NBA Offseason Grades: How Every Team Turned Out (Part 2)

Miss Part 1? CLICK HERE for see who graded out best.

Cleveland Cavaliers – C

This team is top heavy with a thin bench that only weakened through the course of 82 games. They failed to make the defense more imposing by adding George or shooters like J.J. Redick to try and outshoot Golden State. They kept Kyle Korver around, staying the same. They will not beat Golden State, and now the Celtics are bulking up to make a run at the Cavs.

Toronto Raptors – C 

The Raptors have made it clear that making the playoffs while developing their next team is enough for the franchise at this point. They managed to not lose Kyle Lowry or Serge Ibaka but did watch P.J. Tucker walk. They also moved DeMarre Carroll to get Justin Hamilton, another center. This team’s front court has become confusing, and the back court contains All-Stars who are doomed to a second or third seed and eventual sweep.

Philadelphia 76ers – C

The offseason was not bad, trading up to draft Markelle Fultz and picking up J.J. Redick in free agency while getting a (hopefully) healthy Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid back for the rebuild to start looking rebuilt. However, the team gets a C because they have been doing this for years and, yet again, there may be a hitch in the road. Fultz has been the latest Summer League casualty for the 76ers, falling to an ankle injury, the severity of which has yet to be determined. But this is yet another hitch in the long process that, at some point, should have the remotest possibility of concluding with results.

Detroit Pistons – C 

The Avery Bradley acquisition was a solid get for Motor City, as the Celtics needed to offload the young star who was sure to want a big contract they could not hand out because of Hayward. Nabbing him for Morris was a good get. Luke Kennard could also prove to be a solid guard for defense and shooting on a team that needs scorers. The most disappointing thing for Pistons fans should be the amount of point guards on the market that Detroit could have gone for, but instead chose to stick with Reggie Jackson.

San Antonio Spurs – C

Greg Popovich and company will probably make a C grade look silly come February, but it is disappointing that the Spurs failed to put anymore super-tier talent around Kawhi Leonard. Instead they were satisfied running it back after retaining Patty Mills. But who knows, maybe The Claw blocks all the shots next year for the win.

L.A. Clippers – C

The were able to keep Blake Griffin but signed the injury-hampered forward to a five-year max. They lost their starting point guard (Paul) and their sniper (Redick) and gathered some picks in Patrick Beverly, Sam Dekker and Lou Williams. While they have some nice role players around Griffin, is it enough to head to the playoffs again? And is Griffin ready to be the leader of the team or is this a bench riddled with head cases and ready to implode?

Atlanta Hawks – D

Two years ago the Hawks won 60 games, and it feels like a long time ago. Not a single starter from that team is still on the roster, and now the team is in full rebuild mode. The problem is the Hawks didn’t get much for their departed talent. The team should have fully committed to the rebuild and received all the picks and pieces they could.

Miami Heat – D 

Bringing back Dion Waiters could work out, and Edrice Adebayo is exploding in Summer League. But they had a lot of cap space headed into the summer, and were unable to pull in any major pieces. This team may make the playoffs again, but because of a quiet offseason, that is the highest their ceiling goes.

Brooklyn Nets – D

The Nets made a stupid, stupid move when they traded away all their first-round picks for the foreseeable future to get some players that were on the back ends of their careers. The next few seasons will be Ds because of one trade, but they made some moves to get Carroll and Russell while drafting Jarrett Allen. The team has managed to gain youth despite losing all their early-round picks to Boston.

Memphis Grizzlies – D 

All the role players and vets that came off the bench for this squad are gone via free agency while they are strapped for cash because of the deals with Mike Conley (good deal) and Chandler Parsons (bad deal). They had no first-round pick in 2017 and won’t have one next year, and teams like Minnesota and Oklahoma City got better in the offseason. Times are grim for the Grizzlies.

Phoenix Suns – D

While the young talent on this team looks promising, and maybe even better with Josh Jackson around, they are still putting a lot on young players while not giving them veteran crutches like the Kings did this offseason. This team is going to suffer on defense mightily again this season.

Chicago Bulls – F

They lost Butler, added no major pieces to replace him, drafted poorly and now have a team with no direction and a strange roster. If you are a Bulls fan, just watch Michael Jordan highlights, and think of happier times for the organization. Lauri Markkanen may give them scoring, but the defensive holes are still glaring.

Orlando Magic – F

Jonathan Isaac was the right pick, the obvious pick. Then the Magic went back to their old ways of drafting long European players who they do not really have a spot for on the roster, surrounded by centers. Caleb Swanigan, Josh Hart and Derrick White were all drafted after Anzejs Pasecniks, and all could have helped.

Indiana Pacers – F

To be honest, it is actually impressive to deal George without getting a star player or star draft pick in return. The Colts play soon, Pacer fans. Do not worry.

New York Knicks – F

They should almost get an A just for firing Phil Jackson, but then they passed on Malik Monk in the draft. He was right there! The shooter that would have paired perfectly with Kristaps Porzingis’ inside game. How amazing could Porzingis/Monk pick and rolls have been? We may never know. What we do know is this team just paid $71 million for Tim Hardaway Jr., the lesser Hardaway, dare I say? Let me think, instead of paying $71 million for an outside shooter and defensive wing, what could they have done? Yes, Monk is the right (and cheaper) answer.

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