It could be the center of summer season, however it’s time for an NBA offseason report card, as free company information has petered from a gentle circulate to a sluggish trickle. When 40-year-old Chris Paul’s reunion with the Los Angeles Clippers is the largest story to hit the league, it’s excessive time we begin handing out grades for each crew.
There was loads of motion within the Western Convention, the place Kevin Durant was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a supermax contract extension with the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder and No. 1 general draft choose Cooper Flagg joined a Dallas Mavericks crew that desires to win now.
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The Denver Nuggets retooled. The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers added veteran depth. The Minnesota Timberwolves are attempting to achieve a 3rd consecutive Western Convention finals. The San Antonio Spurs and Portland Path Blazers, amongst different groups, are attempting to disrupt the playoff establishment within the West.
Loads is going on. Allow us to get to it. With out additional ado, your 2025 NBA offseason report card …
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Key additions: Cooper Flagg • D’Angelo Russell
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Key subtractions: Spencer Dinwiddie
Oddsmakers determine the Mavs will win as many video games this season, when No. 1 general draft choose Cooper Flagg is within the fold, as they did final season, once they featured Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving for half the 12 months. They traded Dončić for Anthony Davis, and Irving tore an ACL, which might price him this coming season, too. That collection of occasions despatched them spiraling into the lottery, the place they lucked into Flagg.
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Scoring Flagg is a house run, however how a lot credit score will we wish to give them for a couple of ping-pong balls bouncing their manner? Greater than we ding them for under including D’Angelo Russell as an Irving alternative, I assume. Nevertheless it actually feels like all government might have pulled off what Dallas did this summer season, making an apparent selection at No. 1 and signing a high-usage, low-efficiency one-time All-Star to run the offense.
Grade: B
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Key additions: Cam Johnson • Tim Hardaway Jr. • Bruce Brown • Jonas Valančiūnas
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Key subtractions: Michael Porter Jr. • Dario Šarić • Russell Westbrook • DeAndre Jordan
The Nuggets had little to work with and utterly retooled their rotation round Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, which looks like a superb little bit of enterprise beneath the wage cap’s second apron.
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Denver turned Michael Porter Jr.’s $38.3 million wage into $21 million of Cam Johnson, buying a extra reliable and versatile participant. They then manufactured three rotational gamers — Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valančiūnas — from nothing greater than minimal contracts and Dario Šarić’s expiring wage, padding a bench that beforehand couldn’t maintain profitable with out Jokić on the ground.
Grade: A
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Key additions: Alex Toohey • Will Richard
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Key subtractions: Kevon Looney
The Warriors have completed little past including a few late second-round draft picks and shedding a fan favourite, Kevon Looney, to free company. If, as has been rumored, Golden State can signal each Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton to free-agent offers, it can make this a profitable summer season. Horford, specifically, would be part of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Inexperienced as veterans who know win video games.
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Within the meantime, the Warriors are locked in stalemate with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, a younger and proficient wing who has flashed potential when he has not been in head coach Steve Kerr’s doghouse. They don’t appear too eager on paying him; nor do they wish to lose him for nothing. It’s a actual conundrum that telegraphs to the remainder of the league: We do not actually need him, so why must you?
Grade: C
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Key additions: Kevin Durant • Dorian Finney-Smith • Clint Capela
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Key subtractions: Jalen Inexperienced • Dillon Brooks • Jock Landale
The Rockets traded Jalen Inexperienced, a wildly inconsistent 23-year-old, for Kevin Durant, one of the constant scorers in league historical past. It’s a heck of an improve for this coming season — and possibly this coming season alone, as we don’t know how lengthy Durant can maintain his greatness at 37 years previous.
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Nonetheless, Durant transforms them from a second-seeded pretender right into a bona fide contender, giving them the dependable crunch-time scorer they so desperately wanted. In the meantime, Houston prolonged its rotation each on the wing and at middle, the place they respectively added Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela.
Grade: A
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Key additions: Brook Lopez • John Collins • Bradley Beal • Chris Paul • Yanic Konan Niederhauser
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Key subtractions: Norman Powell • Drew Eubanks • Patty Mills
The Clippers reshuffled their veterans, drawing Brook Lopez, John Collins and Bradley Beal from a deck that after included Norman Powell, Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills. Beal can capably fill Powell’s sneakers as a scoring guard, whereas Lopez and Collins additional strengthen a frontcourt centered round Ivica Zubac.
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They simply added Chris Paul, too, which provides them a handful of men who have been higher final decade (i.e., Kawhi Leonard and James Harden). They make sense collectively, or a minimum of head coach Tyronn Lue will guarantee they do. They have been already a contender to problem the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder’s supremacy within the West, and now they’re a bit of deeper and a bit of extra well-rounded, if not a bit of older.
Grade: B
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Key additions: Deandre Ayton • Marcus Good • Jake LaRavia
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Key subtractions: Dorian Finney-Smith • Jordan Goodwin • Shake Milton
The Lakers misplaced Dorian Finney-Smith, the most effective 3-and-D wings in the marketplace, to the Rockets — not nice for a crew that requires defense-first function gamers round Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
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They as an alternative signed Deandre Ayton, Marcus Good and Jake LaRavia, a pleasant haul for across the similar sum of money that Finney-Smith acquired. Ayton, after all, is a 26-year-old former No. 1 general choose, Good is a one-time Defensive Participant of the Yr, and LaRavia shot 42.3% from 3-point vary final 12 months. None of their earlier groups wished to maintain them, which ought to elevate some pink flags for Lakers followers.
In the meantime, the Lakers’ offseason didn’t appear to impress James, who issued a contentious assertion upon opting into the ultimate 12 months of his contract with the crew. That led to rumors about his availability in both a commerce or buyout, none of which appears imminent, and all of which looks like a significant distraction.
Grade: C
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Key additions: Ty Jerome • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope • Cedric Coward • Jock Landale
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Key subtractions: Desmond Bane • Luke Kennard • Jay Huff • Marvin Bagley III
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The Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane, their third-best participant, for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the rights to 4 first-round draft picks, which is much more than anybody thought they might get for a non-All-Star. It’s a forward-thinking transfer that provides Memphis extra flexibility to construct round Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. (who, together with Memphis teammate Santi Aldama, acquired a wholesome elevate this summer season).
In the meantime, the Grizzlies added Ty Jerome, a Sixth Man of the Yr candidate final season, to reestablish its depth on the level guard place behind Ja Morant. Numerous groups did rather a lot worse in free company. Identical goes for the draft, the place Memphis traded as much as choose Cedric Coward with the No. 11 general choose.
Grade: B
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Key additions: Joan Beringer
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Key subtractions: Nickeil Alexander-Walker • Luka Garza • Josh Minott
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The Timberwolves did nicely to re-sign each Julius Randle and Naz Reid, one thing not everybody anticipated from a crew that was staring the wage cap’s second apron within the face. That crunch did price them Nickeil Alexander-Walker, one other key contributor to their most up-to-date run to the Western Convention finals.
Minnesota will as an alternative rely on the interior growth of its current first-round picks, together with this 12 months’s choice, Joan Beringer, to hold them ahead into extra severe title rivalry. That’s not such a nasty technique when 23-year-old phenom Anthony Edwards is on the forefront of that rising growth.
Grade: C
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Key additions: Jordan Poole • Saddiq Bey • Jeremiah Fears • Derik Queen • Kevon Looney
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Key subtractions: CJ McCollum • Kelly Olynyk • Brandon Boston Jr. • Elfrid Payton
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It’s unclear what the Pelicans’ technique was for this summer season, aside from the truth that they actually appreciated Derik Queen, for whose draft rights they traded their unprotected first-round choose in 2026. It was a wild gamble that basically calls for New Orleans makes the playoffs this season … or loses a lottery choose.
So what did the Pelicans do? Within the absence of injured level guard Dejounte Murray, they traded CJ McCollum for Jordan Poole, giving the keys to their offense to one of the inefficient high-usage gamers within the league, who additionally occurs to have yet another 12 months than McCollum on the tip of his deal. None of it makes any sense, whether or not or not Zion Williamson can stay wholesome for a complete season.
Grade: F
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Key additions: Thomas Sorber
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Key subtractions: Dillon Jones
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The Thunder, who gained 68 video games and the NBA championship this previous season, wanted to do little or no to be able to stay the favourite to repeat, and that they did, solely including a first-round choose, Thomas Sorber.
They did, nonetheless, safe their current core, giving max extensions to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. That may carry some monetary points within the years to return, although it isn’t one thing they should fear about this season, once they stay the league’s finest crew on paper.
Grade: A
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Key additions: Jalen Inexperienced • Dillon Brooks • Khaman Maluach • Mark Williams
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Key subtractions: Kevin Durant • Bradley Beal • Tyus Jones • Mason Plumlee
Poor Devin Booker. From a crew that reached the 2021 NBA Finals, the Suns as an alternative pivoted to establishing a superteam pretender, buying Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, each of whom left the crew this summer season. They traded Durant for half of what they spent to get him and paid Beal to go away.
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It’s a unhappy state of affairs that’s solely of their very own making. They’re devoid of most future draft picks and are scheduled to pay each Booker and Beal (who, bear in mind, is now not on the crew) a mixed $88.6 million in 2029-30. All that stated, they did rating Jalen Inexperienced and Khaman Maluach — two high-upside younger abilities — in alternate for Durant, and slicing Beal gave them some flexibility beneath the second apron. There have been actually rather a lot worse alternate options to what they achieved this summer season.
Grade: C
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Key additions: Jrue Vacation • Damian Lillard • Yang Hansen
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Key subtractions: Deandre Ayton • Anfernee Simons
The willingness to commerce 26-year-old Anfernee Simons for 35-year-old Jrue Vacation, who has two further years and much more cash left on his contract, is an odd intuition. The Blazers should really feel like they’re nearer to competing for a Western Convention playoff spot than most individuals suppose, or else they might not have pursued a lot veteran steerage. That features the feel-good reacquisition of Damian Lillard, whose Achilles harm will maintain him from contributing in any respect this season.
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There’s hope within the type of Yang Hansen if you wish to get in early on the Yang prepare. The Blazers are actually driving it, taking him sixteenth general in final month’s draft, far increased than anybody prognosticated.
Grade: C
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Key additions: Dennis Schröder • Nique Clifford • Dario Šarić
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Key subtractions: Jonas Valančiūnas • Jake LaRavia
The Kings certain made signing Dennis Schröder a precedence this summer season. Who is aware of what that may do however make their quest to compete for a playoff spot within the Western Convention barely extra disappointing. Buying and selling Jonas Valančiūnas for Dario Šarić is an odd choice, too, however for wanting to assist the Nuggets.
Allow us to hope in Sacramento for Nique Clifford, the twenty fourth choose, who shall be launched to a crew led by Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Domantas Sabonis, one of many oddest collections of expertise within the league. Two of them fashioned the nucleus of a mediocre Chicago Bulls crew, and the opposite has been the anchor of a mediocre crew in Sacramento for a while. Collectively they continue to be, as the children say, as mid because it will get.
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Grade: D
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Key additions: Dylan Harper • Luke Kornet • Carter Bryant • Kelly Olynyk
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Key subtractions: Sandro Mamukelashvili • Chris Paul
The Spurs leaned into the Victor Wembanyama period, bolstering the frontcourt round him and growing younger expertise behind him. Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk, who will make a mixed $24.5 million subsequent 12 months, can play both with or rather than Wembanyama, and even collectively. They’re at no scarcity for dimension.
There is no such thing as a lack of youth, both. Add Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, a pair of lottery picks, to a core that additionally consists of Stephon Citadel along with the 21-year-old Wembanyama. How rapidly San Antonio transforms right into a contender is dependent upon how quickly everybody develops alongside its 7-foot-5 Frenchman.
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Grade: B
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Key additions: Ace Bailey • Walter Clayton Jr. • Jusuf Nurkić • Kevin Love • Kyle Anderson
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Key subtractions: John Collins • Collin Sexton • Jordan Clarkson • Johnny Juzang
It’s laborious to not like what the Jazz did within the draft, touchdown Ace Bailey — arguably the second- or third-most proficient participant within the course of — with the No. 5 general choose and including Walter Clayton Jr., an NCAA event darling. They may be part of — and even perhaps lead — a rising group of current first-round draft picks, none of whom has developed right into a star. Possibly one or each of Bailey and Clayton turn out to be one.
In the meantime, Utah was intent on making certain it can add one other excessive draft choose subsequent summer season. They parted methods with veterans John Collins, Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson and acquired little in return, aside from the expiring contracts of veterans Jusuf Nurkić, Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson. This can be a lottery crew in a rebuild, and it acted accordingly, prioritizing the opportunity of youth and the failures that include it.
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Grade: B
