NBA Report Cards: Grading Every Team's 1st Quarter of the 2023-24 Season
The NBA In-Season Tournament is in the books, LeBron James has collected some more hardware for his trophy cabinet, and it feels like as good a time as any to hand out NBA report cards.
At or around the quarter mark of this 2023-24 campaign, we've already learned a lot about LeBron's Los Angeles Lakers and every other team in the league. "Small sample size" warnings don't need to be tossed out as much, rotations are crystalizing, and contenders are emerging.
There's still plenty of time for things to change for every squad in the NBA, but there's also plenty to base these grades on.
Analyzing the records, individual performances, team numbers and more against preseason expectations, here's where every team is on the trusty old A-F scale.
Atlanta Hawks: C
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An early-season shooting slump sort of threw people off Trae Young, but he's quietly having a pretty absurd offensive season. Young is averaging 27.2 points and 10.6 assists while posting a just-below-average true shooting percentage.
The problem is that the Atlanta Hawks are below .500, barely outscoring opponents when Young plays and actually posting a slightly better point differential when he doesn't.
As the current unquestioned face of the franchise, you'd like the most basic indicator of success (plus-minus) to look a little better.
Of course, those marks aren't entirely on Young. Basketball is a team sport, and he's not solely responsible for the Hawks once again being near the bottom of the league in defense.
Players like Clint Capela, Onyeka Okongwu and De'Andre Hunter have to be better on that end, especially as breakout forward Jalen Johnson continues to recover from a wrist injury.
Of all the players on this team, he might somehow be the most important. When Atlanta has Johnson's shooting and multipositional defense on the floor, it is plus-5.2 points per 100 possessions (compared to minus-2.7 when he's off).
Boston Celtics: A
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Notwithstanding a calf injury that cost Kristaps Porziņģis some recent games, the additions of him and Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics have looked brilliant.
With Holiday and Derrick White, Boston has probably the best and most dynamic defensive backcourt. Both can more than bother either guard spot. They can defend up into the forward slots even. And that has taken a ton of pressure off the rest of the lineup, freeing Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to focus even more on offense.
As for Porziņģis, the defensive attention that he commands 30 feet from the basket is having the desired effect on the offense. With bigs forced to cover him outside, driving lanes for White, Holiday, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are roomier than ever.
And though there are more questions for the bench than there are for that first five, having Al Horford to anchor a group that includes Sam Hauser's shooting and Payton Pritchard's occasional hot streaks should give them enough depth for a deep playoff run.
Brooklyn Nets: B+
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The Brooklyn Nets didn't enter this season as a contender (or anything near it, really). So, perhaps their flying under the radar shouldn't be all that surprising.
But since Ben Simmons went down with another back injury, they've quietly surged into the top 10 in net rating behind an explosive, three-point-heavy attack led by Cam Thomas (23.7 points and 2.1 threes), Mikal Bridges (23.2 points and 2.1 threes) and plenty of scoring balance after that.
The presence of wings like Bridges, Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O'Neale still gives them a relatively intriguing and theoretically switchable defense, as well. But they're winning games on the other end of the floor right now.
There are still questions about Brooklyn's lack of size. There's a lot on Nic Claxton's relatively slight shoulders, but the team has sidestepped that issue for now with shooting.
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Charlotte Hornets: C+
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The Charlotte Hornets seemed like a borderline lock for another lottery appearance after this season, so their sub-.500 record and bottom-five net rating aren't surprising.
In fact, with the appropriate expectations in mind, Charlotte has actually been fairly competitive, especially since LaMelo Ball exited the rotation with an ankle injury.
The Hornets were blown out in the first game Ball missed, but they're minus-13 in four games since then. And solid performances from veterans Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward during this stretch could pay dividends in the long run.
Contending teams in need of a heat-check scorer like Rozier or a big, steady-handed point forward like Hayward may be willing to part with real assets for either ahead of the February trade deadline.
So, even if the Hornets finish near the bottom of the East, emerging with another lottery pick of their own and an extra first or two from around the league would warrant a passing grade.
Chicago Bulls: C-
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For a minute there, it looked like the Chicago Bulls were headed for a dismal campaign and eventual fire sale in the trade market. And they may still eventually get there.
But a couple things kept their grade around the average range.
First, even if the front office didn't agree with the assessment, few fans or media members could've expected much more success than this from a core that'd already demonstrated it doesn't work together.
Over the two seasons prior to this one, Chicago was minus-1.3 points per 100 possessions when its three supposed stars—DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vučević—were all on the floor. And that mark dips even further when the trio plays without Lonzo Ball, who's missing another season with a leg injury.
The Bulls entering this season with all three made little to no sense.
But they've quietly started to bounce back since LaVine left the rotation with a foot injury, which may not do wonders for his trade value, but it could bolster the market for DeRozan and Vučević.
On the heels of this run, it's easy to pass the Bulls, but keeping the grade there will depend on whether they actually cash in on any of that value before February.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B-
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are getting what may feel like a relatively conservative B- based mostly on the fact that they just haven't been as good as they were last regular season.
Injuries have had their impact on that conclusion, though. The lineup of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen has only played 304 non-garbage time possessions together.
If everyone can get and stay healthy, the team's overall point differential should climb.
On the bright side, even with the injuries, a few things are undoubtedly working.
The team's net rating is comfortably better when either of the star guards (Mitchell and Garland) is on the floor. And those two are averaging a combined 47.2 points and 11.4 assists.
And this summer's most notable addition, Strus, is clearly working. He's averaging 14.3 points and a career-high 4.0 assists while trailing only Mitchell in threes per game and hitting his at an above-average rate.
Dallas Mavericks: B
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We sort of take his production for granted at this point, but Luka Dončić is averaging 31.9 points, 8.7 assists, 8.4 rebounds and 3.9 threes. He's also shooting a career-high 38.2 percent from deep.
Those are outrageous numbers and a big part of why the Dallas Mavericks are currently over .500.
Kyrie Irving being a supplementary offensive player is quite a luxury too. He's among the most talented players the NBA has seen on that end of the floor, and he's willingly accepted a No. 2 role to the tune of 23.0 points, 5.2 assists and 2.5 threes.
Tim Hardaway Jr. deserves a mention for his shooting and Sixth Man of the Year-level contributions too, but the roster sort of falls off after that (at least from a statistical perspective).
That probably shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Most of the players are at or near preseason expectations, but the Mavs would've needed a couple of the role players to smash those to be in the A range right now.
Denver Nuggets: C
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Coming off an NBA championship, the Denver Nuggets looked like a borderline juggernaut during an 8-1 start.
But they're a mildly alarming 6-8 since then. Jamal Murray missing time with both hamstring and ankle injuries has certainly contributed, but even since his return, whatever aura the champs may have built up during the 2023 playoffs seems to be missing.
The Nuggets are outside the top 10 in both offense and defense and near the middle of the league in net rating.
Of course, reigning Finals MVP Nikola Jokić is averaging an absurd 28.4 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.6 assists, but even his scoring efficiency, while still above average, has fallen off a cliff when compared to his own otherworldly standard.
This all might simply be a case of the defending champions not taking the regular season as seriously as others. Heck, the Nuggets were sort of guilty of that toward the end of 2022-23, before they'd even won a title.
But all things considered, the rubric demands a little more of a contender to get anywhere near an A.
Detroit Pistons: F
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This felt like the year the Detroit Pistons' young, Cade Cunningham-led core might make a leap.
That didn't mean anyone was guaranteeing playoff or even play-in contention. It just seemed there was enough seasoning for Cade, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and the rest of this young core to at least be competitive.
That's probably why the team made such a massive investment in new coach Monty Williams and surrounded Cunningham with more shooting by bringing in Joe Harris.
A quarter of the way into the season, Cunningham can't stop missing shots and turning the ball over. Williams can't decide if he even wants to play Ivey. And the Pistons are on a 19-game losing streak.
Even in the first year of Williams' contract, the panic button is getting awfully tempting.
Golden State Warriors: C-
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A realistic preseason assessment of the Golden State Warriors would've taken age and a lack of size into consideration and probably pegged them as a back half of the Western Conference playoffs team.
But it's actually been a little worse than that.
A day after the In-Season Tournament, Golden State is a game-and-a-half back of 10th place and a spot in the play-in. The lineup the Warriors hung their hats on last season—Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney—is a concerning minus-8.3 points per 100 possessions. Klay is averaging 15.8 points with a below-average three-point percentage, and Wiggins is at an alarming 27.7 percent from deep.
Curry is a perpetual silver lining, but the only other ones on the roster might all be from the bench. Chris Paul is having his own shooting woes, but he has the second unit as organized as its ever been during the Curry era. Dario Šarić has quietly been a good backup 5 (probably even better than Looney), and Brandin Podziemski looks like he'll eventually be a productive NBA player.
Altogether, though, this season, more than any in recent memory, has to have Warriors fans wondering where they go from here.
Houston Rockets: B+
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There was plenty of reason for optimism for the Houston Rockets following this summer.
Alperen Şengün seemed primed for a breakout, and veteran additions like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks made sense as pressure releases for Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr.
But even those with the most rose-colored outlook on this team would probably have to admit they've exceeded expectations.
Şengün is averaging a young Jokić-like 20.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists. And when he's on the floor with the other four aforementioned starters, Houston is plus-11.2 points per 100 possessions.
The only thing holding the Rockets back from getting an A is their 1-8 road record, but even that dam might be on the verge of breaking. Last week, they handed the defending champion Denver Nuggets their first loss at Ball Arena.
Indiana Pacers: B+
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The Indiana Pacers are on pace to set the single-season record for points per game.
And Tyrese Haliburton is third in Basketball Reference's MVP Tracker ("based on a model built using previous voting results") with unprecedented averages of 26.9 points and 12.1 assists.
With the best guard in the league (for right now) orchestrating the attack and distributing to shooters like Buddy Hield, Myles Turner and Aaron Nesmith, the Pacers' first quarter of the season has been an almost unqualified success.
Of course, the qualification is that they're also on pace to allow the fifth-most points per game to opponents in league history (this year's Washington Wizards are somehow worse in that category).
Indiana is fun, explosive and lightning fast, but it is also shockingly unconcerned with defense.
Los Angeles Clippers: B-
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The Los Angeles Clippers graduated from underwhelming to disappointing after they lost James Harden's first five games with the team.
And while they're still just a game over .500, it's safe to say they're figuring out this new arrangement with a ball-dominant guard alongside Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
Since those first five Harden games, L.A. is 8-3. And in that stretch, the stars have found a pretty good balance.
- Leonard: 24.3 points, 3.5 assists, 2.1 threes, 41.1 three-point percentage
- George: 22.2 points, 4.4 assists, 3.3 threes, 39.1 three-point percentage
- Harden: 16.1 points, 8.0 assists, 2.5 threes, 41.8 three-point percentage
With that trio now clicking and the Clippers maintaining a top-five defense, this team suddenly looks like a contender again.
It just has to sustain this level for a bit longer to push into that B+-to-A range.
Los Angeles Lakers: B+
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The winners of the NBA's first In-Season Tournament barely missed out on a first-quarter A because of a slow start and some lingering questions about the team's health.
They've already had a good chunk of games missed by Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent. And if soon-to-be-39-year-old LeBron James or oft-injured Anthony Davis goes down for any length of time, the roster will be stretched thin.
But honestly, that's all a little nitpicky right now.
L.A. went 7-0 in the IST and beat the Indiana Pacers in convincing fashion in the championship game.
Even with the slow start, the Lakers are top 10 in defense and above average in net rating. And somehow, LeBron is at an 8.8 box plus/minus, which would be his highest mark since 2015-16.
If this team is whole in April and May, it will be a bona fide title contender.
Memphis Grizzlies: C
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All things considered, the Memphis Grizzlies have survived Ja Morant's 25-game suspension (which ends this month) and a terrible spate of injuries about as well as anyone could've expected.
Yes, they're way below .500 and have one of the worst net ratings in the league. But they're also just five games back of 10th place (which would give them a spot in the play-in) with around three quarters of the season to go.
That's not an easy climb, but it's not an impossible one either. With Morant back, the playoffs will still be a possibility.
And while Desmond Bane (24.6 points and 5.1 assists) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (19.9 points and 1.8 blocks) get a lot of credit for that, the fringe NBA players who've stepped up in the wake of all the injuries might deserve a little more.
Vince Williams Jr., Kenneth Lofton Jr., Derrick Rose and Jaylen Nowell are the only Grizzlies with positive raw plus-minuses.
Miami Heat: B-
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The Miami Heat have a non-garbage-time point differential just below zero for the season.
And after he missed most of the playoff run that ended in the 2023 Finals, the team continuing to be better without Tyler Herro on the floor is mildly concerning.
But relative to preseason expectations, which still featured plenty of sky-is-falling takes about losing Max Strus and Gabe Vincent and not landing Damian Lillard, Miami has had a solid campaign.
When Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and a seemingly rejuvenated Kyle Lowry are all on the floor, the Heat are plus-6.5 points per 100 possessions.
And they may have gotten a steal in the draft who could prove better than either of Strus or Vincent in Jaime Jaquez Jr. Over his last nine games, the rookie forward is putting up 16.9 points, 3.1 assists and 1.4 threes while shooting 44.8 percent from deep.
Milwaukee Bucks: B+
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The Milwaukee Bucks have to be among the most scrutinized second-place teams we've ever seen.
Over the first quarter of the season, they've been a lightning rod for almost constant discussion about their defense and the shortcomings of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin.
But they're also on pace for 56 wins, developing chemistry between Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the fly and dominating opponents in the clutch (defined by the league as the last five minutes of games within five points).
The Bucks have the second-best clutch net rating, and Lillard is averaging 43.9 points, 6.4 assists and 4.4 threes per 75 clutch possessions.
Milwaukee now has one of the most dominant interior scorers of all time to deal body blows to opponents for the first 43-44 minutes of every game before turning it over to Lillard for the knockout punches.
The fact that this team is still in the developing phase of its current build should terrify the rest of the league.
Minnesota Timberwolves: A+
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The only A+ of this exercise was reserved for the Minnesota Timberwolves, who've steamrolled their way to the league's best record with a combination of size and defense that looks unmatchable right now.
Around 12 months after seemingly every NBA fan and analyst had a chance to skewer the Rudy Gobert trade as laughably bad, he looks like a defensive system unto himself again and is the odds-on favorite to win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year.
The fit between he and Karl-Anthony Towns is nowhere near as clunky as it was in 2022-23, thanks in large part to Mike Conley (rather than D'Angelo Russell) organizing things on offense.
Jaden McDaniels continues to look like an All-Defensive-level perimeter defender who can occasionally get hot enough to swing a game on the other end.
And Naz Reid, despite the award typically going to guards, should be in the mix for Sixth Man of the Year with his scoring and energy off the bench.
The biggest reason for the breakout, though, is likely Anthony Edwards, whose game is rounding out as he becomes a legitimate superstar.
Edwards' 24.4 points per game is slightly lower than last season's average, but he's working on meaningful improvements in scoring efficiency, assist percentage and defensive consistency.
If he stays around All-NBA level through the postseason, Minnesota has a real chance to make the Finals.
New Orleans Pelicans: C-
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Inconsistency has been the hallmark of the 2023-24 New Orleans Pelicans, who were embarrassed by the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament.
Zion Williamson, specifically, seemed almost invisible for most of the 44-point loss, and his commitment (or potential lack thereof) came under fire afterward.
On talent alone, Zion is good enough to be an MVP candidate. We saw it as recently as 12 months ago. But he doesn't look nearly as explosive in 2023-24, and his seeming indifference has been a factor in several losses this year.
On the other hand, New Orleans is loaded with highly switchable defenders, shooting and shot creation. Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum have both looked like All-Stars at various points this year.
If the Pelicans can just find a way to maintain focus for extended periods, this season can still feel more successful than it does right now, when they're barely above .500 and hanging onto a bottom-10 net rating.
New York Knicks: B
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Being the New York Knicks means this team will generally be the target of increased scrutiny and expectations. Seemingly every loss is analyzed under a microscope. Every shooting slump from Julius Randle or RJ Barrett is potentially blown out proportion.
But a sober view of New York's first quarter of 2023-24 reveals that it is doing just fine. Honestly, the Knicks might be even better than that.
They're in the top 10 of offensive, defensive and net rating. Jalen Brunson is playing like an absolute star, with averages of 24.8 points, 5.5 assists and 3.0 threes. Immanuel Quickley is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. And even Barrett is posting an above-average three-point percentage.
It may be tough to justify them among the East's biggest title contenders, but few could've expected that coming into this campaign.
New York is going to finish near 50 wins and be a tough out in the playoffs. Given the roster, that'd be a solid outcome.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A
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Plenty predicted or expected something of a breakout from the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, and they've still somehow exceeded expectations through 20 games and change.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an MVP candidate, whose numbers should raise some eyebrows, even in this era of hyper-productive superstars. He's putting up an absurd-in-any-era 30.5 points, 6.2 assists and 2.8 steals, with a way-above-average true shooting percentage.
When Chet Holmgren's three-and-D game and Isaiah Joe's outside shooting are on the floor with SGA, OKC is dominating opponents. Only the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves have trios with a higher raw plus-minuses.
Add Jalen Williams' secondary creation and better-than-expected contributions from Cason Wallace, and you get one of the league's youngest teams in contention for first place in the West.
Orlando Magic: A
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As there was for the Oklahoma City Thunder, there was writing on the wall for an Orlando Magic breakout this season.
After a 5-20 start in 2022-23, they were over .500 for the last 57 games of that campaign. Internal development for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner alone should've been enough for them to at least clear their preseason over/under of 36.5.
Well, a quarter of the way into this season, Orlando is tied for second in the East and on pace for 56 wins.
Banchero's scoring efficiency has skyrocketed from where it was in his rookie season. Wagner is warming up after a cold shooting start. Jalen Suggs is a defensive nightmare. Jonathan Isaac has finally returned from various injuries to provide his own All-Defensive-level contributions. Cole Anthony is a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. And the team has generally coalesced in a way that even the most optimistic prognosticators couldn't have imagined.
Philadelphia 76ers: A-
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A bit like the Denver Nuggets, the Philadelphia 76ers aren't playing quite as well as they were during an 8-1 start, but their cold stretch hasn't led to as many questions.
In fact, the 76ers are fairly easy to figure out.
Their top-five net rating is largely the product of the dynamic one-two punch of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who are first and 23rd, respectively, in free-throw attempts per game. When both are on the floor, Philadelphia is plus-8.2 points per 100 possessions.
But the supporting cast deserves some love too. With James Harden gone and new coach Nick Nurse in place, the ball moves from side to side within possessions far better than it did last season.
That has players like Tobias Harris and De'Anthony Melton looking more engaged. Dedicated defense from new additions like Nicolas Batum, Robert Covington, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Patrick Beverley is helping too.
The Sixers may not have gotten a star back in the Harden deal, but the roster is deeper and better balanced than it ever was in 2022-23.
Phoenix Suns: B+
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Injuries have been a constant for the 2023-24 Phoenix Suns. Kevin Durant has missed three games, Devin Booker has missed nine and Bradley Beal has missed 19.
But that had to have been expected by most before this campaign ever started.
All three stars have dealt with durability issues in recent seasons, and they'll likely deal with more prior to the end of this one.
Being where they are in spite of that is actually pretty impressive.
Right now, the Suns are in the play-in mix, which certainly isn't where their fans or front office want to be.
But Durant is averaging 31.0 points and 5.7 assists while shooting an even 50.0 percent from three. The "Booker at point guard" experiment is undoubtedly working. He's averaging 27.4 points and 8.1 assists.
And the hodgepodge supporting cast mostly assembled after the Beal trade is getting better-than-replacement-level contributions (at least according to box plus/minus) from Jusuf Nurkić, Jordan Goodwin, Eric Gordon, Nassir Little and Grayson Allen, to name a few.
Beal is set to return this week, and if he can stay on the floor for a while, a climb up the standings feels almost inevitable.
Portland Trail Blazers: C+
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It's way too early to panic, but it's also late enough to at least mention Scoot Henderson's struggles.
He's averaging 9.3 points on 10.7 field-goal attempts, 4.1 assists and 3.3 turnovers. And among the 981 players in the last 20 years to log at least 100 minutes in their first 12 NBA games, Henderson's minus-11.5 box plus/minus ranks 978th.
Again, there's plenty of time to turn things around, but some of the names near his on that list are Kevin Séraphin, Anthony Bennett and Paul Zipser.
Other than that, though, there are actually some reasons for optimism about this rebuild.
Jerami Grant's 22.1 points should be helping his trade value. Malcolm Brogdon putting up 17.0 points and 6.1 assists could be doing the same for him. And 20-year-old Shaedon Sharpe averaging 18.4 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 threes in his second season is plenty encouraging.
Sacramento Kings: B
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The Sacramento Kings have a subzero net rating, but they're on pace for 49 wins (one better than last season), and their two best players look like All-Stars for the second year in a row.
In fact, De'Aaron Fox is playing better than he ever has. The seventh-year point guard is putting up 30.5 points and 6.5 assists while posting a career-high box plus/minus.
Domantas Sabonis, meanwhile, is providing a steady 18.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists.
A meaningful jump toward contention might require the same from Keegan Murray. An upgrade over Harrison Barnes might be in order too.
But after almost two decades of losing, back-to-back seasons around 50 wins would have to feel like a massive success for the Kings and their fans.
San Antonio Spurs: D
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No one expected the San Antonio Spurs to compete for a title this season. Most probably didn't even imagine them in the mix for the play-in tournament.
But a 3-18 start to Victor Wembanyama's career is disappointing, especially when it seems largely avoidable.
San Antonio has persisted with this "Jeremy Sochan is a lead playmaker" experiment at the expense of their No. 1 pick. If the Spurs wind up being right, they'll have tons of size and versatility in their long-term backcourt. If they're wrong, it may feel like they squandered, at least to some degree, Wemby's rookie campaign.
When Wembanyama and Sochan are on the floor without Tre Jones, San Antonio is a nightmarishly bad minus-22.9 points per 100 possessions. When Wembanyama plays with Jones (an unspectacular point guard, but a point guard nonetheless), the Spurs are plus-9.8.
There's no guarantee those numbers would hold with more minutes for the latter duo, but it's starting to feel like San Antonio is flat-out punting on the opportunity to get Wembanyama reps in competitive games.
Of course, that may be the unstated goal. Another high lottery pick to pair with Wemby could prove useful in the long run. But right now, it's hard to blindly excuse what's happening with this team.
Toronto Raptors: C
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The Toronto Raptors' situation feels similar to the Chicago Bulls', though maybe it's not quite as severe.
Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam are collectively younger than Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević, but their fit alongside one another feels wonky, at best.
Ideally, Barnes would be a lead playmaker surrounded by as much shooting as possible. And while Anunoby seems to fit that bill, Siakam certainly doesn't.
That and a sub-.500 record may have the Raptors thinking about breaking this up.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Toronto "has left teams believing that now, more than ever, either Siakam or Anunoby could be traded by the Feb. 8 deadline."
Depending on the return, such moves could actually make the Raptors worse in the short term while better setting them up for future success.
Utah Jazz: C-
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The Utah Jazz are nowhere near as competitive as they were at the start of the first year of this rebuild. On balance, they may be getting the worst guard play in the NBA this season. And they haven't been getting on-court reps for first-round picks Brice Sensabaugh and Taylor Hendricks.
Injuries to Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen give the team a bit of a pass on some of the above, but it's getting increasingly difficult to understand not playing the rookies, especially when Keyonte George has been starting at the point since early November.
The justification may be wanting to present as playoff contender for Markkanen, who'll be a free agent in 2025.
But that facade is falling fast, as the Jazz have a bottom-five net rating.
They're not much worse than where realistic expectations may have had them prior to the season, though. And finishing near the bottom of the West will yield another high pick.
So simple wins and losses, a pretty fair barometer for most of the teams here, doesn't matter quite as much to Utah and the league's other rebuilders.
Washington Wizards: F
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Some may quibble over the Washington Wizards being the only team to receive a failing grade here. After all, trading Kristaps Porziņģis and Bradley Beal this offseason makes it easy to identify them as another rebooting team.
They come in below a D because even after those moves, there should've been enough talent and experience here to at least make opponents sweat a little bit.
Tyus Jones has been one of the game's best backup point guards for years. Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma are both NBA champions who have 20-point-per-game seasons under their belts. Daniel Gafford is a solid rim-runner and -protector. And there's an interesting combination of youth, size and defensive versatility at the forward spots in Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly.
Somehow, all of that has jelled into what seems like the worst possible version of this roster.
Washington is last in points allowed per game and 22nd in three-point percentage. Poole is tied for last in wins over replacement player (the cumulative version of box plus/minus). And the Wizards are a dismal 3-18.
Unless noted otherwise, all stats are current through December 10, 2023, and are courtesy of Basketball Reference, Stathead, Cleaning the Glass, PBP Stats and NBA.com/stats.
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