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Grading Every NBA Team's Entire 2025 Offseason
Every NBA offseason has the chance to be transformational.
The 2025 version lived up to the label better than most.
The draft featured multiple blue-chip prospects, the trade market moved multiple hoops heavyweights around and even free agency delivered some notable signings despite a nearly leaguewide shortage on cap space. It was a summer basketball diehards won't soon forget.
NBA front offices will remember it even longer, for better or worse. Some will be doing victory laps in perpetuity. Others could be left with a lifetime of regret.
We're here to run through all the highs, lows and in-betweens while giving letter-grade assessments to the offseason body of work submitted by all 30 franchises.
Atlanta Hawks: A
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Atlanta not only aced the offseason, it came closer to getting an A-plus than an A-minus. Getting an unprotected 2026 first-round pick for sliding 10 spots down the draft board was such a massive win, the Hawks had to pinch themselves to make sure the offer was real. And then still leaving the draft with Atlanta native Asa Newell—a prospect often mocked near the team's original pick slot—made the talent grab a smashing success.
The Hawks also took a cheap flier on Kristaps Porziņģis, meaning they have little to lose if the injury bug gets the better of him again. And if it doesn't, he's a frontcourt cheat code given his ability to protect the paint, shoot from range and punish smaller switching defenders in the post.
The wins kept coming in free agency where the team improved its perimeter defense and shot-creation by adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker, then attacked its shooting shortage by signing Luke Kennard. That's objectively awesome work by the front office, even without knowing how potentially uncomfortable extension talks with Porziņģis and Trae Young will play out.
Boston Celtics: C-
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Grading the Celtics' summer is tricky. They clearly needed to shed salary—a task made all the more urgent by Jayson Tatum's torn Achilles—and they accomplished that. As ESPN's Bobby Marks noted, Boston shaved more than $300 million off next season's books over the last two months.
That Brad Stevens found so many payroll reductions without having to deplete draft capital is a job very well done. And yet, it's hard to paint this summer in successful terms when a perennial contender drained its own talent pool to the point that it's fair to wonder whether this will still be a heavyweight in the hoops world upon Tatum's return.
If nothing else, Boston will clearly no longer claim to have the league's most loaded roster, as Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet are gone, and Al Horford figures to follow them out the door. This interior rotation is abysmal, and the backcourt lacks depth.
Brooklyn Nets: D+
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The Nets had the league's most cap space this summer and five first-round picks in the draft. With all of that flexibility, they managed to add...well, very little.
Maybe the front office will claim to be huge fans of Michael Porter Jr. and Terance Mann, but those players are only in Brooklyn because their last employers attached first-round picks to send them there. Porter is talented but overpaid, while Mann appears somewhere between plateauing and regressing.
While the Nets had the trade chips to move all over the draft board, they wound up keeping all five firsts they had and mostly spent them on players with overlapping skill sets (plenty of playmaking, not much shooting). They've also left Cam Thomas, a 23-year-old who paced them in scoring last season, to languish in the thorny world of restricted free agency.
Charlotte Hornets: B-
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Buzz City didn't live up to the nickname this summer, but the Hornets made enough smart moves to feel better about both their current outlook and their future.
They could've chased more upside with the No. 4 pick, but Kon Knueppel plays the kind of connective style that could help everyone around him. Turning Mark Williams into Liam McNeeley and a future first-round pick made sense when the big man obviously was no longer considered a building block for them.
And while Charlotte surely hopes to see fewer LaMelo Ball-less minutes going forward, the club is at least better prepared to navigate them after acquiring Collin Sexton for a great price, signing Spencer Dinwiddie and re-signing Tre Mann.
Chicago Bulls: D+
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The overdue youth movement in Chicago still hasn't really started, and that's coming from someone who really liked the team spending the No. 12 pick on toolsy swingman Noa Essengue. The Bulls might have a couple of young building blocks in Essengue and Matas Buzelis, yet the overall direction of this club remains entirely underwhelming.
In a hyperactive trade market, Chicago really couldn't sniff out more deals than the one that shipped out Lonzo Ball and brought in Isaac Okoro? Is Nikola Vučević simply untradeable at this point? Are the Bulls prepared to pay what it will take to keep 2026 free agents Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu around, because if the answer is anything other than a full-throated "Yes!" then one or both should've been flipped for long-term assets.
This club seems committed to logging more miles on the treadmill of mediocrity. The Bulls are basically running back after three consecutive play-in losses, and the coach who oversaw all of this pedestrian play inked a multi-year extension. Deep sigh.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B
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Once the Cavaliers made the correct call not to break apart their core four, they were bound for a pretty uneventful summer. Their movement around the margins intrigued a bit, though.
Letting Ty Jerome walk was probably a no-brainer given their cap constraints and his postseason struggles. His replacement, Lonzo Ball, is a walking wild card with myriad injury issues in his past, but he at least inspires more hope than a bargain-bin retread would have. It stinks that Cleveland couldn't get more out of its investment in Isaac Okoro, but the Cavs had clearly determined he wasn't their answer on the wing.
Nothing earth-shattering happened around this team, but it didn't have to. The Cavaliers should enter next season as the on-paper favorite to win the East.
Dallas Mavericks: A-
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The Mavericks' miraculous win at the draft lottery could pay dividends for the next decade-plus. Cooper Flagg was clearly the best prospect in this class, and if you buy the most optimistic scouting reports about him, he could be a certified star on both ends of the court.
Is that enough to get Dallas an A-plus? Maybe it should be, although there wasn't a lot of thought involved. Any team that had the No. 1 pick would've used it on Flagg. That selection was cemented the second the Mavs collected their jackpot prize.
Outside of Flagg, there wasn't a whole lot happening around the franchise. Getting Kyrie Irving to decline his $43 million player option and sign a new deal with a smaller starting salary opened up the taxpayer midlevel exception, which it used to add D'Angelo Russell, who will help steady the point guard position while Irving makes his way back from an ACL tear.
Denver Nuggets: A+
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The Nuggets entered this offseason seemingly stuck with a top-heavy roster that backtracked in a troubling way during the 2024-25 campaign. Then, they found a way to not only get out of Michael Porter Jr.'s contract—albeit at the expense of an unprotected 2032 first-rounder—but also bring in reliable (and more reasonably priced) three-and-D swingman Cameron Johnson in the process.
By gaining payroll flexibility, the Nuggets were able to give the support areas of their roster some needed attention.
The trade market delivered Jonas Valančiūnas, by far the best backup Nikola Jokić has ever had. Then, Denver shored up its perimeter depth with sharpshooter Tim Hardaway Jr. and Swiss Army knife (and member of Denver's 2022-23 title team) Bruce Brown, both signed to minimum contracts. That's all just super smart work by an organization that had decided being really good wasn't good enough.
Detroit Pistons: C
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It'd be interesting to see what transpired in the alternate universe where Malik Beasley, Detroit's most important internal free agent, wasn't connected to a federal gambling investigation right before free agency opened. Because that last-minute pivot essentially forced the front office to craft a backup plan on the fly.
Detroit's decision-makers did a decent job scrambling to second options. The Pistons filled the shooting void left by Beasley by bringing in Duncan Robinson. They also added Caris LeVert to give them more scoring punch and creation off the bench.
Still, losing Beasley, Dennis Schröder and Tim Hardaway Jr. while adding Robinson and LeVert feels like a half-step backward, unless rookie second-rounder Chaz Lanier is ready to see significant minutes right away. Detroit probably made the best of a tough situation, but it still would've been nice to see a bigger push in hopes of building off the momentum created by last season's playoff breakthrough.
Golden State Warriors: Incomplete
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In exercises like this, incomplete grades are almost always a cop-out. This is an exception to that rule.
Since Golden State's situation with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga is unresolved, the Warriors' offseason essentially hasn't started. Beyond adding a pair of late second-rounders (Will Richard and Alex Toohey) and losing veteran Kevon Looney to free agency, Golden State has done nothing.
And it doesn't sound like the Dubs will do anything any time soon, as ESPN's Anthony Slater reported there have been no "substantial" changes in recent talks between Kuminga and the team. Until this stalemate breaks, the Warriors' summer will remain impossible to evaluate, although rumored additions of Al Horford and De'Anthony Melton would make for a solid, B-minus-ish summer.
Houston Rockets: A+
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Houston entered the offseason with an obvious need for a top-shelf scorer and shot-creator who could unlock their half-court offense and deliver on gotta-have-it possessions. They'll exit it with one of history's most unstoppable offensive forces in Kevin Durant, who might be aging in years (37 in October) but not in ability.
He just put up 26.6 points per night and was a couple of hot streaks at the charity stripe away from another 50/40/90 effort (actual line was 52.7/43/83.9). He did this all amid the dysfunction that was the 2024-25 Phoenix Suns and now arrives in Houston not only as a possible offensive savior, but also another lanky, disruptive defender who will fit the team's mold on that end.
The Rockets didn't even have to sacrifice prime assets to get Durant, and the wins kept coming from there. Fred VanVleet inked a team-friendly pact (two years, $50 million) and left enough flexibility for Houston to add Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela and to extend Jabari Smith Jr. and Steven Adams. The Rockets' championship chase starts right now.
Indiana Pacers: D
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The Pacers should be riding high after their surprise push to the NBA Finals. Instead, they're looking at an unplanned gap year following Tyrese Haliburton's unfortunate Achilles injury in Game 7 and facing even further uncertainty ahead after Myles Turner's surprising departure.
Did Indy's front office show the right level of restraint in not wanting to give Turner a nine-figure deal that runs well into his 30s? In a vacuum, maybe. In reality, though, he was essential to how the Pacers played on both ends, and they've yet to find an obvious replacement. Apologies to the Jay Huff truthers out there, but he was squeezed out of the Memphis Grizzlies' playoff rotation for a reason.
In a perfect world, the Pacers would be running back a roster that produced their first championship-round appearance in 25 years. In reality, they're minus two vital starters from that team and could conceivably make more cuts as they see just how unlikely it is that they make any major noise this season.
Los Angeles Clippers: B+
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The Clippers need to keep the coffers clear for whatever will follow the Kawhi Leonard-James Harden era, so there was only so much they could afford this summer. Turns out, it was plenty more than expected.
Armed with only the non-taxpayer midlevel exception, they managed to add all three of Bradley Beal, Brook Lopez and Chris Paul in free agency. While this well-seasoned roster undoubtedly got older, it also addressed needs for ballhandling, volume shooting and depth at center.
Trading Norman Powell for John Collins felt strange in the moment, but the Clippers could come out ahead if Beal winds up providing most of what Powell brought. That L.A. scratched so many itches without losing long-term flexibility was impressive.
Los Angeles Lakers: B
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The Lakers didn't do anything this summer that immediately vaulted them into the championship conversation. For those who believe they already belonged there by virtue of rostering Luka Dončić and LeBron James, though, they strengthened their supporting cast without giving up draft picks or major assets.
Deandre Ayton isn't a perfect player, but he's miles better than anyone L.A. trotted out at the 5 after giving up Anthony Davis last season. And while the Lakers lost three-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith, they did pick up a three-point sharpshooter in Jake LaRavia and a lockdown point-of-attack defender in Marcus Smart, so maybe they'll be similarly covered.
This wasn't an all-in kind of offseason, which might explain some of the static around their standing with LeBron James. It was, however, a helpful offseason and one that still leaves the door open for bigger pursuits at a later date. Building around the slimmed, trimmed and thankfully extended Dončić was absolutely the right way to go about it.
Memphis Grizzlies: B
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If there was another candidate to get an incomplete grade, it might have been the Grizzlies. While they don't necessarily have work left to do this summer, it'll take some time to figure out how they actually fared in the Desmond Bane blockbuster. Four first-round picks feels like quite a haul for a non-star, but if those picks don't deliver difference-makers, then Memphis just shipped out its third-best player right during the prime years of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr.
All of that said, the early assessment of that deal gives a good grade to the Grizzlies, who surely hope Ty Jerome can replace at least some of the shooting and shot creation Bane took with him to Orlando. There are some one-year-wonder worries with Jerome, but at least that one year was pretty great: 12.5 points on 51.6/43.9/87.2 shooting with 3.4 assists against 1.3 turnovers.
First-round pick Cedric Coward is a fascinating story, but Memphis needs him to be at least an adequate NBA wing sooner than later. The Grizzlies could've chased prospects with more potential, but this felt like a selection intended to impact the rotation already this upcoming season.
Miami Heat: B+
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It took a while for this grade to materialize. As per usual, Miami popped up here and there in trade talks for notable stars but wound up landing none. While those who felt the Heat needed a cannonball-sized splash came up short, this front office capitalized on the opportunities that came its way.
Kasparas Jakučionis still looks like a draft steal as the No. 20 pick, particularly for a team in need of playmaking. Swapping out Duncan Robinson for Simone Fontecchio opened the flexibility needed to broker a bargain deal for Norman Powell, whose play-finishing might help Miami finally figure out its offensive issues.
The Heat have enough assets to do more, but they might feel they've done enough to compete in what should be a wide-open Eastern Conference and still keep their books clear to go whale hunting in 2026 or 2027. They just need to be careful about not overcommitting on a Tyler Herro contract extension.
Milwaukee Bucks: B-
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It was an interesting summer in the Badger State. That's not inherently good (or bad), but it was certainly more active than expected.
While a Damian Lillard trade didn't feel impossible, few could've foreseen the franchise opting to simply waive him and stretch the $113 million owed to him over the next five years. However, doing so allowed them to swipe Myles Turner away from the Pacers, ensuring that Giannis Antetokounmpo can continue slotting alongside a shot-blocking, floor-spacing big.
Milwaukee also managed to retain most of its own free agents, plus it picked up scoring guard Cole Anthony and Gary Harris, who's inconsistent but helpful on both ends when he's a viable three-point threat. The costs of this summer will be felt for years, but Milwaukee's roster is better now than it was at its start.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B-
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The Timberwolves placed one of the summer's biggest wagers on continuity, spending $225 million to bring back both Julius Randle and Naz Reid. While they couldn't find enough to prevent Nickeil Alexander-Walker's departure, they kept in place most of the team that has gone to back-to-back conference finals.
Perhaps fueled by their 2-8 mark in those conference finals, Minnesota toyed with the idea of pursuing Kevin Durant, but his lack of interest in playing there torpedoed that plan. It would've been hugely risky to trade for him anyway, but it would've nudged this grade up a bit (and isn't that what matters most?).
As it stands, the Wolves are left believing in the strength of their stars and the potential of their young players like Terrence Shannon Jr., Rob Dillingham and Jaylen Clark. That won't lead to stellar summer report cards, but it might produce a heaping pile of victories next season.
New Orleans Pelicans: F
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Is this all about the Pelicans being on the wrong end of this summer's most lopsided trade? In a word: pretty much.
Maybe Derik Queen becomes a good NBA player—he is talented, but a bit of a tricky fit in the modern game—but the odds aren't high enough to justify the cost. New Orleans gave up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to climb 10 spots to get him, all while being anything but guaranteed of a playoff spot in the fully loaded West.
Center wasn't even really a glaring need after New Orleans spent a 2024 first on Yves Missi, who nearly averaged a double-double and made the All-Rookie second team. Making things even more confusing, the Pels then further crowded the interior by signing Kevon Looney. They've also staked an uncomfortable amount of their success on Jordan Poole's ability to be a competent starting point guard, which feels either incredibly optimistic or outright reckless.
New York Knicks: B
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The Knicks lacked both the money and the motivation to do anything major. Even if they could've made significant changes, why would they after winning 51 games and reaching the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years?
That made their work around the margins all the more impressive. They needed depth, and they found it in the form of Guerschon Yabusele and Jordan Clarkson. That's a versatile big and a spark-plug scorer on a second unit that needed both.
A four-year, $150 million extension feels a touch rich for Mikal Bridges, but it was less than the maximum he could've gotten and maybe that helps keep this club under the dreaded second apron going forward.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B+
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The Thunder just submitted one of the strongest seasons in NBA history. Beyond reeling off a franchise-record 68 wins and capturing the first title of their Sooner State tenure, they also set the Association's new high mark for scoring differential.
All they've done since is understandably buy back into this core. Multiple players scored multiyear extensions, including MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-NBA third-teamer Jalen Williams.
If there's a slight quibble, it's with giving Chet Holmgren a max deal when he's really only submitted a season-and-a-half of goodness—not greatness. That said, he's a tailored-suit type of fit with this team, and his age (23) and draft pedigree (No. 2 pick in 2022) both point toward a mountain of untapped potential ahead.
Orlando Magic: B+
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The Magic aren't the easiest evaluation thanks to the Desmond Bane trade. On the one hand, he looks like a near-perfect answer to their problems with shooting and scoring on the perimeter. On the other, they gave up four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round pick swap for a 27-year-old who last earned league-wide recognition as an All-Rookie second-teamer in 2020-21.
It's a steep price, but it's also easy to see why the Magic like Bane so much. He should fill so many pressing needs for this offense and do it in a way that doesn't stunt the development of anyone around him.
Beyond that, a one-year, $7 million deal with Tyus Jones is totally reasonable, especially when Jalen Suggs hasn't had the cleanest injury history. A max extension for Paolo Banchero was a no-brainer. Maybe it's too early to say this for certain, but it feels like the Magic have joined the inner circle of Eastern Conference contenders.
Philadelphia 76ers: C+
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The Sixers could have gone full panic mode after a disastrous 2024-25 season and started what may still prove to be an inevitable teardown. Instead, they're giving this group at least one more chance to make it work.
Everything still revolves around Joel Embiid staying healthy, and Paul George being both healthy and far better than he looked last season. If the Sixers somehow check those boxes, they might be in business. If they don't, there's a non-zero chance they're holding a February fire sale.
The highlight of Philly's offseason came on draft night, as the Sixers found star-level potential in No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe and a potentially plug-and-play forward in second-rounder Johni Broome. Otherwise, free agency has been mostly quiet and will hopefully still include a new deal for restricted free agent Quentin Grimes.
Phoenix Suns: C
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The Suns had a productive summer. They dismantled what clearly wasn't a championship core, ducked beneath the second apron and initiated a youth movement by acquiring three 2025 draft picks (originally had none), plus 23-year-old scoring guard Jalen Green and 23-year-old Mark Williams.
So, why only a C grade? A couple of reasons.
First, there's only so much credit Phoenix can get for cleaning up its own mess. The Suns willingly backed themselves into a corner, so while it's good they're starting to find their way out, they're more negating damage than doing actual positive work. Second, it's entirely unclear if the pieces can fit. Can Green and Devin Booker coexist in the same backcourt? Is it possible to maximize both Williams and No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach when both are bigs with limited range? We're skeptical on both counts.
Portland Trail Blazers: C
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Portland had a great summer in terms of vibes. Adding Jrue Holiday felt like rewarding this young roster for its strong finish. The bold draft selection of Yang Hansen delivered a fascinating prospect with a hugely helpful best-case-scenario outcome. Bringing back franchise icon Damian Lillard had to be big for the #feelz.
Setting vibes aside, though, the basketball business done this summer was a bit strange.
Holiday is a great finishing piece, but does he really fit a young roster that already has a couple of high-upside guards it needs to develop in Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe? And where will Lillard fit in the backcourt once he's recovered from his torn Achilles? Lastly, while Hansen is fun in theory, he faces major physical challenges at this level and might fight for floor time with 2024 No. 7 pick Donovan Clingan.
Sacramento Kings: C-
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Are the Kangz back? Because it feels like all of Sacramento's tire-spinning since its 2023 playoff return has put this team right back on the path to nowhere.
After trading away both Tyrese Haliburton and De'Aaron Fox, the Kings needed a point guard, so adding Dennis Schröder technically made sense. Yet, he can get a bit over his skis as a starting point guard, and it would've been helpful to have a better floor-spacer than this career 34.2 percent three-point shooter given the spacing constraints of having DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis already in the starting five.
Malik Monk is still around, but it feels like the Kings would be fine if that wasn't the case. The Schröder addition forced the Kings to trade the useful Jonas Valančiūnas for the unplayable-of-late Dario Šarić. Nique Clifford, the No. 24 pick, at least had a productive summer, but there have been more than a few NBA mirages spawned under the Sin City sun.
San Antonio Spurs: B-
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The Spurs' summer was solid. Maybe it'll prove even better if No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and No. 14 pick Carter Bryant climb toward their ceilings sooner than later, but Harper has to work his way through San Antonio's backcourt congestion, and Bryant wasn't productive in college (6.5 points and 1.0 assists in 19.3 minutes).
The Spurs did beef up their big-man collection by adding both Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk in free agency. They should be well protected when Victor Wembanyama needs a breather, but it's unclear how often they'll try leaning into double-big lineups.
Finally, giving De'Aaron Fox a four-year, $229 million extension provides some long-term stability, but is it the kind San Antonio wants? That feels overpay-ish for a player of his caliber, and that's before factoring in the obvious overlap with him, Harper and Stephon Castle all on the same roster.
Toronto Raptors: C-
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The Raptors essentially made their biggest offseason move before the actual offseason started. The deadline acquisition of Brandon Ingram and subsequent extension with the sinewy swingman basically ensured it'd be a quiet summer north of the border.
And it was.
Signing Sandro Mamukelashvili and losing Chris Boucher feels like a lateral move, if not a slight step back. Collin Murray-Boyles fills an archetype this front office clearly likes—defensive versatility, good playmaker for his size, shaky outside shooter—but there's some skill overlap with this frontcourt. The four-year, $104 million extension for Jakob Poeltl felt premature and perhaps a touch rich.
Utah Jazz: C+
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For anyone who felt the need to remind the Jazz they have a top-eight protected pick to safeguard next season, go ahead and cancel that reminder. Utah's offseason was all about stockpiling losses during the upcoming campaign, as useful veterans like John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton were all sent packing for little or nothing in return.
The runway is cleared for the Jazz's young players to soak up all the developmental minutes they can handle, and the draft delivered a couple of intriguing developmental projects. Ace Bailey, the No. 5 pick, has some boom-or-bust aspects of his profile, but his ceiling arguably stretched higher than anyone's not named Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper. Walter Clayton Jr., the No. 18 pick, is a skilled scorer and gifted shooter who has already shown he can produce under the bright lights.
The Jazz were right for prioritizing their young core. Still, you'd wish they could've found more for their veteran subtractions and perhaps would have if they had moved them earlier.
Washington Wizards: B
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The Wizards' summer looked like another significant step toward a brighter future.
While it's too early to tell exactly how much progress they made on their top-to-bottom rebuilding project, they added two more first-round picks to their roster—No. 6 pick Tre Johnson and No. 21 pick Will Riley—and used the CJ McCollum-Jordan Poole trade to potentially open a path to upwards of $80 million in cap space for next summer.
They also deserve a slight boost for taking a cheap flier on Cam Whitmore. Maybe his tools and scoring ability never amount to much, but it's way too early to say they won't. The Rockets never handed him a huge opportunity, yet he's still in possession of a career average of 22.3 points per 36 minutes.
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