Final 2022 Offseason Grades for Every NBA Team

Consider this the completion of unfinished NBA offseason grading business.

We evaluated all 30 teams back on July 8, and much has changed since then. Donovan Mitchell is on the Cleveland Cavaliers now, for starters, and neither Kevin Durant nor Kyrie Irving wound up leaving the Brooklyn Nets. The Phoenix Suns matched on Deandre Ayton's offer sheet from the Indiana Pacers, after which everyone on the team apparently lost their phones, and Russell Westbrook—shockingly—continues to play (and might even start!) for the Los Angeles Lakers.

None of that seemed likely three months ago.

With fall upon us and only a week left until regular-season action begins, we've finally got a clear and complete picture of how every team handled its business over the summer. That gives us one last chance to pass judgment on the additions, subtractions and overall roster-building visions of every NBA team.

As always, we'll take into account an organization's specific goals so we're not evaluating contenders and tankers as if there's no difference between them. While we put most of the emphasis on signings and trades last time, now we're taking a more holistic look at everything that happened during the offseason, ultimately asking some version of "So, how'd it all go?"

Let's see who winds up heading the class with our final batch of offseason grades.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Dejounte Murray, Justin Holiday, Aaron Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, Jarrett Culver, A.J. Griffin (R)

Key Subtractions: Danilo Gallinari, Delon Wright, Kevin Huerter, Kevin Knox, Gorgui Dieng, Jock Landale, Lou Williams

Key Retentions: N/A

The Atlanta Hawks didn't get up to any serious transactional business after the first week of July, unless you'd use that term to describe salary-dumping Moe Harkless on the Oklahoma City Thunder or adding Jarrett Culver and Frank Kaminsky to the end of the bench.

They still improve from the "B" they earned initially because the market made it clear that trading away three first-round picks (two unprotected) plus a swap for Dejounte Murray wasn't the gross overpay it seemed to be at the time. The prices for Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell were substantially higher than that. The Hawks' outlay now looks fairly reasonable by comparison.

The Hawks can trust Murray to pilot the offense when Trae Young rests, and the former Spur will be an overqualified second option when sharing the floor with Atlanta's best player.

Murray's tenacity and length will address another longstanding Hawks weakness by shielding Young from any high-leverage defensive assignments. Both Murray and Young ranked among the league's top five in total time of possession last year, so there may be some early ball-sharing hiccups. But this team was second in the league on offense last season, and any hypothetical step backward on that end will be well worth the impending improvement on 2021-22's No. 26 defense.

Grade: C-

Key Additions: Malcolm Brogdon, Danilo Gallinari

Key Subtractions: Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan, Head Coach Ime Udoka

Key Retentions: Sam Hauser

The year-long suspension of head coach Ime Udoka is going to matter for the Boston Celtics, who'll begin their defense of the Eastern Conference crown still reeling from the stunning late-September shakeup on the bench. This team is too deep, talented and experienced to fold, but Udoka's leadership and defensive acumen will be missed. His tactical tweak midway through last season transformed Boston into the league's most fearsome defense, unleashing Robert Williams III and freeing up Marcus Smart to wreak havoc en route to a Defensive Player of the Year award.

Compounding matters, Williams, who needed surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee back in March, went under the knife again in late September. Those who watched Williams struggle with that knee throughout the postseason might have seen this second operation coming, but it's no less disappointing that Boston's elite defensive center may not debut until late December.

New addition Danilo Gallinari's recovery will take even longer. The veteran forward tore his ACL while playing for Italy in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers, and the typical recovery time for that injury is in the 12-month range. Even if he miraculously returns in time to see playoff action, Gallo, 34 and now coming off the second ACL repair of his career, shouldn't be counted on to contribute.

At least Malcolm Brogdon is healthy. His presence means the roster is still improved over last year. Nonetheless, what was once a stellar offseason with a straight "A" grade is now below average because of injury and scandal-driven coaching turnover.

Grade: C

Key Additions: T.J. Warren, Royce O'Neale, Edmund Sumner, Markieff Morris, Yuta Watanabe

Key Subtractions: Andre Drummond, Goran Dragic, Bruce Brown Jr., LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin

Key Retentions: Patty Mills, Nic Claxton

The Los Angeles Lakers might have something to say about it, but for the moment, it appears no team has more combustion potential than the Brooklyn Nets. That they didn't blow things up over the summer stands as perhaps the biggest surprise of the offseason. If things go sideways in October and November, we should expect the Nets to revisit trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Failing that, it's still possible head coach Steve Nash or top executive Sean Marks could be shown the door, as KD explicitly requested in an August meeting with owner Joe Tsai.

Awkwardness will reign in Brooklyn, and we can add Ben Simmons to the list of uncertainties after the three-time All-Star lost all of 2021-22 to a back injury (which required surgery) and to focus on his mental health.

And yet...look at this roster!

Durant, Irving and Simmons remain among the league's most talented trios, and Brooklyn added Royce O'Neale's three-and-D game to support its stars. T.J. Warren has missed the last two years with a foot injury and may never reach the heights he did in the bubble, but he played like a two-way borderline All-Star when last healthy.

Patty Mills and Nic Claxton are back with new deals, and Joe Harris should be healthy after ankle issues cost him nearly all of last year. This group has a ton of shooting, lineup optionality and star power.

It may have only been because the market didn't meet their asking price on Durant or Irving, but I'm still crediting the Nets for staring down KD's trade demand without blinking. Brooklyn got itself into this mess by sacrificing its culture at the alter of the Durant-Irving superstar pairing, but it also took a rare and laudable stand this offseason by refusing to cave to a trade request from a player without the leverage to make one.

It would have been easy for Brooklyn to buckle. Instead, it enters the 2022-23 season with one of the highest ceilings in the league. Just so we're clear, the Nets' floor is somewhere in the vicinity of the Earth's molten core.

Grade: D+

Key Additions: Mark Williams (R), Head Coach Steve Clifford

Key Subtractions: Montrezl Harrell, Head Coach James Borrego

Key Retentions: Cody Martin, Kelly Oubre Jr.

The Charlotte Hornets must not have viewed the increasing win totals under James Borrego—from 23 to 33 to 43 over the last three seasons—as sufficient signs of progress. Perplexingly, the Hornets filled the fired Borrego's spot with a retread head coach, and not just any retread. Steve Clifford, whom you may remember as the guy who coached Charlotte to a handful of mostly mediocre seasons prior to getting canned for (wait for it) Borrego in 2018, is back.

The old-school hard-liner from the Jeff and Stan Van Gundy coaching tree might coax better buy-in on D from a Hornets team that ranked 20th on that end last year. But it's no less difficult to avoid the feeling that Charlotte is either uninterested in making any bold moves or unwilling to spend what it takes to propel the franchise out of the league's sad-sack middle. Whatever changes Clifford implements, the roster that finished 10th in the East last season is relatively intact save for the likely absence of Miles Bridges, whose status is uncertain because of felony domestic violence charges.

The Hornets did well to keep Cody Martin on a four-year, $32 million deal, but he's no needle-mover. If Charlotte improves on last season's performance, organic growth from LaMelo Ball and better health from Gordon Hayward, who played 49 games in 2021-22, will be the reasons. Nothing the Hornets did this offseason seems likely to get them out of the play-in mix.

Grade: C+

Key Additions: Goran Dragic, Andre Drummond, Dalen Terry (R)

Key Subtractions: Troy Brown Jr.

Key Retentions: Zach LaVine, Derrick Jones Jr.

We baked in some worry about Lonzo Ball's troublesome knee when last we graded the Chicago Bulls, but it's now clear the level of concern wasn't high enough.

The knee surgery Ball underwent in January never quite took, and that led to reports in September that he still couldn't run or jump without pain. Unsurprisingly, a second surgery followed. Now, the sixth-year guard who was so critical to Chicago's early surge a year ago is essentially without a return timeline. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Ball is expected to miss "at least a few months."

Chicago's strong start was predicated on a swarming defense that created turnovers and triggered easier scoring opportunities on the other end. It's not a coincidence that Ball's exit from the lineup in January was followed by a much rougher second half for the Bulls. After running off an East-best 27-13 record to start the year, they went 19-23 down the stretch. No player who logged as many minutes as Ball had a greater positive impact on Chicago's defensive rating than he did. And his 42.3 percent hit rate from deep was hardly a throw-in.

The Bulls still made smart moves at large and small scale. The five-year, $212 million deal to keep Zach LaVine was defensible, and adding Goran Dragic as backcourt insurance now looks even shrewder with Ball sidelined. Ultimately, though, the news about Ball knocks Chicago down from a B to a C-plus.

Grade: A

Key Additions: Donovan Mitchell, Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto, Robin Lopez, Khalifa Diop (R), Isaiah Mobley (R)

Key Subtractions: Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Ochai Agbaji (R)

Key Retentions: Darius Garland, Dean Wade

The Cleveland Cavaliers don't lack for ambition. They ponied up three unprotected firsts, two swaps, Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton and lottery pick Ochai Agbaji to reel in three-time All-Star Donovan Mitchell. That's not the kind of move you expect from a team that had patiently built through the draft. Cleveland had good reason to believe internal growth from Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen and especially superstar-in-waiting Evan Mobley would lead to a standings climb in 2022-23—with or without Mitchell.

The Cavs aren't skipping steps here, though. They're not jumping the gun or overreaching. This is a calculated gamble at the right time for a team poised to make a leap.

Mitchell gives Cleveland a high-usage scoring star alongside the ascending Garland, someone who'll put immense pressure on opposing defenses, stretch the floor and work in tandem on and off the ball with Cleveland's point guard. Whatever defensive issues emerge because of the Cavs' lack of size in the backcourt won't matter with Mobley and Allen walling off the rim.

Concerns that Mitchell may leave in 2025 free agency are overblown. Cleveland will be fine if he walks for nothing, and the picks it surrendered to get him almost certainly won't fall in the lottery.

The Cavs earned a B+ for an offseason that brought aboard Ricky Rubio, Raul Neto and Robin Lopez. Now that they've got Mitchell and a legitimate shot to finish among the East's elite, we're going all the way up to an A.

Grade: C-

Key Additions: Christian Wood, JaVale McGee, Jaden Hardy (R)

Key Subtractions: Jalen Brunson, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, Boban Marjanovic

Key Retentions: Frank Ntilikina, Theo Pinson

The Dallas Mavericks got their offseason work done early. Other than a three-year, $33 million extension that keeps Maxi Kleber under team control through 2026, they made no moves of consequence after the first week or so of July. That's a strong value for a player in Kleber whose defensive impact and floor-spacing as a small-ball center always seem to matter in the playoffs.

Otherwise, Dallas' offseason boils down to losing Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency and the question of whether trade acquisition Christian Wood and a larger dose of returning guard Spencer Dinwiddie can replace that lost production. Skeptics will note that Wood's offensive numbers, while impressive, have never come in the service of a winning team. This season will be the 6'10" forward's best chance to prove his career per-36 scoring average of 21.6 points on 60.7 percent true shooting is more than empty calories.

Wood's presence raises questions about the Mavericks' closing lineups. Dallas also added JaVale McGee in free agency and is committed to starting him, but it's unlikely the conventional center will finish games. Can Wood defend the rim if paired with Dorian Finney-Smith up front in small-ball looks? Does he surrender too much on the perimeter to add any real value if Kleber is the closer at center?

The Mavericks still have Luka Doncic, which means they'll have a puncher's chance against anyone and should approach 50 wins. But Brunson's departure was a tough blow to absorb, and it's not clear Dallas did enough to offset the loss of such a capable secondary ball-handler.

Grade: A-

Key Additions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bruce Brown Jr., Ish Smith, DeAndre Jordan, Christian Braun (R)

Key Subtractions: Monte Morris, Will Barton, Facundo Campazzo, Bryn Forbes, JaMychal Green, DeMarcus Cousins

Key Retentions: Nikola Jokic, Davon Reed

All that stands in the way of the Denver Nuggets earning the highest possible mark is the inexplicable signing of DeAndre Jordan, who'll presumably fill backup center minutes behind two-time MVP and recently maxed-out-extension-earner Nikola Jokic. Granted, Jokic has been highly durable and should be able to play all but a handful of playoff minutes. But Jordan has been in steep decline to the point of unplayability over the last three years and is the only other center on the roster.

Denver should have used the minimum salary it gave Jordan on a center who'd provide a different look, durability, upside or, well...anything. DJ may still have value as a locker-room presence, but that's not good enough for a would-be contender like the Nuggets.

Otherwise, the Nuggets operated wisely. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown Jr. add critical defense on the wing, and the former was a championship-tested starter as recently as 2020. We're not awarding credit for getting Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. back from injury, but those two will take up the scoring and shot-creating slack for departed rotation guards Monte Morris, Will Barton, Facundo Campazzo and Bryn Forbes. Plus, with Jokic around, it's not like Denver is hurting for facilitators.

The Nuggets keep the purse strings drawn tighter than many critics would like, and they may have let former lead executive Tim Connelly leave for the Minnesota Timberwolves over money. But KCP and Brown fill real needs, Jokic extended with zero fuss and the retooled Nuggets appear ready to challenge for the best record in the West if their returning starters stay healthy.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Bojan Bogdanovic, Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, Kemba Walker, Kevin Knox II, Jaden Ivey (R), Jalen Duren (R)

Key Subtractions: Jerami Grant, Kelly Olynyk, Frank Jackson, Saben Lee

Key Retentions: Marvin Bagley III

The Detroit Pistons did a little bit of everything this offseason.

They accelerated the youth movement by grabbing two lottery picks, served as a dumping ground for unwanted salary (thanks, Knicks!) and even snagged a useful floor-spacing veteran in Bojan Bogdanovic. The 33-year-old forward is on an expiring deal and won't factor into Detroit's long-term plans, but he's a high-quality offensive piece who will make life easier for the guys who do have futures with the franchise. And if the Pistons can snag a first-rounder for him at the trade deadline, that'll be quite the return for a guy who only cost them Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee.

Rookie center Jalen Duren showed in Summer League action that he can go up and retrieve lobs put anywhere in the remote vicinity of the rim and that his ability to track down balls 12 feet off the ground also extends to the defensive end. He and No. 5 pick Jaden Ivey, an absolute menace on the open floor, give Detroit one of the most electrifyingly athletic young tandems in the league. They won't help the Pistons win games as rookies, but they'll ratchet up the excitement as they get their reps alongside surefire breakout star Cade Cunningham.

Losing Jerami Grant will hurt Detroit's bottom line, as he was the team's leading scorer and probably its top defender a year ago. But the Pistons got a first-rounder for the veteran forward and won't be too bent out of shape if the lack of experience on the roster produces another win total in the 20s. This is still a rebuild after all.

The only questionable move was the three-year, $37 million contract Detroit handed Marvin Bagley III. He hasn't shown the capacity to defend any frontcourt position, and his offensive repertoire through three NBA seasons still seems confined to point-blank putbacks.

Grade: C+

Key Additions: Donte DiVincenzo, JaMychal Green, Patrick Baldwin Jr. (R), Ryan Rollins (R)

Key Subtractions: Otto Porter Jr., Gary Payton II, Damion Lee, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Nemanja Bjelica

Key Retentions: Kevon Looney

Let's ease up on complaints that the Golden State Warriors let two key rotation pieces, Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II, leave because they weren't willing to spend the money to keep them. If you're going to knock an ownership group for being thrifty, maybe don't start with the one routinely paying hundreds of millions of dollars in luxury tax penalties.

The Dubs will miss those two rotation pieces from the 2021-22 championship team, but steps forward from Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga will mitigate the damage.

Donte DiVincenzo played in loads of meaningful games with the 2020-21 champion Milwaukee Bucks, even if an injury knocked him out of the late stages of that run. He's not a defensive disruptor on Payton's level (few are), but he's always been a high steals guy, and he's a much more dangerous offensive weapon. For two years and $9.2 million, he's a major bargain.

Though we've only got a few preseason looks and glowing comments from his coach to go on, Patrick Baldwin Jr. might be a draft steal. The 6'9" forward isn't a leap-off-the-screen athlete, but he understands positioning and knows how to use his size on defense. His perimeter stroke looks pure, and though the numbers-obsessed crowd won't care to hear it, Baldwin's feel for the game on both ends is legit. The Warriors struck gold with Jordan Poole in the 2019 draft. Baldwin, who came off the board at the same No. 28 spot as Poole and was a far more highly touted prospect to begin with, has the early markings of being another "how'd they get this guy?" find.

Lastly, it's still too early to tell what the big-picture fallout will be following reports (and then video) of Draymond Green punching Poole in practice. It's clearly an issue the key figures in Golden State are upset about, a distraction no contender welcomes. We're knocking the Warriors' grade down from a B-plus to a C-plus because it seems like the bad vibes have the potential to linger.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Boban Marjanovic, Sterling Brown, Trey Burke, Marquese Chriss, Derrick Favors, Moe Harkless, Theo Maledon, Bruno Fernando, Jabari Smith Jr. (R), Tari Eason (R) TyTy Washington (R)

Key Subtractions: John Wall, Christian Wood, David Nwaba, Dennis Schröder

Key Retentions: Jae'Sean Tate

The Houston Rockets have an overstuffed roster that will require some cuts to get down to the 15-man limit, but any changes will be on the margins and shouldn't affect an offseason grade that started out strong and stays that way.

Jabari Smith Jr. was the right pick at No. 3, and his early preseason work suggests he'll contribute immediately on both ends. Houston won't win many games, and the bar for rookie production is low, but the guy who most expected to come off the board first in the draft until things changed at the last second projects as a difference-maker.

In addition to draft success (don't forget Tari Eason at No. 17), the Rockets also did well in the trade department, getting a first-rounder from the Mavericks for Christian Wood. That move will also free up more minutes for Alperen Şengün at center, an important side effect as the 20-year-old big man has cornerstone potential.

The three-year, $22.1 million contract (with a team option in the third year) for Jae'Sean Tate stands out as one of the better bargain signings any team made this offseason. Tate is a terror on the offensive glass, can defend multiple positions and sets an intense tone for a young team that needs some grit.

Finally, moving on from John Wall via buyout allows the Rockets to embrace their rebuild with both arms.

Grade: B

Key Additions: Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Bennedict Mathurin (R), Andrew Nembhard (R)

Key Subtractions: Malcolm Brogdon, Ricky Rubio, T.J. Warren

Key Retentions: Jalen Smith

You have to respect the Indiana Pacers for shooting their shot on Deandre Ayton, even if the Phoenix Suns took all of five seconds to match their four-year, $133 million offer sheet. It would have been fun to see what kind of trouble Ayton and Tyrese Haliburton could have caused together, but it's not the worst thing to head into the season as one of just two teams with significant cap space. Indy is now positioned to take on bad salary with picks attached, an underrated pillar of any good rebuild.

The Pacers' most significant move was sending Malcolm Brogdon to the Celtics for a five-player package and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick. Of those five acquisitions, only Theis and Nesmith remain. That's fine; the pick was the real asset, and Indiana doesn't have a need for Malik Fitts, Juwan Morgan or Nik Stauskas, all of whom were waived ahead of the Ayton offer sheet.

Brogdon was an odd fit in the Pacers' rebuild, and the next injury might have further diminished his value if they'd held on to him until the trade deadline. Brogdon will turn 30 in December and logged only 36 games last year. The Pacers may have moved him at just the right time.

It's a little odd that Myles Turner and Buddy Hield are still on the roster, but that may be because the Pacers believe trade offers will improve as the season gets rolling and other teams' needs become clearer. Odds are both will be gone by the deadline.

Lastly, draftee Bennedict Mathurin looks like a quality complement for Haliburton. The rookie wing will take his lumps, but he projects as a dangerous movement shooter and cutter with the potential to contribute as a weak-side creator when the ball swings to him.

Grade: A-

Key Additions: John Wall, Moussa Diabate (R)

Key Subtractions: Isaiah Hartenstein

Key Retentions: Nicolas Batum, Amir Coffey, Ivica Zubac, Robert Covington

The luxury tax penalties will sting, but the Los Angeles Clippers' two-year, $13.2 million gamble on John Wall could pay off handsomely. Plus, Steve Ballmer has more cash than any other owner in the league. If anyone can scoff at payroll issues, it's him.

Wall has played only 40 games since December 2018, so the possibility that he's got nothing left to give a contender like the Clippers is real. But there's also a chance the five-time All-Star can still contribute at the level of a quality starter. The Clippers are loaded with talent and already have a pair of top-end scorers in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, so Wall can lean on his strengths as a facilitator of three-point shots and a pace-pusher in transition.

Losing Isaiah Hartenstein was a blow, but the Clippers couldn't pay him after using the taxpayer MLE on Wall. Hartenstein broke out as perhaps the best backup center in the league last season, thriving as a passer and shot-blocker behind starter Ivica Zubac. That said, the Clippers retained Zubac on a reasonable $33 million extension, and L.A. figures to play small lineups in high-leverage situations.

Nicolas Batum, Amir Coffey and Robert Covington are all returning with new deals. The Clips will pay under $27 million in total next season for those three wings/forwards, which is excellent value considering the league-wide premium on players at those positions.

Grade: C-

Key Additions: Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Schröder, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown Jr., Damian Jones, Max Christie (R), Head Coach Darvin Ham

Key Subtractions: Malik Monk, Carmelo Anthony, Kent Bazemore, Talen Horton-Tucker, Stanley Johnson

Key Retentions: LeBron James

We gave the Los Angeles Lakers a C-plus back in July, and they've added Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder since then. You'd think that would bump their grade up rather than down, but bringing in talent on the margins while Russell Westbrook remains on the roster feels like mowing the lawn while the house is on fire. The Lakers aren't exactly working through their roster problems in big-to-small fashion.

It's particularly frustrating that all reports indicate the Lakers have a doable (but as yet undone) deal with the Pacers that would bring in Myles Turner and Buddy Hield for Russ and the only two first-rounders they can trade, 2027 and 2029. One can sympathize with the Lakers not wanting to completely abandon control of their drafts for the rest of the decade, but the team just re-upped with LeBron James on a max extension through the 2024-25 season. That deal only more tightly tethers the franchise to a win-now timeline. Given the uneven results so far and the generally short tenures of lead executives in the NBA, Rob Pelinka probably won't even be with the team in 2029. All the more reason to pull the trigger, remove a player in Westbrook whose fit was awful from the jump and move forward with two useful starters.

Who'd be mad at a first unit of Beverley, Hield, James, Davis and Turner?

You could argue the Lakers head into this season with a little more talent than they had at this time last year, but the most pressing issue facing the team, Westbrook's presence on the roster, remains unaddressed. Somebody needs to familiarize the Lakers with the concept of triage.

Grade: C+

Key Additions: Danny Green, Jake LaRavia (R), David Roddy (R), Kennedy Chandler (R)

Key Subtractions: Kyle Anderson, De'Anthony Melton

Key Retentions: Ja Morant, Tyus Jones, Steven Adams, John Konchar

The Memphis Grizzlies punted on the chance to be an offseason powerbroker, declining to chase a star with cap space or trade their bevy of future first-rounders for a big name. That decision was defensible given the lack of available high-end talent, not to mention Memphis' justifiable confidence that it can meet or exceed last year's 56 wins through internal growth alone.

Ja Morant got his inevitable max rookie extension, and the Grizzlies also gave Steven Adams two more years and $25.2 million, keeping him under team control through 2025. Adams' value to the team increased when Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a fractured foot that will cost him a portion of 2022-23.

The Grizzlies let Kyle Anderson go to the Minnesota Timberwolves in free agency and traded De'Anthony Melton to the Philadelphia 76ers for a package built around the injured Danny Green and bruising rookie David Roddy. The latter will have to make a real difference to justify jettisoning Melton, a tough defender who'll likely feature in the Sixers' postseason rotation. Tyus Jones' return on a two-year, $30 million deal means the Grizzlies can weather Morant's next stint on the shelf.

Memphis ultimately lost two rotation pieces—Anderson and Melton—and retained one in Jones. That puts a lot of pressure on rookies Jake LaRavia, Roddy and Kennedy Chandler. The young Grizzlies could be called upon to contribute ahead of schedule and may even see big minutes if injuries arise. That 21-year-old Santi Aldama is in line to start while Jackson recovers from surgery shows how quickly youth can be thrust into serious action.

The West is as tough as ever, and it looks like Memphis isn't quite as deep as it was last season. Still, the Grizzlies checked off the big items by extending Morant and Adams, and they're still in possession of all those future picks.

Grade: C-

Key Additions: Nikola Jovic (R)

Key Subtractions: P.J. Tucker, Markieff Morris

Key Retentions: Tyler Herro, Victor Oladipo, Dewayne Dedmon, Caleb Martin, Udonis Haslem

Two key factors contribute to the Miami Heat's below-average mark.

First, Miami couldn't retain P.J. Tucker, losing him to the conference-rival Sixers and failing to replace him in free agency. Jimmy Butler functions fine as a power forward in playoff settings, but it's not ideal to subject him to the punishment of playing up a position for the entire regular season. Caleb Martin is back on a three-year, $20.4 million deal, but he's similarly undersized for full-time 4 duties.

Tucker is 37 and due for a steep decline. If that happens, the Heat won't miss him. Moving on from a player a year too early might turn out to be better than trying to do it a year too late. All the same, Miami is missing a key starter.

The second big move came in the form of a four-year, $120 million extension for Tyler Herro. There's some real sticker shock here, considering Herro is an offense-only player who managed a positive on-off split for the first time in his career this past season. Even with the cap going up and Herro's annual salary counting for roughly 20 percent of it going forward, it's hard to feel great about paying roughly $30 million per season for a sixth man—even an award-winning one.

Herro could pop in his fourth season and make that last paragraph look ridiculous, and the Heat made sensible signings elsewhere. Victor Oladipo for two years and $18 million could be a bargain, and even Dewayne Dedmon's two-year, $9 million agreement passes the smell test. Zoom out, though, and the Heat appear to be an objectively worse team without Tucker—one that did little to improve the chances of advancing past last year's conference finals trip.

Grade: C+

Key Additions: Joe Ingles, MarJon Beauchamp (R)

Key Subtractions: N/A

Key Retentions: Bobby Portis, Jordan Nwora, Jevon Carter, Wesley Matthews, Serge Ibaka

Sticking with the group that might have reached the 2022 Finals if not for Khris Middleton's wrist injury is far from the worst approach, but the Milwaukee Bucks did little to address the lack of wing depth that made Middleton's departure from the lineup so damaging.

Joe Ingles was Milwaukee's only significant free-agent signing. While he's been a deadeye shooter and quality pick-and-roll playmaker from the wing when at his best, the crafty left-hander is 34 and coming off a torn ACL that should keep him off the floor until at least January. It's risky to assume he'll be a starting-caliber contributor by playoff time, which means the Bucks might have used their best roster-building asset, the taxpayer MLE, on a player who won't be able to help in the only games that matter to this title contender.

Ingles, Grayson Allen and Wesley Matthews are either substandard wing defenders, limited offensive weapons or both. Pat Connaughton picked up his player option and may be the best two-way wing option available, but he's been a reserve his whole career. Someone from that group will have to play major postseason minutes at a key position unless Jordan Nwora (back on a two-year, $5.8 million contract) makes a leap or rookie Marjon Beauchamp develops ahead of schedule.

The athletic and rangy Beachamp's potential to eventually become an impact wing is the reason Milwaukee skates by with a marginally above-average grade. Snatching him off the board at No. 24 was the kind of high-upside swing a team like Milwaukee is supposed to take.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Rudy Gobert, Kyle Anderson, Bryn Forbes, P.J. Dozier, Wendell Moore Jr. (R)

Key Subtractions: Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Josh Okogie, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (R)

Key Retentions: Karl-Anthony Towns, Taurean Prince

The 2021-22 Minnesota Timberwolves were among the worst defensive-rebounding teams in the league, and they ranked in the bottom half in both opponent accuracy and attempt frequency at the rim.

Rudy Gobert cost a ton to acquire, but he's the player most capable of erasing this team's two most glaring weaknesses. With the three-time DPOY assuring Minnesota will perform at a top-five level on D whenever he's in the game and an offense that could improve on its No. 7 finish a year ago, the Wolves have a chance to win as many regular-season games as anyone in the NBA. What that means for the playoffs, where Gobert's effectiveness tends to diminish, is uncertain. The Wolves have made two postseason trips since 2004. They'll happily cross that bridge when they get to it.

Aside from the blockbuster Gobert deal, Minnesota also did well on the margins. Bryn Forbes and his career 41.3 percent hit rate from distance could see loads of open looks as defenses focus on Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns; Kyle Anderson can defend and move the ball from the forward spot; and P.J. Dozier is a terrific buy-low option coming off a torn ACL.

Jarred Vanderbilt's hustle and Patrick Beverley's intensity will be tough to replace, but the Timberwolves believe Jaden McDaniels is ready to take a step forward, and Edwards is primed to explode into superstardom. Towns' four-year, $224 million extension elicited little more than "yeah, that seems about right," which speaks to his immense talent and production.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Dyson Daniels (R), E.J. Liddell (R)

Key Subtractions: N/A

Key Retentions: Zion Williamson, CJ McCollum, Larry Nance Jr.

It's been a long time since anyone questioned Zion Williamson's upside. But now that we know his max rookie extension (five years and $193 million with the potential to climb as high as $231 million) features weight-related clauses that could reduce the amount of guaranteed money owed by the New Orleans Pelicans, there's far less reason to worry about his concerning potential downside. By protecting themselves against a worst-case scenario in which Williamson can't stay fit and healthy, the Pels earn an improvement from July's "B" grade.

And with Williamson coming into camp looking more chiseled and explosive than at any point in his career, there's really no room to criticize his contract.

New Orleans also gets credit for inking CJ McCollum. He fit perfectly into the starting point guard slot down the stretch last year, and his two-year, $64 million extension means he'll cost a lower percentage of the salary cap every year going forward through the deal's expiration in 2025-26. Larry Nance Jr., who has a chance to close games at center, also got a reasonable two-year, $21.6 million extension that keeps him under team control through 2025.

Other than drafting tantalizing wing prospect Dyson Daniels at No. 8, a Pels roster that was already full at the end of last year is almost totally unchanged. Considering the 10-5 run they put together to close 2021-22 and the fight they showed in the first round against the Phoenix Suns without Williamson, stasis isn't a bad thing.

Grade: B

Key Additions: Jalen Brunson, Isaiah Hartenstein

Key Subtractions: Kemba Walker, Alec Burks, Nerlens Noel, Taj Gibson

Key Retentions: RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson

Everyone complaining that the 2022 New York Knicks offseason was just another in a long stretch of buffoonery should keep in mind how royally the organization has botched its summer transactions in years past.

This was a debatable offseason, not a disastrous one.

A series of draft-night deals, while confusing in the moment, ultimately shook out as follows: The Knicks added a Wizards 2023 protected first-round pick, a Pistons 2023 protected first-round pick and a Bucks 2025 protected first-round pick in exchange for the No. 11 pick, four second-rounders and Kemba Walker.

Those moves helped clear room to sign Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract that will make him the 14th-highest-paid point guard in the league. It's worth questioning how Brunson will look in an offensive environment with much less space than he enjoyed with the Dallas Mavericks, but it's hard to argue he'll be overpaid for his production. The crafty guard averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists while helping the Mavs post a plus-4.1 net rating without Luka Doncic on the floor.

There was no good reason to give Mitchell Robinson $60 million, but the Knicks landed Isaiah Hartenstein for two years and $16 million. Combine the former overpay with the latter bargain, and the center position winds up looking fine from a financial perspective.

Hartenstein ranked in the 92nd percentile among centers in assist percentage and the 84th in points per shot attempt last season. Don't be surprised if he winds up closing games over Robinson, whether New York's purported starter is healthy or not.

Finally, locking up RJ Barrett to a four-year extension well short of the max (four years and $107 million with incentives to reach $120 million) was good business—not to mention rare. The Knicks hadn't retained a drafted player after a rookie deal since Charlie Ward in 1999. Barrett averaged an even 20.0 points per game in his age-21 season, and though his scoring efficiency dipped, he still plays a premium wing position. A small step forward by the lefty in his fourth season will render that contract an immediate steal for the Knicks.

Grade: A-

Key Additions: David Nwaba, Chet Holmgren (R), Ousmane Dieng (R), Jalen Williams (R), Jaylin Williams (R)

Key Subtractions: Isaiah Roby, Derrick Favors, Ty Jerome, Theo Maledon

Key Retentions: Lu Dort, Kenrich Williams, Mike Muscala

Even if Chet Holmgren hadn't suffered a season-ending foot injury in August, the incredibly young Oklahoma City Thunder were still set to pile into the tank for another year. It's just that without the No. 2 overall pick involved, the race to the bottom won't be nearly as entertaining.

Oklahoma City's grade doesn't suffer because of events beyond its control, though, so we're still high on an offseason headlined by Lu Dort's five-year, $87.5 million extension and draft heist Jalen Williams. Dort is a reliable three-point shot away from being one of the league's premium three-and-D role players. Just 23, the burly wing is at least working on ironing out his stroke; he got up 8.5 deep attempts per 36 minutes last season, more than noted snipers like Trae Young, Desmond Bane and Zach LaVine.

Williams looks like the real deal, a player who absolutely should not have been available at No. 12 in the draft. He's a three-level scorer with wing size, long arms, the playmaking instincts of a lead guard and the willingness to compete defensively. Teammate Kenrich Williams, who earned a four-year, $27.2 million extension, is convinced his rookie counterpart is in line for a special career.

Staying on brand, the Thunder closed out their offseason with a complex and minimally consequential multi-player trade that yielded a couple of trade exceptions and cash for a future second-rounder.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Paolo Banchero (R), Caleb Houstan (R)

Key Subtractions: Robin Lopez

Key Retentions: Mo Bamba, Gary Harris, Bol Bol

There's room for disagreement over whether Paolo Banchero was the best player in the 2022 draft, but it's hard to argue any of the other prospects would have been a better fit with the Orlando Magic. Banchero, a forward, brings desperately needed first-option playmaking to a team that lacks it at the guard positions. Between him and the continually developing Franz Wagner, the Magic have the beginnings of an unusual offensive setup in which the backcourt relies on the frontcourt for its scoring opportunities.

Mo Bamba got a two-year, $21 million contract to return after showing real signs of progress in his first season as a full-time starter. He averaged 10.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.5 made treys per game and really shone down the stretch. The 7-footer hit 45 of the 101 long-range shots he tried after the All-Star Break.

Two-big lineups featuring Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. were difficult to score on, but they were abysmal on the offensive end. The Magic have to hope improved playmaking at the non-center spots will render those configurations more playable. Regardless, Bamba's contract is below market value for a 24-year-old starter who still has significant upside.

Gary Harris is back on a two-year, $26 million deal. He'll help the Magic with wing defense and capable shooting for as long as he's on the roster. Assuming the torn meniscus he suffered over the offseason heals up, Harris will also (again) be one of the more sought-after trade chips at the deadline.

Grade: A

Key Additions: P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr., De'Anthony Melton, Montrezl Harrell, Trevelin Queen

Key Subtractions: Danny Green, Deandre Jordan, Paul Millsap

Key Retentions: James Harden

The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs five years running but haven't advanced past the second round a single time in that span. Their offseason moves signal they've decided enough is enough.

P.J. Tucker, Danuel House Jr. and De'Anthony Melton give the Sixers exactly the kind of two-way role players they'll need to make a deeper run. Tucker and Melton, in particular, will bring the ornery competitiveness that hasn't always been present in large enough supply during the Joel Embiid era. Embiid may still pick up his typical litany of nicks and bruises (and fractures), and James Harden's next great clutch playoff performance will be his first in years, but the Sixers won't be short on toughness and grit anymore.

Harden opted out of his $47.3 million salary for 2022-23 and signed a two-year extension with a player option for 2024-25 worth a total of $68.6 million. The former MVP's willingness to reduce his salary triggered a league investigation into whether Harden and the Sixers had a handshake deal in place for a much larger payout once Harden (presumably) declines his player option and hits free agency again in 2024.

It's a cynical take, but if the league is investigating a team for a deal that seems too good to be true, it's a pretty strong sign that said team made out pretty well.

With three major rotation additions and Harden apparently coming to camp in shape, Philadelphia looks more like the short-list contender it wants to be than the second-round out it's been over the last half-decade.

Grade: C-

Key Additions: Jock Landale, Damion Lee, Josh Okogie

Key Subtractions: Aaron Holiday, JaVale McGee

Key Retentions: Deandre Ayton, Devin Booker, Bismack Biyombo

If we were scoring on the ability to avoid offseason controversy, the Phoenix Suns would be in trouble. Deandre Ayton's restricted free agency was uncomfortable, as the Suns held off on securing their starting center until after he received an offer sheet from the Pacers. Waiting for the market to explicitly tell them what Ayton was worth made sense from a coldly practical perspective, but it didn't exactly strengthen the bond between team and player. Add to that the awkwardness of head coach Monty Williams pulling Ayton early from a disastrous Game 7 loss to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round (not an offseason event, but still...) and then the news that Ayton and Williams hadn't spoken since, and the vibes in Phoenix have been less than chill.

Starting power forward Jae Crowder's trade request didn't help matters, and all of the aforesaid intra-team strife pales in comparison to the conclusion of a months-long investigation into the team's workplace culture that will result in owner Robert Sarver selling the team. That's probably a good thing in the long run, but it's also another entry in a growing list of distractions.

Phoenix's rotation is basically unchanged from last year's 64-win team; nine of the top 10 players in total minutes are back, and a return to health from Dario Saric should offset the loss of backup center JaVale McGee. Not only that, but the Suns also locked up Devin Booker with a max extension.

That's all great and would normally warrant a grade somewhere in the "B" range or higher, but it's impossible to ignore the tension and general sense that something's not quite right with this group. If there's a team with the experience and talent to overcome the non-basketball distractions swirling around, maybe it's this one. For now, it's just not reasonable to say the Suns had a good offseason. Messy and concerning seem like better descriptors.

Grade: A-

Key Additions: Jerami Grant, Gary Payton II, Shaedon Sharpe (R)

Key Subtractions: Eric Bledsoe, Joe Ingles

Key Retentions: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Jusuf Nurkić, Drew Eubanks

Quick-fire rebuilds don't usually come together this cleanly.

The Portland Trail Blazers committed to constructing a winner around Damian Lillard for whatever remains of the franchise icon's prime (and also gave him a massive two-year, $122 million extension that runs through 2027), and then they followed through. Gary Payton II brings unmatched defensive disruption in the backcourt, and Jerami Grant isn't so far removed from his days as a five-position stopper. By signing the former in free agency and adding the latter in a draft-night trade, the Blazers showed a clear understanding that the best way to improve Lillard's supporting cast was to up its defensive heft.

That wasn't necessarily the toughest mystery to solve, as Portland ranked 29th on defense during its tanktastic 2021-22 season.

Anfernee Simons' four-year, $100 million deal looks better after Tyler Herro's $120 million agreement with Miami, and No. 7 pick Shaedon Sharpe joins Simons in giving the mostly veteran Blazers some longer-term potential.

Jusuf Nurkić is overpaid at $70 million across the next four seasons, but his new contract isn't a crippler. Don't be surprised, though, if Grant or even Justise Winslow supplants the plodding Nurkić at center in closing lineups that require better spacing and more versatility.

Portland is by no means above the play-in fray in a tough Western Conference, but credit the front office for retooling so quickly. The Blazers are going to score a ton, and these new defensive additions add a level of balance to the roster that had been missing for several years.

Grade: B-

Key Additions: Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter, Kent Bazemore, Keegan Murray (R), Jaden Hardy (R), Head Coach Mike Brown

Key Subtractions: Justin Holiday, Moe Harkless, Donte DiVincenzo, Damian Jones

Key Retentions: Neemias Queta (two-way)

The annual push to end the longest active playoff drought in the league (16 years and counting) saw the Sacramento Kings set their talent-acquisition sights on shooters. The De'Aaron Fox-Domantas Sabonis combo should get enough spacing from Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk and rookie Keegan Murray for the Kings to threaten for a top-10 spot in offensive efficiency.

Unfortunately, the spacing crunch Sacramento had to address with Fox and Sabonis offering so little stretch wasn't the only glaring issue. The lack of defensive punch was even more urgent, and the Kings didn't do anything to inspire hope that this year's defense will be much better than the one that finished 27th last season. In fairness, players who can shoot and defend multiple positions are always in short supply. The Kings opted to juice the offense, which isn't the worst idea for a franchise that in addition to winning, needs to put a watchable product on the floor to climb up from last year's No. 24 ranking in attendance.

Huerter is an underrated playmaker on the wing whose 41.9 percent hit rate on catch-and-shoot threes will keep defenses from collapsing into the middle when Fox and Sabonis get to work in their pick-and-roll and handoff actions. Monk shot an identical 41.9 percent on spot-up shots from long range.

Murray is the wild card, and we may not know whether the Kings were right to grab him ahead of Jaden Ivey for several years. For now, the Iowa product has shown great feel on both ends and the ability to bend defenses as a shooter on the move. Everything will have to click on offense—for Murray and the other new acquisitions—in order for the Kings to offset what seems likely to be one of the league's worst defenses.

Grade: A-

Key Additions: Gorgui Dieng, Isaiah Roby, Jeremy Sochan (R), Malaki Branham (R), Blake Wesley (R)

Key Subtractions: Dejounte Murray, Lonnie Walker IV, Jock Landale

Key Retentions: Keldon Johnson

The Dejounte Murray trade was a surprise, but credit the San Antonio Spurs for dealing their best player at the peak of his value. In return for an All-Star guard they couldn't extend and would probably have had to pay in excess of $200 million on his next contract in 2024, the Spurs got back a package from the Atlanta Hawks that included three first-round picks (two unprotected), plus swap rights on a fourth in 2026.

With Murray gone, San Antonio is embracing a rebuild and all the losses it might bring. A down year would be worth it for projected top 2023 pick Victor Wembanyama, who previously played for Tony Parker's ASVEL club in France.

The Spurs didn't strip everything down after moving Murray. Their focus on the future also included a four-year, $80 million extension for Keldon Johnson. The 23-year-old forward doubled his three-point attempts per game last year and converted them at a 39.8 percent clip. With his size, physicality and developing stroke, Johnson seems like a lock to outperform his paycheck.

Jeremy Sochan's defensive skill made him a wise pick at No. 9, and it's not hard to imagine him and Johnson working together in a potent frontcourt over the next handful of years.

The Spurs finally leaned into a rebuild and will head into the season with more cap space than anyone. By this time next year, San Antonio will have collected more future first-round picks and, ideally, a good enough one of their own to snag Wembanyama.

Grade: B+

Key Additions: Otto Porter Jr., Juancho Hernangomez, Christian Koloko (R)

Key Subtractions: Yuta Watanabe, Svi Mykhailiuk

Key Retentions: Chris Boucher, Thaddeus Young

In hindsight, Otto Porter Jr. was destined to sign with the Toronto Raptors. Nobody craves rangy wings and skilled forwards like they do, so the veteran was an obvious free-agent fit. Having pumped up his value in a championship run with the Warriors, Porter will slot in nicely with Pascal Siakam, Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa. His 39.8 percent career hit rate from long distance will provide spacing, and Porter has always been one of the best rebounders at his position.

Chris Boucher got a three-year, $35.3 million contract that feels a little too rich, but Toronto also retained Thaddeus Young for two years and $17 million with only $1 million guaranteed in 2023-24, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. That's a low-risk move that mitigates what might wind up being an overpay for Boucher.

Though the Raptors made sense as a Kevin Durant landing spot after the superstar's trade request, it's probably for the best that Scottie Barnes, Anunoby and whatever trove of draft picks it would have cost to get KD are still around. Durant is 34 and increasingly prone to missing games, and there's no reason Toronto can't revisit talks down the line if or when Brooklyn puts KD back on the table.

Grade: A+

Key Additions: Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Talen Horton-Tucker, Saben Lee, Stanley Johnson, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler (R), Ochai Agbaji

Key Subtractions: Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Royce O'Neale, Bojan Bogdanovic, Danuel House Jr., Juancho Hernangomez, Hassan Whiteside

Key Retentions: N/A

The term "blow it up" gets a little overused, but not in the case of the Utah Jazz. They well and truly demolished a roster that won the second-most regular season games in the league over the last four seasons. Rudy Gobert went to the Timberwolves for a package that included four first-rounders and an additional swap, and Donovan Mitchell followed him out the door, going to the Cavaliers for three first-rounders and two swaps—not to mention Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen and Ochai Agbaji.

As a result, the Jazz are in control of at least 14 first-round picks through 2029 and will be in position to contend in the race for a juicy lottery spot ahead of a loaded 2023 draft.

Utah is the best example of how offseason grades don't depend on how much talent comes aboard, or how much it costs to get it. The Jazz were arguably the biggest summertime winners because they made the difficult decision to move on from a roster that they believed had reached the end of the line. It was an ambitious call, and there are probably 20 other teams that would have rather just run it back with Gobert, Mitchell and everyone else, content to win 50-something games and (probably) be out of the playoffs by May.

The Jazz are aiming higher.

Grade: D+

Key Additions: Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Will Barton, Taj Gibson, Johnny Davis (R)

Key Subtractions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Ish Smith, Thomas Bryant, Raul Neto

Key Retentions: Bradley Beal, Anthony Gill

At the least, the Washington Wizards assured that if they're disappointing in 2022-23, it won't be for the same reasons they underwhelmed last year. Few teams needed a quality point guard more than Washington, and Monte Morris fits that description. Getting him cost the Wizards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is more of a universal fit and should thrive with the Denver Nuggets, but Morris fills a critical need on this team.

Delon Wright will bring even more playmaking from a combo-guard spot, and rookie Johnny Davis could be ready to contribute to the rotation later in the year.

Bradley Beal's contract won't age well. The three-time All-Star is already 29, potentially worn down by over 22,000 career minutes and lost much of last year to wrist surgery. The Wizards are paying a quarter-billion dollars over the next five years for a guy who's not going to perform at a "best player on a contender" level commensurate with his salary. That Beal also got the only full no-trade clause in the league, per ESPN's Bobby Marks, is impossible to explain.

If things go south and Washington wants to trade Beal, it'll only be able to send him where he wants to go. And if Beal asks out, the small number of teams to which he wouldn't veto a trade will know they don't have to put forth their best offers in a narrowed market. That's a lose-lose proposition for the Wizards.

Washington must have been motivated to avoid losing its best player for nothing in free agency. But Beal's extension makes it seem like the Wizards are content to hang around the league's bloated middle for another several seasons.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Accurate through 2021-22 season. Salary info via Spotrac.