Report Card Grades for Every NBA Team So Far
The 2025-26 NBA season is nearly one-third of the way complete, having given us a ton of exciting basketball already.
It's also a good time to hand out some grades.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are again the star students, while teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans have spent regular time in detention.
It's time to hand out report card grades for all 30 NBA teams.
Atlanta Hawks: B+
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The Atlanta Hawks are again treading water in the middle of the Eastern Conference, although we should be giving them a lot of credit.
Trae Young has been limited to just five games with a sprained right MCL, and Kristaps Porziņģis has (predictably) missed about half the season with various injuries.
Despite limited production from two of their stars, the Hawks have played above .500 basketball thanks to Jalen Johnson (23.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 40.4 percent from three), who has leapfrogged Young as the new face of the franchise.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker (20.7 points per game) looks like one of the best pickups of the offseason and the Hawks are up to 10th in defense (113.3 rating).
We could easily see a healthy Hawks team make a run at a top-four seed by the end of the year.
Boston Celtics: A
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A recent win streak has pushed the Boston Celtics towards the top of the East even without Jayson Tatum.
Jaylen Brown has looked the part of a No. 1 offensive option, as his 29.1 points per game rank No. 6 overall in the NBA. Making Payton Pritchard a full-time starter looks like the right call, as last season's Sixth Man of the Year is averaging career highs in points (17.1), rebounds (4.3) and assists (5.0).
Even without Tatum, Boston ranks No. 1 overall in made threes (16.0 per game) and turns the ball over fewer than anyone in the NBA (12.2 turnover percentage).
In a weakened East, the Celtics are proving they can still compete even without their All-NBA forward.
Brooklyn Nets: D
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No one was expecting the Brooklyn Nets to be good this season, but a lack of production from their five first-round picks has been particularly troubling.
Egor Dёmin leads the rookies with just 8.3 points (albeit on 38.0 percent shooting overall). Ben Saraf looked completely overmatched beginning the season as a starter. At least Danny Wolf has been fun as a floor-spacing big who can pass.
Cam Thomas was supposed to put up huge numbers heading into unrestricted free agency, yet injuries have limited him to just eight games. Michael Porter Jr. (25.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 39.2 percent from three) should be a very movable piece at the trade deadline.
The Nets have nearly met our low expectations, but more production from the rookies would help this grade.
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Charlotte Hornets: C-
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This may be the most difficult team in the NBA to assign a grade to.
Let's start with the positives. The Charlotte Hornets absolutely nailed the 2025 draft, as Kon Knueppel has been the best rookie thus far (18.0 points, 40.3 percent from three). Second-round pick Ryan Kalkbrenner (1.9 blocks per game, 79.8 percent shooting overall) has started all but one game at center, and Sion James has begun 13 contests for the Hornets on the wing.
There's a lot of reasons for hope, but we can't ignore LaMelo Ball's struggles.
Averaging just 19.4 points and making a career-low 28.5 percent of his threes, Ball has been plagued by poor play and trade rumors this season. He no longer looks like someone the Hornets can build around.
This appears to be another lottery-bound season for the Hornets with a Ball problem that needs to be resolved.
Chicago Bulls: D
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A 5-0 start to the season for the Chicago Bulls is now a distant memory.
Reality has set in for Josh Giddey and Co. in the form of a 4-14 record since their red-hot beginning.
Chicago is just 2-5 with a healthy Coby White in the lineup, a player they'll need to make a decision on before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. The same can be said for center Nikola Vučević.
If ever there was a time for the Bulls to dive head-first into the tanking pool, this is it.
Owners of a net rating worse than the Charlotte Hornets and Los Angeles Clippers (minus-5.5), it's been another trying season for Bulls fans.
Cleveland Cavaliers: C-
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Not even those gorgeous navy LeBron James-era jerseys can cover up the Cleveland Cavaliers' poor play this season.
The Cavs coasted to 64 wins last year and were supposed to again, especially in a watered-down East missing a number of stars. So far, they have looked like a play-in team whose lack of effort most nights looks like a team just waiting for the playoffs to begin.
Donovan Mitchell (30.5 points per game, No. 4 overall in the NBA) has been spectacular, although Evan Mobley has shown zero growth offensively.
Darius Garland (14.0 points on 35.2 percent shooting) looks like a shell of himself coming off of toe surgery, and we're still waiting on the season debut of Max Strus (broken foot).
For the NBA's most expensive team and the only one above the second apron, it's been a disappointing start for these Cavs.
Dallas Mavericks: C-
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Recent quality wins over the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets have sparked some hope for the Dallas Mavericks this season, especially with Anthony Davis back in the lineup.
Cooper Flagg is having a really good rookie season for someone who's still 18 (17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals), and Ryan Nembhard has been shockingly good as a starter (14.8 points, 6.8 assists, 68.2 percent from three).
The Mavericks are still in danger of missing a play-in spot in the West, which may not be the worst thing looking ahead to the 2026 draft.
Although this franchise has the veterans to compete now, trading Davis, Klay Thompson and others would be the best long-term move.
Denver Nuggets: A
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The Denver Nuggets look like true title contenders once again.
This is the No. 1 offense in the NBA(124.0 rating), mostly thanks to Nikola Jokić who's leading the league in assists (11.0) and rebounds (12.3) while also ranking fifth in scoring (29.2 points).
Jamal Murray (25.0 points, 6.8 assists, 44.7 percent from three) may finally get his first All-Star nod, and newcomer Cameron Johnson looks like he's settling in (15.5 points on 49.0 percent from three over his last eight games).
The new depth on this team is allowing Jokić to play two fewer minutes per game compared to last year, and the Nuggets aren't falling apart when he's off the floor (minus-4.2 net rating compared to minus-9.8 in 2024-25).
Denver looks like the second best team in the West, which is saying a lot.
Detroit Pistons: A+
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The Detroit Pistons have surged past the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and everyone else to claim the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
We knew the Pistons would be good, although a 19-5 start to the season has exceeded all expectations.
Built on the back of a strong defense (111.3 rating, No. 4 overall) and the play of Cade Cunningham (27.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.5 steals), Detroit has been one of the best surprises thus far.
Jaden Ivey will only get better in his return to the court from a broken leg, and there's a lot of young talent on this roster just waiting to make a leap.
From 14 wins and a last-place finish in the East just two years ago to the No. 1 seed now, the Pistons are so back.
Golden State Warriors: C
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The Golden State Warriors have been quite good defensively this season (110.7 rating, No. 3 overall). Unfortunately, a lackluster offense (No. 22 overall) is a far cry from the scoring machine this franchise was putting on the floor a decade ago.
Roles for Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski have continued to fluctuate. While the latter is probably safe, it feels like the former's situation is far from over as we approach the beginning of trade season.
This is the first time Stephen Curry has shot under 40 percent from three in back-to-back seasons, even if he continues to score at a high level (27.9 points per game, No. 10 overall in the NBA).
The Warriors have been very average this season and look like a play-in team as currently constructed.
Houston Rockets: A
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Owners of the second-best net rating in the NBA (plus-10.8), the Houston Rockets may even be better than their 15-6 record would indicate.
This is an elite team on both sides of the ball as Kevin Durant proves he can still be the offensive centerpiece at age 37. He's had plenty of help, as Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard are all averaging career highs in scoring.
Tari Eason leads the NBA in three-point shooting (50.9 percent) and Steven Adams ranks first in offensive rebounds per game (4.8) despite playing just 21.8 minutes a night.
Everything has gone to plan for the Rockets so far, as the team has thrived even after losing Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL.
Indiana Pacers: D-
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Perhaps no NBA team has been hit as hard by injury this season as the Indiana Pacers, a team that knew it would already be without Tyrese Haliburton.
While the Boston Celtics have overcome losing their best player to still post a winning record, the Pacers' season has gone in the opposite direction.
Indiana has just a single victory over a team with a winning record overall in its 6-18 start. It does own its 2026 first-rounder, however, a selection that could prove to ultimately be more valuable than making a short playoff run now.
Bennedict Mathurin is enjoying a breakout season (21.2 points, 42.9 percent from three) and Jay Huff leads the NBA in blocks per game (2.4).
There's no overlooking the fact that this has been a disaster of a season for a team that was just in the Finals, though.
Los Angeles Clippers: F
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It's been a nightmare of a season for a Los Angeles Clippers team that was one win away from knocking off the Denver Nuggets in last year's playoffs.
A 6-18 start is worse than anyone could have imagined. The Clippers rank 25th defensively (118.6 rating), lost Bradley Beal after just six games due to hip surgery and removed Chris Paul from the team.
L.A. looks old, slow and perhaps worst of all, doesn't own the rights to its 2026 first-round pick due to the Paul George trade from 2019. That selection is projected to land at No. 4 overall and is owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder (of course).
There are little-to-no positives to take away from this season at all.
Los Angeles Lakers: B
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A 17-6 start to the season for the Los Angeles Lakers is remarkable considering LeBron James has been limited to just seven games and is averaging a career-low 16.1 points a night.
Luka Dončić is the easy answer why all of this has worked, as the 26-year-old is putting up an NBA-best 35.0 points per game while getting to the free-throw line more than anyone. Austin Reaves has played like an All-Star (28.4 points on 50.9 percent shooting) heading into unrestricted free agency.
So, why not an A grade?
The Lakers' net rating is just plus-2.0, tied with the 13-12 Golden State Warriors for 14th overall. L.A.'s defense ranks 21st in the NBA and there's a real lack of three-point shooting (11.9 per game, 23rd overall).
It feels like there's some purple and fool's gold here, despite a strong record.
Memphis Grizzlies: C
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Despite having every single point guard hurt, the Memphis Grizzlies have actually played some good basketball as of late. A 7-2 record over their last nine games is encouraging, especially with lottery picks such as Zach Edey and Cedric Coward balling out.
The Grizzlies are just 4-8 with Ja Morant in the lineup, yet they are 7-5 without their All-Star guard. Obviously, his future in Memphis will continue to be monitored.
With eight players averaging double figures in scoring, but none topping 17.9 points per game, it's been a collective offensive effort for a Grizzlies team that's struggled to put the ball in the basket.
Even with Morant, Scotty Pippen Jr., Ty Jerome and Javon Small all hurt, Memphis is still just four games out of a top-six seed in the West. That should count for something.
Miami Heat: B-
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Flipping Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love for Norman Powell hasn't been talked about enough.
Powell has been the Miami Heat's best player this season, averaging a career-high 24.8 points on 44.5 percent shooting from three. He's helped lead Miami to a winning record even as Tyler Herro missed the first 17 games following ankle surgery.
The Heat own the NBA's sixth-best defense this season (111.8 rating) and should rise on offense with Herro back in the lineup.
This team doesn't look anywhere close to being a title contender, but the trade for Powell has at least breathed some life back into the franchise after finishing 37-45 a year ago.
Milwaukee Bucks: D
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The Milwaukee Bucks are the best three-point shooting team (40.9 percent) for the second-straight year. Young guards like Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins have been really good when healthy, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is putting up another MVP caliber season.
Unfortunately, that's about where the positives end.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported Antetokounmpo and agent Alex Saratsis "have opened discussions with the Bucks about the future and whether the best path forward is to stay in Milwaukee or be traded."
A 10-15 record has the Bucks on the verge of falling out of the play-in tournament, especially with the two-time MVP currently sidelined with a calf injury.
A trade looks more possible now than ever.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B
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There's a lot to like about the Minnesota Timberwolves season thus far.
Anthony Edwards is averaging a career high in scoring (28.7 points per game) while making 56.0 percent of his twos and 41.6 percent of his threes. This is remarkable efficiency for a player who is consistently the focal point of the defense.
Julius Randle has been much better in his second season in Minnesota, and the supporting cast of Donte DiVincenzo, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid has been solid.
This previously elite defense has slipped, though, down to just 14th overall (113.4 rating), and there's no good answer at point guard. If any team were to roll the dice on a player like LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant or Trae Young, the Wolves would make a lot of sense.
A 15-9 start has been good, but there's definitely room for growth.
New Orleans Pelicans: F+
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The New Orleans Pelicans are an NBA-worst 3-22, have yet to beat a team with a winning record and could lose the No. 1 overall pick in the draft to the Atlanta Hawks. Zion Williamson is again injured, newly-acquired Jordan Poole has played just seven games, and head coach Willie Green has already been fired.
So, things have not been great.
The Pels at least get a plus tacked on to the end of their F thanks to the play of their rookies, especially Derik Queen. The talented big man is averaging 16.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists and shooting 52.0 percent over his last 11 games and just posted a 33-point triple-double.
Jeremiah Fears has been good as well, chipping in 15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.4 steals in his 25 games.
This season has been nothing short of a calamity overall, however. Imagine if the rookies weren't playing well.
New York Knicks: A-
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The New York Knicks are finally starting to roll and are 8-1 since inserting Josh Hart into the starting lineup.
This is an elite offense (No. 3 overall, 121.8 rating) with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns again playing like All-Stars, this time under Mike Brown.
What's perhaps most impressive is that all five of the Knicks' core players (Brunson, Towns, Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have seen a decrease in their minutes under Brown. Hart led the NBA last season with 37.6 minutes a game yet now ranks 73rd at 29.7.
This kind of break in workload should keep the Knicks' stars fresher for a long playoff run.
Oklahoma City Thunder: A+++
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An NBA-best 24-1 record to begin the season. Seven players averaging 12 points per game or more. The highest net rating in NBA history.
We could be seeing a historic season from the Oklahoma City Thunder, a year after they won the NBA title.
All-NBA forward Jalen Williams has played just five games so far, which makes this season in OKC even more unbelievable. This is the best defense we've seen from an NBA team in a long time, and no franchise has more depth on its roster.
There's also a real chance the Thunder win the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft as well thanks to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Things couldn't be going better for Oklahoma City this season.
Orlando Magic: B+
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A jump from 27th in offense last year to 11th this season has been a huge improvement for the Orlando Magic, a team that is still posting an elite defense (111.5 rating, No. 5 overall).
Desmond Bane has helped cover for injuries to Paolo Banchero and now Franz Wagner with his 19.0 points and 4.5 assists per game. Tristan da Silva has made a second-year leap and Anthony Black continues to improve.
Orlando still needs more shooting, though, as it ranks just 27th in made threes per game (11.4) while none of its top-seven players in three-point attempts are shooting above 37.8 percent from deep.
A 15-10 record and four seed in the East is a nice start, but there's still work to be done offensively.
Philadelphia 76ers: C+
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The Philadelphia 76ers have played like a slightly above average team this season, which is actually a huge step up from a year ago.
Tyrese Maxey is third in the NBA in scoring (31.5 points per game) and has played more minutes than anyone (39.9 a night). VJ Edgecombe looked like the best rookie in the league for the first few weeks and has been locked in as a starter all season.
Joel Embiid and Paul George have combined for just 17 healthy games, which may be the norm moving forward. This team is clearly being run by its young talent now while Philly hopes its higher-priced vets play well even for one day to draw some trade interest.
Still, a 13-10 record has been good enough for a top-six seed in the East.
Phoenix Suns: B+
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He won't win the award, but Jordan Ott deserves a lot of Coach of the Year love from voters this season. At 14-10, the Phoenix Suns are much better than most predicted and are just a game behind the Minnesota Timberwolves for a top-six seed in the West.
The Suns have done this despite getting just two healthy games from Jalen Green and with No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach out of the rotation.
Collin Gillespie has come out of nowhere to average 21.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists and shoot 45.8 percent from three in his five games as a starting point guard. Dillon Brooks (22.1 points) has made a big impact on both sides of the ball as well.
We thought this could be a lost season for a Suns team that traded Kevin Durant and waived Bradley Beal. Ott and his staff deserve some major credit.
Portland Trail Blazers: C-
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It's been a weird season for the Portland Trail Blazers after head coach Chauncey Billups was arrested in late October. Scoot Henderson has yet to play this year with a hamstring injury, and newly-acquired Jrue Holiday has been limited to just seven games.
Deni Avdija has looked like an All-Star (25.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists) while being asked to play a lot of point guard, and Shaedon Sharpe is averaging a career-high 21.1 points per game.
This is the worst three-point shooting team in all of basketball (33.0 percent), however, with a 20th overall ranking in both offense and defense.
Injuries and an abrupt coaching change have made it difficult to gauge the success of this rebuild, and a 9-15 record has Portland barely clinging to a play-in spot in the West. This is somehow they only team to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, for whatever that's worth.
Sacramento Kings: F
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The fire sale in Sacramento can begin anytime.
A 6-18 record for the Kings already has them nine games out of a top-six seed in the West while the team waits for Domantas Sabonis to recover from a torn meniscus.
All veterans should be shopped at this point, especially DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Russell Westbrook, if there's any value there at all.
With a bottom-five ranking in both offense and defense, the Kings need to hit the rest button once again and pray for a top pick in the 2026 draft.
San Antonio Spurs: A
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Like the New England Patriots, the San Antonio Spurs took a few years off but have decided to be awesome again for the next decade or two.
Victor Wembanyama looked like an MVP candidate before suffering a calf injury, and the Spurs have gone an impressive 8-3 without their star center this season.
Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper are a consistent three-point shot away from looking like two of the best young guards in the NBA, and De'Aaron Fox has been great (24.3 points, 6.5 assists) since making his season debut on Nov. 8.
Loaded with young talent and draft picks moving forward, the Spurs are ready to win right now.
Toronto Raptors: B+
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The Toronto Raptors have been extremely streaky this season, yet they are still better than we expected with a 15-11 record overall.
The Brandon Ingram trade looks like a success (21.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists), as he's established himself as the offensive alpha on a team with a number of scoring options.
Scottie Barnes' three-point shot has been much better (38.3 percent) and Immanuel Quickley has missed just a single game following an injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign.
This may not be a title contender just yet, although the Raptors have established themselves as a playoff-caliber team in the East once again.
Utah Jazz: B
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At some point, the Utah Jazz need to start losing some more games.
The rebuilding Jazz have been a little too good this season at 8-15, only sitting a half game out of the Western Conference play-in picture. Any pick they land in the draft lower than ninth would be conveyed to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Lauri Markkanen has rehabbed his trade value (27.6 points per game) while Keyonte George is having a breakout season (22.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists). Losing Walker Kessler for the season due to shoulder surgery after just five games was a major disappointment.
If Utah remains competitive (but still ends up collecting its lottery pick) and Ace Bailey (13.1 points, 40.3 percent from three in 14 starts) looks like a future star, this season will be considered a success.
Washington Wizards: D-
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The Washington Wizards were supposed to be bad, but even a 3-19 record is surprisingly awful.
The Wiz own the NBA's worst net rating by nearly six full points (minus-15.6) and are dead-last in both offense and defense. For a team that's still playing some veterans in CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, Corey Kispert, Marvin Bagley III and others, that's not a good sign.
Last year's No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr looks much better, at least. Kyshawn George is putting up 15.2 points on 45.0 percent from three. No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson (11.5 points, 39.5 percent from three) has shown flashes.
This roster has too many young players to try to grow right now and should probably do right by McCollum and Middleton by finding them a contender via trade or buyout before the deadline.
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