, Jordan Hawkins (R)
Key Subtractions: Jaxson Hayes, Josh Richardson, Garrett Temple, Willy Hernangomez
Key Retentions: Herbert Jones, EJ Liddell
A glut of already guaranteed contracts that carried into 2023-24 meant the New Orleans Pelicans were never going to do much this offseason. And as everyone knows, the most significant element of New Orleans' summer had nothing to do with acquisitions or departures.
As has been the case for a while, Zion Williamson's health and fitness take precedence over everything.
We're not factoring in Williamson's apparently excellent shape for grading purposes, but with so little else of consequence to discuss from an offseason perspective, it's certainly worth mentioning. On the negative side, so is Trey Murphy III's torn meniscus. That was out of the Pels' control, but it still hurts. Murphy may yet be poised for a breakout year, but he'll be playing catch-up when he returns.
New Orleans might have jumped the gun on the Herbert Jones extension. Though he's one of the top perimeter defenders in the game and fairly paid at $53.8 million over the next four years, the Pelicans could have waited until next summer when Jones would have been a restricted free agent. That said, the preservation of cap space and the ability to leverage matching rights to their advantage might not have yielded a heap of savings.
New York Knicks
20 of 30
Grade: B-
Key Additions: Donte DiVincenzo, Nathan Knight
Key Subtractions: Obi Toppin, Derrick Rose
Key Retentions: Josh Hart
At first blush, it was hard to understand why the New York Knicks prioritized Donte DiVincenzo in free agency—other than their commitment to hoarding every Villanova product possible.
DiVincenzo got the full mid-level exception to join a guard and wing rotation that already included Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, R.J. Barrett, Josh Hart (newly inked to a four-year, $81 million extension) and Miles McBride. That the Knicks moved Obi Toppin for a pair of seconds, thinning the frontcourt in the process, made the addition of another guard seem even stranger.
Take a deeper look, though, and DiVincenzo makes sense here. He shot 39.7 percent from three last season with the Warriors, a better clip than every rotation player but Brunson, and he posted an assist rate in the 89th percentile among wings. Those two qualities will help as the Knicks try to reprise last year's No. 2 finish in offensive efficiency—a ranking that depended more on offensive rebounds and ball security than generating good looks.
Add to that DiVincenzo's higher offensive rebound rate than Toppin (and nearly identical rate on the defensive glass, despite a four-inch height difference), and New York is getting help in obvious areas of need, plus an unexpected boost on the boards.
Oklahoma City Thunder
21 of 30
Grade: C
Key Additions: Dāvis Bertāns, Victor Oladipo, Vasilije Micić, Jack White, Cason Wallace (R)
Key Subtractions: Dario Šarić
Key Retentions: Lindy Waters III, Olivier Sarr
Anyone hoping this would be the offseason the Oklahoma City Thunder cashed in their bevy of future picks for a star must be disappointed, but a blockbuster move was never in the cards. Not with so few available superstars, and not with the Thunder nurturing what's already one of the league's top homegrown cores.
OKC still spun the transactional wheel, getting its hands on a top-five-protected Nuggets first-rounder in 2029 for a package of less valuable picks headlined by No. 29 selection Julian Strawther and a 2024 first that'll likely fall in the 20s. It also flipped No. 12 and took on some bad money in the form of Dāvis Bertāns, who'll make $22.5 million through 2024-25, to grab Cason Wallace at No. 10.
Continuing the trend, Victor Oladipo came aboard with two future seconds from the Miami Heat as sweeteners.
Ultimately, 29-year-old draft-and-stash "prospect" Vasilije Micić is perhaps the only acquisition who'll see meaningful playing time this season. The 2021 Euroleague MVP averaged 16.0 points, 5.4 assists and 3.2 assists for Anadolu Efes last season. He should add useful spacing to a Thunder squad that ranked 20th in three-point attempt frequency and 18th in accuracy. If he's worth much more than the $23.6 million he'll make over his next three years, this grade will look a little low.
Orlando Magic
22 of 30
Grade: D+
Key Additions: Anthony Black (R), Jett Howard (R), Joe Ingles
Key Subtractions: Bol Bol, Michael Carter-Williams
Key Retentions: Mo Wagner, Admiral Schofield
It's always risky to base a grade mainly on draft picks because it might take years until we have enough information to definitively say, for instance, that Anthony Black should or shouldn't have gone ahead of Jarace Walker, Bilal Coulibaly or anyone else within range of the No. 6 selection. But as it stands now, the Orlando Magic's offseason, which saw it make two iffy picks in the top 11, fails to excite.
Black has real potential as a rangy lead guard with great feel and innate playmaking instincts. He's also shifty on the bounce and can guard multiple positions defensively. Unfortunately, Black struggles to generate his own offense and features shooting form that makes it hard to imagine he'll become a reliable weapon off the ball. Those weaknesses make him an odd fit in Orlando, where Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner need to be surrounded by guards who can hit open shots.
Jett Howard has the shooting Black lacks, and he showed flashes as a facilitator at Michigan. But defensive issues and a relatively low ceiling make him feel like a reach at No. 11.
Joe Ingles, now over a year removed from his ACL injury, could be a rotation staple. But he's also 36 and will struggle to stay in front of opponents on the wing.
Philadelphia 76ers
23 of 30
Grade: F
Key Additions: Kelly Oubre Jr., Mo Bamba, Patrick Beverley, Danny Green
Key Subtractions: Georges Niang, Shake Milton, Jalen McDaniels
Key Retentions: Paul Reed, Montrezl Harrell
We probably could have gone with an "incomplete" grade here and been done with it. Nobody would have questioned it if we'd just waited until the ongoing James Harden saga found a resolution. But even if the Philadelphia 76ers get value from a trade sending Harden out, and even if they mend fences and bring him back into the fold, this entire offseason mess speaks to deep and troubling issues in Sixerland.
For those under rocks, Harden called top Sixers executive Daryl Morey a liar and pledged to never play on a team he runs again. Whether Harden was referring to a promised deal on which Morey reneged or a failed pledge to execute a timely trade hardly matters. This whole thing is a disaster, and it's difficult to see Philadelphia emerging from it as a contender.
Kelly Oubre Jr. is one of the better minimum signings around, but the departure of Georges Niang and Shake Milton thin the rotation. Montrezl Harrell is already done for the year with a torn ACL. New head coach Nick Nurse will take over a worse roster than the one Doc Rivers led before his firing.
So far, Joel Embiid isn't agitating for a trade. Maybe Morey has sold him on a gap year ahead of the 2024 offseason, when Philly will have significant cap space. Of course, a few of the top free agents at that point might be former Sixers like Harden and Tobias Harris.
If you had to list superstars likely to demand a trade over the next year, you wouldn't get very far before naming Embiid. That has everything to do with the 76ers' disastrous (if unfinished) summer.
Phoenix Suns
24 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Bradley Beal, Eric Gordon, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkić, Keita Bates-Diop, Grayson Allen, Yuta Watanabe, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol, Chimezie Metu, Keon Johnson
Key Subtractions: Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Cameron Payne, Jock Landale, Torrey Craig, Landry Shamet, Bismack Biyombo, Darius Bazley
Key Retentions: Josh Okogie, Damion Lee
Full disclosure, this was a flat "A" until the Phoenix Suns got involved in the Lillard trade and exchanged Deandre Ayton for Jusuf Nurkić, Nassir Little, Grayson Allen and Keon Johnson. Though Ayton may have worn out his welcome with former coach Monty Williams and perhaps even the current stars of the team, a major downgrade at center and three players who are hard to imagine trusting on a deep playoff run don't seem like a good enough return.
Why not wait to see if new head coach Frank Vogel could turn Ayton into a defensive force like Roy Hibbert in Indiana or even late-career Dwight Howard in Los Angeles? And why not see if better offers might materialize closer to the trade deadline? At the very least, we know one other team, the Pacers, viewed Ayton as a max player just one year ago. Plus, we've actually seen Ayton anchor a defense good enough to reach the Finals in 2021. Nurkić is less durable, a worse finisher inside and has nowhere near Ayton's mobility on D.
That said, the Suns remain a championship threat because they went all-in on a Bradley Beal trade and crushed their minimum signings. Eric Gordon and Keita Bates-Diop could start or close, depending on matchups, and both Yuta Watanabe and Drew Eubanks are worth more than they're earning.
On balance, Phoenix is a better team now than when last season ended. But the Ayton move costs it the highest possible grade.
Portland Trail Blazers
25 of 30
Grade: A+
Key Additions: Deandre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson (R), Kris Murray (R), Rayan Rupert (R), Toumani Camara (R)
Key Subtractions: Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkić, Nassir Little, Drew Eubanks, Cam Reddish, Trendon Watford, Keon Johnson
Key Retentions: Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle
This is the only A-plus we're awarding, and the Portland Trail Blazers get it for achieving success in such difficult circumstances. Lillard's stated desire to play for only the Heat could have forced the Blazers to cave, but they instead held out and secured the best deal possible. Twice.
The trade that sent Dame to Milwaukee netted Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton, an unprotected first-rounder and two swaps, and then Portland turned around and flipped Holiday for two more future firsts, Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon. That haul is far better than whatever Miami could have offered, and it gives the Blazers real assets to begin their next phase.
Speaking of which, Portland triggered this teardown by recognizing Scoot Henderson as a transformational prospect and keeping the pick that landed him. That deserves praise as well. The Blazers got a decade of elite play (and no Finals trips) from Lillard; Henderson could ensure the next 10 years are at least as successful.
Portland's offseason was so shrewd and so opportunistic that we won't even ding it for giving Jerami Grant (five years and $160 million) way too much money.
Sacramento Kings
26 of 30
Grade: D+
Key Additions: Sasha Vezenkov, Chris Duarte, JaVale McGee, Jaylen Nowell, Colby Jones (R)
Key Subtractions: Richaun Holmes, Chimezie Metu, Terence Davis, Matthew Dellavedova
Key Retentions: Harrison Barnes, Trey Lyles, Domantas Sabonis, Alex Len
We could penalize all 30 teams for finding too little defensive help on the wing over the summer because that commodity is in such short supply. But while everyone could use more shutdown swingmen, the failure to grab that player type hits different for the Sacramento Kings.
This group came off a season in which it scored more efficiently than any offense ever has. But the Kings paired their league-best offensive rating with the No. 25 defense, creating a lopsided profile that had a lot to do with their first-round elimination. Chris Duarte isn't going to balance things out on his own.
Another factor in that disappointing playoff result: Domantas Sabonis getting outplayed by Warriors center Kevon Looney.
Sabonis had a brilliant offensive year and was perhaps even more responsible for the franchise's first playoff trip since 2006 than All-NBA guard De'Aaron Fox. But committing to him on a $214.8 million extension a year ahead of free agency feels like a mistake. Especially after the postseason highlighted his flaws.
Harrison Barnes (three years, $54 million) and Trey Lyles (two years, $16 million) are back at solid pay rates, and import Sasha Vezenkov could make an already awesome offense even better with his three-point shooting. But the Kings failed to address their most glaring weaknesses and paid Sabonis too much, too soon.
Sacramento operated like a team hoping to repeat last year's success when it should have tried to level up.
San Antonio Spurs
27 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: Victor Wembanyama (R), Sidy Cissoko (R), Julian Champagnie, Cedi Osman
Key Subtractions: Keita Bates-Diop, Gorgui Dieng, Rome Langford
Key Retentions: Devin Vassell, Tre Jones, Dominick Barlow
Tempting as it is, we can't just hand the San Antonio Spurs an A-plus for drafting Victor Wembanyama. Yes, he's a franchise-altering prospect with more hype attached to him than anyone since LeBron James. And yes, he could be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate (with ridiculous offensive upside) from the second he steps on the floor. But Wemby was the no-brainer first pick. The Spurs made the obvious choice, something they're familiar with at the top of the draft. See: Tim Duncan in 1997 and David Robinson in 1987.
San Antonio's offseason wasn't just about Wembanyama. It also earns high marks for extending Devin Vassell for five years and $146 million. That's an absolute steal of a deal for the Spurs, who secure the best young wing you've probably never seen play.
As a 22-year-old, Vassell shot 38.7 percent from deep, averaged 18.5 points per game, cranked up his on-ball responsibilities en route to averaging 3.6 assists and made leaps as a mid-range scorer. Had San Antonio waited until next summer to pay Vassell, it likely would have taken a maximum deal.
Tre Jones' two-year, $19 million contract also rates as a bargain for a young, starting-caliber point guard.
Toronto Raptors
28 of 30
Grade: F
Key Additions: Dennis Schröder, Jalen McDaniels, Garrett Temple, Gradey Dick (R)
Key Subtractions: Fred VanVleet, Dalano Banton,
Key Retentions: Gary Trent Jr., Jakob Poeltl
Apparently, losing Fred VanVleet for nothing didn't phase the Toronto Raptors, who seem content to enter this season with Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby ticketed for unrestricted free agency—just like their former teammate. Granted, Anunoby can't extend for more than he's likely to get on the open market. But Raptors GM Masai Ujiri also isn't making it easy to trade either forward for good value by calling them selfish players.
Nick Nurse got the boot and will be replaced by new head coach Darko Rajaković, but it's hard to believe that change will sort out the confusion currently defining this directionless franchise.
Case in point: Toronto gave up a protected first-round pick to acquire Jakob Poeltl last season for reasons that remain unclear, and then it overpaid him on a four-year, $80 million deal this summer. That's the definition of throwing good money after bad.
Had the Raps conducted a fire sale this offseason, this grade would have been higher. Had they locked up Siakam, kept VanVleet and added vets with an intention to win in the short term, this grade would have been higher. Because they failed to choose either path, and because next summer might be even more painful and disjointed than the one we just witnessed, we have to go with a failing grade.
Utah Jazz
29 of 30
Grade: A-
Key Additions: John Collins, Omer Yurtseven, Taylor Hendricks (R), Keyonte George (R), Brice Sensabaugh (R)
Key Subtractions: Rudy Gay, Damian Jones
Key Retentions: Jordan Clarkson
John Collins has three years and $78.5 million left on his contract, and it's understandable if Utah Jazz fans would have preferred using the team's cap space in ways that didn't involve bringing in a clearly distressed asset. But Collins is exactly the kind of buy-low flier teams like the Jazz—which is to say rebuilders who might be a step or two ahead of schedule—should target.
If Collins suddenly turns back into a 20-point, 10-rebound force, Utah can either keep him on what'll look like a below-market deal as the cap continues to rise or flip him for younger pieces. Maybe the fit will be tricky for Collins in a frontcourt that already has Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler, but the reward seems well worth the risk.
Utah also did a phenomenal job on Jordan Clarkson's extension, which will pay him $23.5 million in 2023-24 (another smart use of excess cap space) and then drop to $14.1 million and $14.3 million in the last two years of the deal. That's a perfectly acceptable pay rate for a high-end sixth man who can start and close games when called upon.
No. 9 pick Taylor Hendricks can defend the rim and hold up on switches, and he played exceptionally hard in his lone collegiate season. A tone-setter on D who can hit threes in a pick-and-pop set or attack closeouts is hard to find, let alone after eight picks have already come off the board. Keyonte George, picked 16th, lost weight after college and looked like a top-10 rookie during summer league, averaging 18.7 points, 5.3 assists and 3.7 rebounds while hitting 38.6 percent of his triples.
Great work all around by the Jazz.
Washington Wizards
30 of 30
Grade: A
Key Additions: Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins, Bilal Coulibaly (R)
Key Subtractions: Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porziņģis, Monte Morris, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd
Key Retentions: Kyle Kuzma, Taj Gibson
Finally, after years of chasing the eighth seed and overspending to keep their own vets, the Wizards pivoted. Hard.
Lead executive Tommy Sheppard was shown the door and replaced by new team president Michael Winger and GM Will Dawkins. Those two presided over the needed teardown, which included sending Bradley Beal to the Suns for a deal centered on Chris Paul, four first-round swaps and four second-rounders. They then flipped Paul to the Warriors for distressed asset Jordan Poole, a heavily protected first-rounder in 2030 and a 2027 second-round pick.
Kristaps Porziņģis also exited, bringing back salary relief, Tyus Jones and a $12.4 million trade exception.
The only major expenditure, a declining four-year, $90 million deal for Kyle Kuzma, was a great example of asset preservation. He'll be moveable for value on that contract.
Perhaps more than any other team, Washington needed a hard restart. Mission accomplished.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter (@gt_hughes), and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
