Grading the NBA's Rebuilds at Season's Quarter Mark
NBA rebuilding projects are equal parts exhilarating and exhausting, producing both the fear and the hope that comes with the unknown.
These are often years-long exercises, and their outcomes can make or break an organization's core.
Careful monitoring is a must to give these undertakings their best chance for success. With the 2015-16 campaign having cleared the quarter mark, the sample sizes are large enough to assess how every remodeling effort is coming along.
Our grading criteria adjusts to each team's current situation, since they're all in different phases of the process and thus have different desires for this season. None have full foundations in place, but some have constructed key support structures, while others are still designing their blueprints.
Those aiming to win sooner rather than later have their evaluations tied more to their present production. For clubs thinking further ahead, we put more weight on player development, asset collections and overall potential.
With red pens at the ready, let's hand out some letter grades for the league's 10 biggest rebuilds.
Philadelphia 76ers
1 of 10
Tanking doesn't sound so bad when it's dubbed "The Process," but there's still no easy way to market 25 losses against a single victory or the league's worst net efficiency rating (minus-13.0 points per 100 possessions).
The Sixers have recently shown signs of possibly having interest in accelerating this years-long rebuild. They added 76-year-old Hall of Famer Jerry Colangelo to the front office, and they've reportedly hired former NBA skipper Mike D'Antoni as associate head coach, sources told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
But neither of those things change the fact this roster is littered with placeholders and unseasoned prospects. Rookie Jahlil Okafor, who turned 20 earlier this month, leads the club in points and rebounds. Undrafted freshman T.J. McConnell paces it in assists.
It's hard to tell how many keepers the Sixers currently have or how those players could be adversely affected by the permeating culture of losing.
"No matter how impenetrable the cocoon built around the players by the coaches and management seems to be, the organization is just too easy a target right now for the players not to hear, see and feel the insults lobbed in their direction on a daily basis," Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote.
There is no way to accurately assess the Sixers' rebuilding strategy, because so much of it is still taking shape. They're waiting (hoping?) for Joel Embiid to get healthy, Dario Saric to arrive stateside and their mountain of incoming picks to produce tangible benefits.
Grade: Incomplete
Brooklyn Nets
2 of 10
The photo above perfectly encapsulates the current state of the Brooklyn Nets.
They own the NBA's second-worst offense and are tied for the fourth-highest field-goal percentage against (46.3). They have a single player shooting above 35 percent from distance (Shane Larkin, who only attempts 1.4 per game) and only four regulars with above-average player efficiency ratings.
Sounds rough, right? Unfortunately it gets much, much worse the further one looks ahead.
There's minimal—at best—potential for internal growth. Brooklyn's rotation features just five players under the age of 25: rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (who's out indefinitely after ankle surgery), Thomas Robinson (who's on his fifth team in four seasons), Larkin (who's on his third in three), Markel Brown (who rarely sees the floor) and Sergey Karasev (who plays less than Brown).
The Nets' franchise player, Brook Lopez, is a step or two shy of stardom and has a terrifying injury history. Their highest-paid player, Joe Johnson, is several seasons past his prime and currently shooting an unsightly 36 percent from the field.
Help isn't coming from within. And Brooklyn sabotaged its own efforts to find it externally by surrendering a swarm of upcoming picks to construct a core that never approached championship contention.
"They sacrificed their future for the sake of getting a jump on their solid Brooklyn debut and hoping it would sustain momentum, which of course it didn't," NBA.com's Shaun Powell wrote. "And now they're paying the steep price for that. The outlook is so depressing that folks in Philadelphia are having pity on the Nets."
Brooklyn has no incentive to tank, nor the talent to compete for anything of substance. The Nets desperately need to rebuild, but they lack the means to even get that started.
Grade: F
Los Angeles Lakers
3 of 10
The Los Angeles Lakers have never experienced failure of this magnitude. The 2014-15 version set the organization's all-time basement with a .256 winning percentage. The current group is trudging along at a grisly .154 clip and getting outscored by 10.9 points per 100 possessions, by far the league's worst non-Philly mark.
Still, that shouldn't be too concerning, since the Lakers have four key rotation players in either their first or second seasons: D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. But despite that fact, this team seems more focused on the present (and, honestly, the past) than the future.
This offense doesn't showcase the aforementioned prospects. It runs first through 37-year-old Kobe Bryant, who is somehow both leading the club in field-goal attempts (17.0 per game) and converting a paltry 33.9 percent from the field.
The Lakers still lean heavily on veterans, including offseason additions Louis Williams, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass. Their head coach, Byron Scott, has kept his shortest leash on the up-and-comers, those who will shape the direction of this organization moving forward. He's plucked both Russell and Randle out of the starting lineup, citing team-wide struggles as the reason for the decision.
"This change wasn't so much based on them not performing up to their capability," Scott said, per Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "It's based on where we are as a team. ... Obviously it's not working."
It's hard to tell what the Lakers' ultimate solution will be, but it will clearly involve copious amounts of patience and player development. They have to start the process now by bringing these young guys along, because their collection could have a hard time growing. Thanks to past transactions, L.A. might be out two of its next three first-round picks.
Grade: D
Denver Nuggets
4 of 10
The Denver Nuggets have approached the demolition stage of rebuilding multiple times over the past few seasons, shipping out Ty Lawson, Arron Afflalo, Timofey Mozgov and JaVale McGee, among others. But they've always stopped short of a full-scale fire sale, leaving them with a roster that has more in-prime (or past-prime) players than prospects.
There are certain situations where maintaining continuity can help, especially when the newcomers nestle into supportive roles behind the incumbents. This isn't one of them.
Denver's current core lacks the top-shelf talent needed to compete at a high level. Top scorer Danilo Gallinari is hitting a career-worst 39.5 percent from the field. The second and third point-producers, Will Barton and Kenneth Faried, are both complementary energy guys.
From there it's the young guns. Raw rookie Emmanuel Mudiay owns both the roster's highest ceiling and glaring growing pains (31.1 percent shooting, 4.9 turnovers per 36 minutes). Knee surgery has prevented Jusuf Nurkic from building on an impressive freshman campaign. Gary Harris has found his footing after a quiet debut year, while Nikola Jokic and Joffrey Lauvergne have strengthened the frontcourt.
But unless Mudiay finds a viable shooting stroke, there may not be a star in the mix. And the Nuggets could have a hard time approaching playoff contention without one.
With three first-round picks possibly coming in the near future, Denver has opportunities to snag its missing pieces. But if youth is going to drive the Nuggets' next playoff run, they may need to revisit their stance on their veteran core.
Grade: C
Phoenix Suns
5 of 10
The Phoenix Suns are stuck in the worst kind of playoff drought. While they've missed the postseason party for five years straight, they've only been bad enough to snag a top-10 pick once: the fifth overall selection in 2013, which they used on project big man Alex Len.
They've still managed to milk talent from both the free-agent and trade markets. The former netted the likes of interior anchor Tyson Chandler and sharpshooter Mirza Teletovic, while the latter yielded budding backcourt stars Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, along with breakout stretch big Jon Leuer.
This roster has talent, but perhaps not enough to lead the team away from the treadmill of mediocrity. As it currently stands, the Suns have neither a playoff spot nor a top-half efficiency rating (minus-2.0 points per 100 possessions, 19th).
There is potential for internal improvement. Rookie Devin Booker, who turned 19 in October, has already flashed a lethal three-point stroke. Sophomore T.J. Warren packs a mean scoring punch off the bench, and Len's stock continues trending upward. There's still a chance Bledsoe (26) and Knight (24) have yet to play their best basketball.
But will any of that lead to a better outcome than the desert has seen these past five seasons? It's tough to say yes with any conviction.
Free agency seems unlikely to deliver a savior, as the Suns' biggest story in that department recently was their runner-up finish in this summer's LaMarcus Aldridge sweepstakes. The draft could continue producing a stream of late-lottery picks, at least until Phoenix starts collecting its debt from the Miami Heat in a few years.
Grade: C+
Portland Trail Blazers
6 of 10
In the span of one summer, the Portland Trail Blazers frantically demolished the foundation of a 51-win team. They watched four starters (LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez) and their sixth man (Arron Afflalo) depart the Northwest division, replacing their proven commodities with volatile prospects.
But they held onto 25-year-old centerpiece Damian Lillard and rewarded the All-Star point guard with a five-year, $120 million extension. They also cleared a path for former lottery pick C.J. McCollum, who's forced his way into the Most Improved Player award race with nightly contributions of 19.9 points, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals.
The Blazers have a backbone to build around. And they could have more keepers than their 11-16 record suggests. Allen Crabbe has engineered his own coming-out party (9.7 points, 58.2 true shooting percentage). Mason Plumlee (9.7 points, 8.0 rebounds) and Ed Davis (7.2, 7.6) have sparked the frontcourt with energy, hustle and athleticism.
But Meyers Leonard has stumbled in what many thought could be his leap year. And Noah Vonleh is just as mysterious as when the Blazers brought him in as the focal point of the Batum trade.
"They're frisky, in that they can sneak up and beat good teams..." CBS Sports' Matt Moore wrote. "But they're also very bad, in a lot of areas."
Portland has enough talent to avoid the bottoming-out phase of rebuilding. But it will still take some time for this core to ready itself for playoff competition.
Grade: B-
New York Knicks
7 of 10
Every rebuilder is searching for some level of star power. In that regard, the New York Knicks could already be ahead of most.
Carmelo Anthony hasn't missed an All-Star Game since 2009. That streak should continue. While still feeling some effects from February knee surgery, he's one of only six players averaging at least 21 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
While some wanted the Knicks to snag their second star in free agency, they might have done one better: finding him on draft night. Kristaps Porzingis, the fourth overall selection, has hit the ground running at track-star speed. The 7'3" 20-year-old is averaging 13.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 27.4 minutes, while ranking second among freshmen with 10 double-doubles (tied for 17th overall).
"No player in NBA history, in fact, has possessed quite this combination of youth, height, quickness and outside shooting skills," Nate Silver and Kirk Goldsberry wrote for FiveThirtyEight. "Porzingis's play has been so strong and so dazzling that he's that rare rookie on whom airy basketball aesthetes and turgid statistical fundamentalists can agree: This kid is the real deal."
The rookie's rapid rise has re-opened the possibility of the Knicks' capitalizing on what's left of Anthony's prime. They have present assistance in the form of veterans Robin Lopez and Arron Afflalo. Three-and-D wing Langston Galloway and point guard Jerian Grant could offer more if either (or, ideally, both) can find their footing sooner rather than later.
The Knicks don't have the widest rebuilding window given Anthony's age (31), but they have the financial flexibility to make a splash during 2016 free agency. They'll need to do just that with their upcoming draft selection already earmarked for someone else.
Grade: B
Orlando Magic
8 of 10
The Orlando Magic had stockpiled enough young talent to envision themselves as both a defensive power and a possible playoff participant. So, they followed the same trail blazed by others in the same position before them and handed over the coaching reins to turnaround specialist Scott Skiles.
The move is already paying major dividends. Orlando has nearly doubled its win percentage from last season (.560, up from .305) and catapulted from 25th to seventh in defensive efficiency.
"It's not the same team. It's not the same guys," veteran sniper Channing Frye said, per Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. "This is a completely different group of guys in understanding the game of basketball. Give a lot of credit to the guys buying into what Skiles wants."
Skiles has taken some risks with his rotation, but nearly every button he presses seems like the right one.
He broke apart the non-shooting backcourt of Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo, giving the former more room to attack and the latter a new calling as an instant-offense reserve. Frye has rediscovered his shooting stroke (44.9 percent from deep, up from 39.3 last season), and his promotion to the opening lineup has helped balance the floor.
Andrew Nicholson and Evan Fournier are both playing the best basketball of their careers. Aaron Gordon has picked up where he left off after a promising, albeit injury-riddled, rookie year. Electric lottery pick Mario Hezonja is coming alive, while both Nikola Vucevic and Tobias Harris have maintained their effectiveness despite losing volume.
Skiles has a history of eventually wearing out his welcome, but his honeymoon periods have always included a significant climb up the standings. The Magic are already on their way to doing just that, and the development of a single star could change their future forecast from good to great.
Grade: B+
Boston Celtics
9 of 10
Boston Celtics skipper Brad Stevens is the best young coach in basketball. At some point soon, he'll probably force us to drop the "young" qualifier from that label.
His team bears all the marks of an expertly led group: relentless energy, self-assurance, attention to detail, discipline and sound execution. He aces arguably the most important test for any coach: getting on-court production that's head, shoulders and a torso above his club's on-paper talent.
"Stevens is already one of the best in the game at identifying the exact niche his players will best occupy, then fitting them into it in concert with game context and situational awareness," Basketball Insiders' Ben Dowsett wrote.
Stevens' work this season has been nothing short of remarkable at the defensive end. The Celtics don't have a single shot-blocker on the roster—Amir Johnson is the only player averaging one swat a night (1.3). And yet, Boston's defense has been one of the league's most effective, tied for fourth in efficiency and 10th in field-goal percentage against.
Offensively, Stevens has coaxed career years out of Isaiah Thomas (22.0 PER) and Avery Bradley (15.3). Evan Turner has found his calling as a second-team playmaker, Jae Crowder has chipped in as a complementary scorer and the Celtics have used stretch bigs Jonas Jerebko and Kelly Olynyk to spread the floor.
Boston still needs an undisputed star, but Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge has the means to acquire one if any shake free. With a horde of incoming picks and swarm of prospects, the Shamrocks are armed to the teeth with movable assets.
Grade: A-
Minnesota Timberwolves
10 of 10
Asset accumulation is only half the battle for rebuilding clubs. Developing those assets and maximizing the investments made in them is the critical puzzle piece that can determine whether promising tomorrows ever become prolific todays.
Credit the late, great Flip Saunders for helping the Minnesota Timberwolves realize the importance of that second step.
The Timberwolves are teeming with drool-worthy Timberpups, led by the potentially fortune-changing tandem of back-to-back No. 1 picks Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. Wiggins, a 20-year-old sophomore, is already both an air-tight defender and 20.8 points-per-game scorer. Towns seemingly entered the league with no weaknesses, flashing the unicorn skill set of a jump-shooting rim protector.
"He's already good enough to be the backbone of an above-average defense and featured option on offense," Bleacher Report's Dan Favale wrote. "Towns, a rookie, is already playing like a seasoned All-Star."
Incredibly, those are only two of many scratch tickets the Timberwolves are holding. High-flying combo guard Zach LaVine is still a story waiting to be written. Shabazz Muhammad is carving his niche as an instant-offense spark. The Timberwolves haven't even started tinkering with 2015 first-rounder Tyus Jones yet. Oh, and Ricky Rubio won't turn 26 until the 2016-17 season is nearing its start.
That's a ton of high-upside youth. And all of it is receiving expert advice from the veteran minds of Kevin Garnett, Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller, collectively functioning as on-court groomers.
Many Minnesota moons will need to pass before the franchise collects on its well-placed bets, but a rebuilder with two potential superstars is one that's doing this the right way.
Grade: A-
Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com and current through games played Dec. 17.
