The biggest moves of the NBA offseason, by and large, have been completed.
There are still a few key free agents and moves that need to be made, yes, but the calendar is settling into something of a summer lull. And, not surprisingly, this offseason did not lack monumental moves.
None were bigger than trades that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. Joining Brown in Philadelphia, no less, is LeBron James, who will be joining his fourth different team in his 24th NBA season. There’s plenty to sort through.
Here are grades for every NBA team’s offseason:
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics
Mitchell Robinson is a solid addition. He’ll bolster the low-post defense and will provide a spark without demanding the ball on offense. Can he be dependably available as a starter? That remains to be seen. The bigger problem here was the team’s move to ship Jaylen Brown.
While there were some inefficiencies to Brown’s game, Paul George, at this stage of his career, is not an upgrade. Over the long run, if the Celtics didn’t want to pay Brown, it does make some sense to move him. But does this get Boston any closer to the Knicks, 76ers or the other top teams in the league? The answer is pretty clearly no.
■ Grade: C-
Brooklyn Nets
It stings any time an in-city rival wins a championship. It must’ve really stung when all of New York City erupted when the Knicks snapped a 53-year drought to do so. The Nets, however, still appear a ways away from legitimate contention, even with the trade that brought Julius Randle over from the Timberwolves.
No. 6 overall pick, point guard Mikel Brown Jr., flashed in Summer League play and could be the creator and shot-making combo point guard the Nets have been seeking for some time. Keon Ellis was a decent addition, but the Nets clearly still need a star to threaten in the East. That, or they need their crop of young guards – Brooklyn has five who are 20 years old – to develop.
■ Grade: C+
New York Knicks
It’s tough to be too harsh when they just snapped a 53-year title drought, but New York’s avoidance of the second apron did force the front office to make some tough choices. Namely, the Knicks did not make a push to retain backup center Mitchell Robinson. Though New York replaced him with Andre Drummond, Robinson going to the rival Celtics will sting.
Re-signing Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson and Mohamed Diawara retains this core in place and puts the Knicks in a legitimate spot to repeat.
■ Grade: B
Philadelphia 76ers
No team was more aggressive in reshaping its good (though not great) roster than the 76ers. It became clear after the Knicks unceremoniously swept Philadelphia in the conference semifinals that changes were needed. Bob Myers and Mike Gansey turned Paul George’s cumbersome contract into Jaylen Brown, and luring LeBron James suddenly gives the Sixers a potent Starting Five.
It was also smaller, low-cost moves like adding Anfernee Simons and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope that help round out the roster. Even first-round rookie Labaron Philon Jr. presented significant value at No. 22. Philadelphia should be considered one of the short favorites to win the East. Now this veteran roster just needs to stay healthy.
■ Grade: A
Toronto Raptors
This assessment is wholly incomplete with the conclusion of the Kawhi Leonard investigation hanging in the balance. If Leonard does end up with the Raptors and if he avoids significant discipline, then the trade is a stellar, win-now move. If Toronto is forced to eat any suspension or – even worse – if Leonard’s contract is somehow voided, then Toronto will have waited around for nothing, and its offseason will have been wasted.
■ Grade: B+ (assuming Leonard trade is executed)
Central Division
Chicago Bulls
No incoming rookie shined brighter than No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson, who starred in Summer League with both his perimeter shooting and dominant play down low. Wilson will need some time, but he looks like he could blossom into a legitimate star. He’s also built, with length and fluid athleticism, for the modern NBA.
Elsewhere, low-cost addition of center Nic Claxton Jr. shores up the center spot, and veteran two-guard Norman Powell rounds up the roster quite nicely. The Bulls may not be ready to compete in the East, but they have clear momentum for the future, especially with the solid coaching hire of Tiago Splitter.
■ Grade: A-
Cleveland Cavaliers
It should be no surprise that the Cavs are mostly running it back; the team’s front office more or less hinted at that. Losing out on LeBron James does sting, and forward Mario Hezonja should be considered more of a flyer than anything. James Harden remains unsigned, but that seems mostly because he’s trying to give Cleveland some flexibility in case it should be in position to land another starter.
Could either Jonathan Kuminga or Peyton Watson be available in sign-and-trades? That would certainly boost Cleveland’s grade.
■ Grade: C-
Detroit Pistons
The Jalen Duren contract situation is still lingering over the Pistons – and it may for a while longer. Duren is a restricted free agent, and recent precedent has shown that it’s in the best interest of teams to wait, as the market dries up, further driving a player’s price down.
John Collins was a solid addition, and Detroit needed it after it traded away backup center Isaiah Stewart. Isaiah Joe brings much-needed perimeter shooting. Still, the Pistons need to figure out the future of Duren – and determine what a fair price for him is, after he disappeared in the postseason. Either way, Detroit could probably still use another secondary shot creator.
■ Grade: B-
Indiana Pacers
As they have been since star point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his Achilles in the 2025 NBA Finals, the Pacers have been in something of a holding pattern. Indiana, like most teams, clearly does not want to creep over apron thresholds, so the offseason was mostly quiet.
The big losses were during the draft lottery, when the No. 5 selection was conveyed to the Clippers in the Ivica Zubac trade. Signings Larry Nance Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. are role players, so this is all about Haliburton returning to full health and Zubac being a force down low.
■ Grade: C
Milwaukee Bucks
Any time you lose the greatest player in franchise history, it’s going to be a difficult offseason. It became painfully obvious, however that the Bucks were eventually going to lose Giannis Antetokounmpo. That said, Milwaukee was able to recoup some decent young assets from the Heat. Whether the Bucks extend Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. remains to be seen, but Kel’el Ware has potential and No. 10 overall draft pick Brayden Burries flashed in Summer League, so he could be a nice piece for the future.
■ Grade: B-
Southeast Division
Atlanta Hawks
One of the surprise teams last season, the Hawks focused on adding depth at key positions – and depth with a championship pedigree. The Hawks retain their starting five, but added Luguentz Dort and Aaron Wiggins from the Thunder.
No. 8 overall selection Kingston Flemings gives the Hawks yet another complementary guard, one who can slash to the rim with explosion. Depth was an issue in the postseason, as the bench often underwhelmed. That should no longer be the case.
■ Grade: B+
Charlotte Hornets
These moves were all about resetting culture and establishing a more efficient style of play. Trading away LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges are significant departures, but Ball was a high-volume, shoot-first point guard and Bridges’ off-court issues hung over the franchise for some time.
Naz Reid is a solid piece, and the doubling down on Coby White reaffirms Charlotte’s emphasis on perimeter shooting. The Hornets were a surprise in 2025-26. Now it’s up to Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller and Reid to carry that culture forward.
■ Grade: B
Miami Heat
Losing out on LeBron James certainly stings, but the Heat finally landed the star they had been chasing. And Giannis Antetokounmpo was unquestionably the premier player available this offseason. He’s dynamic in transition and, alongside captain Bam Adebayo, Miami suddenly boasts a dominant defensive frontcourt.
The Heat may still be active in the buyout market if Klay Thompson becomes available, and Bradley Beal is another low-cost option, as shooting continues to be a priority. Second round rookie Ryan Conwell flashed in Summer League and he could find some minutes. Either way, Miami was never competing with its previous roster build. Now with Antetokounmpo, the Heat should be far more interesting in the East.
■ Grade: A-
Orlando Magic
The best move here was probably the coaching change. Former Spurs assistant Sean Sweeney takes over a team whose defensive identity helped lock down opponents. But the lack of consistent perimeter shooting was unsustainable. Despite that, the Magic are essentially running it back.
And while Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs are still young and can develop further, adding Nikola Vučević won’t nearly be enough to solve the offense. Sweeney should bring new ideas, but most of the East got significantly better while Orlando still faces big questions.
■ Grade: C-
Washington Wizards
Landing the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft was the big move in an otherwise uninspiring offseason. AJ Dybantsa does indeed look like he could become a consistent scorer and franchise player, but the $212 million contract Washington gave to Trae Young is a risk. The team also has to determine whether it will pay Anthony Davis.
Either way, the additions of Deandre Ayton and Khris Middleton (who is returning after a brief stint with the Mavericks) won’t elevate the franchise all that much. Now it’s about the availabilities of Young and Davis and the continued development of Dybantsa, Alexandre Sarr, Kyshawn George and the other young Wizards.
■ Grade: C+
Western Conference
Northwest Division
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets looked old and slow in their first round loss against the Timberwolves, and tight cap constraints have limited Denver’s ability to improve. The Nuggets did re-sign forward Spencer Jones, who emerged late last season, but it put the Nuggets over the second apron after the Thunder shrewdly signed him to an offer sheet.
Now, Denver faces a tough reality: it may have to trade away a key veteran – someone like Aaron Gordon, perhaps – if it wants to re-sign Peyton Watson, a promising, two-way forward who is only 23. Watson is a restricted free agent, but teams know the dire salary cap situation facing Denver. So if the Nuggets are forced to deal Watson in a sign-and-trade, they’re operating from a position of low leverage. This is the problem when stuck in the second apron.
■ Grade: D+
Minnesota Timberwolves
This was all about providing another ball-handling and shot-creating outlet for Anthony Edwards. The biggest hurdle facing Minnesota has been how teams in the playoffs forced Edwards to be stellar. Put another way: his supporting cast failed to deliver consistent scoring.
Now with Donte DiVincenzo set to miss most (if not all of the 2026-27 season), the Timberwolves are wagering that LaMelo Ball can be that outlet to relieve pressure off of Edwards. Naz Reid is a more significant loss than Julius Randle, who was dealt mostly to clear cap space, but the re-signing of Ayo Dosunmu and emergence of Jayden McDaniels hint to bigger roles.
■ Grade: B
Oklahoma City Thunder
It’s tough to doubt Sam Presti, but the Thunder had to make a few tough decisions. They did retain center Isaiah Hartenstein, a key part of their identity. Oklahoma City also aced the draft by adding 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara at No. 12 and the much-needed shooting of Bennett Stirtz at No. 16 – both of which shore up weaknesses (and also are direct moves to compete against the Spurs).
But the Thunder had to clear cap space by unloading Luguentz Dort (to the Hawks), Aaron Wiggins (Hawks) and Isaiah Joe (Pistons). They are significant losses. But no team has been better at developing its homegrown talent than the Thunder, who still have promising, young players from previous draft classes.
Presti even made a sly move that forced the Nuggets into the second apron when the Thunder extended an offer sheet with Denver forward Spencer Jones. The Nuggets matched it and now face massive limitations and tax penalties.
■ Grade: B+
Portland Trail Blazers
They were the only team to fail to make a single pick in a draft loaded with talent, so the big move was the trade for two-time All-Star Ja Morant. Pairing him next to Damian Lillard masks some of Morant’s shooting inadequacies. Morant is still 26 years old and comes relatively cheap, so if he can be reliably available, this could be a sneaky good move. There’s just a lot of uncertainty.
Micah Nori is well respected as a coach, but his one-year contract is unconventional. Possible relocation is looming over the franchise, but Portland has a glut of guards between Lillard, Morant, Jrue Holiday, Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, which may suggest more moves to come.
■ Grade: C+
Utah Jazz
Considering they were unlikely to pay Walker Kessler, Danny Ainge and the Jazz did recoup some serious draft capital in the sign-and-trade that shipped him to the Lakers. Jaxon Hayes is a low-cost option, but Utah didn’t really need to do too much to the roster, after its midseason trade for Jaren Jackson Jr.
Landing Darryn Peterson with the No. 2 overall pick suddenly gives the Jazz a very interesting roster, one that could potentially surprise next season. Utah was always rebuilding for the future. The time to compete has now arrived.
■ Grade: A-
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors
Regrettably, there’s nothing worse in the NBA than a team without a clear direction. The Warriors are caught in the middle of rebuilding for the future but retaining a bunch of aging veterans, none bigger than Stephen Curry. And now that Golden State lost out on the Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James sweepstakes, this franchise is deep in purgatory.
The Warriors are the only team in the league to fail to add a player either in a trade or free agency. No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg, who was named Summer League MVP, is a solid, plug-and-play rookie and he somewhat saves the offseason. Either way, Curry deserves far better.
■ Grade: F
Los Angeles Clippers
The mandate was clear for the Clippers: after entering last season as the oldest team in NBA history, they needed to get younger. Los Angeles has done that, but the lingering uncertainty of the Kawhi Leonard trade to the Raptors is hanging over the franchise. The problem with this, too, is that if the trade falls through for whatever reason, it’s so late in the offseason that the Clippers will have to scramble to save face.
The main addition from that trade, Brandon Ingram, will get the chance to lead, but No. 5 overall pick Keaton Wagler is a balanced play maker at guard and could blossom into a star.
■ Grade: C+ (assuming Leonard trade is executed)
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers, frankly, are a tricky team to project simply because there are so many new pieces to factor in. This is a completely different roster, though it is one that is now built around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton are solid, role playing additions, but for this offseason to be considered a success, the Lakers will need center Walker Kessler to justify the first-round draft picks and $130 million contract the team gave him in the sign-and-trade.
Center was a position of need, and Dončić tends to do well with a rim-running big. But is Los Angeles any closer to legitimately competing for a championship? That’s unclear, and it will likely take a decent chunk of season for all the new players to assimilate, anyway.
■ Grade: C
Phoenix Suns
The big move was the one that shipped Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale for Miles Bridges, who should immediately enter the starting lineup and provide some scoring and rebounding at the power forward slot. During his introductory press conference, Bridges took accountability for his off-court past, so he’ll have to follow through.
It was an otherwise quiet offseason for Phoenix, which took Koa Peat at No. 30 in the draft. Peat might need more time to develop, but the key for the Suns will be if they can get more out of center Mark Williams, who was fine, if unspectacular, last season.
■ Grade: C
Sacramento Kings
The Kings tied for the worst record in the Western Conference and still have not addressed some of their bloated contracts. They did waive DeMar DeRozan, but have yet to figure out whether they can move or buy out Zach LaVine. It’s also unclear, after he was a name frequently thrown around in recent trade cycles, whether Domantas Sabonis figures to be a long-term fixture on this team.
The saving grace here is rookie No. 7 overall selection Darius Acuff Jr., who is a promising player at a position of need, albeit one with defensive weaknesses. Sacramento feels like a team without a clear direction. The Kings need to figure that out quickly.
■ Grade: D
Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks
It may take some years, but the Mavericks are retooling. Hiring Dusty May away from Michigan is an interesting choice; May doesn’t have any experience coaching in the pros, though he should be able to bring out improvements in Cooper Flagg’s game.
With the addition of Santi Aldama, the Mavericks now have superb height. Dallas will try to revive the career of 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, and No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. may have been a reach, though he did play for May during the Wolverines’ NCAA title run. Kyrie Irving should return, so he’ll provide much needed-play making, easing pressure off of Flagg. This entire offseason was all about building around the 19 year old NBA Rookie of the Year.
■ Grade: B
Houston Rockets
It appears the Rockets believed that a healthy Fred VanVleet would’ve solved their offensive issues. Kevin Durant was tasked with far too much shot creation, and the team could never find a capable replacement to initiate offense. VanVleet, 32, should return from his torn ACL, but Houston didn’t do enough to shore up the point guard position.
The Rockets may be banking on Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson to refine their play-making skills, but there was also some awkward tension in the locker room. If left unresolved, it could implode Houston’s chances.
■ Grade: C-
Memphis Grizzlies
With a couple of key moves, the Grizzlies looked to change the guard. Memphis finally found a trade partner for Ja Morant, and No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer is a polished, plug-and-play forward who embodies a winning culture. Alongside Zach Edey, Boozer won’t face as much pressure to be a rim protector.
Memphis otherwise aced the draft with Karim Lopez at No. 21 and Richie Saunders at No. 32, and the move to get backup center Isaiah Stewart further bolstered the frontcourt. The Grizzlies are young, but are clearly emphasizing efficiency. It’s a nice change for a franchise that needed a reset.
■ Grade: B+
New Orleans Pelicans
This was a 26-win team that won just one of its last 10 games in the season. And yet, the Pelicans barely made any moves. Granted, New Orleans did suffer some key injuries, so the full return of Dejounte Murray could stabilize the team’s performance. But the Pelicans didn’t have a first-round pick after their 2025 trade for Derik Queen, and the lone signing was for reserve guard Kobe Bufkin.
Plenty of teams are interested in forward Trey Murphy III, and New Orleans is insisting on getting what it deems fair value. That’s commendable, but it’s also a risk, if Murphy’s value does decline. Either way, while the Pelicans do have some nice young pieces, questions about roster construction and availability won’t go away.
■ Grade: D
San Antonio Spurs
When San Antonio was at its best last season, it was knocking down perimeter shots and using Victor Wembanyama and its speedy guards to attack the paint. When the Spurs were at their worst, they fell in love with the 3.
Adding Tobias Harris gives the Spurs another capable shooter so he will certainly help. The key for San Antonio, though, is encouraging the continued development of its very young stars.
■ Grade: B-
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who won the NBA offseason? Grading all 30 teams for signings, deals and draft