The NBA 2022 offseason was like a furious game of “Red Light, Green Light”, with only slightly less dire consequences than “Squid Game” (hey, remember Squid Game?). It started with a flurry of moves in the first two days of free agency, then a long period of reflection during which we were promised a model of participation as the Brooklyn Nets pondered what to do regarding Kevin Durant’s exchange request. .
Then, boom, suddenly the Utah Jazz and the New York Knicks are reportedly discussing a Donovan Mitchell swap. Subsequently, Deandre Ayton signs a maximum bid sheet with the Indiana Pacers only to have it matched in minutes by the Phoenix Suns. Man, time for a deep breath.
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Atlanta Hawks
Just a year after a surprising run to the conference finals that catapulted the Hawks into young contender status, they mortgaged their future by trading three first-round picks and a swap with Murray, who – on paper at least – is almost a .. Trae Young’s perfect partner in the backcourt. They lost the shot with Huerter’s exchange, but that could be offset by a combination of Griffin and Justin Holiday in the first round. Atlanta lacked a great defensive guard and a secondary playmaker for Young, and he got both with Murray, albeit at a very high cost. Grade: B +
Boston Celtics
The Celtics’ run to the Finals highlighted their lack of depth and ball handling, and they have potentially solved both problems this off-season by adding Brogdon and Gallinari without missing out on any key pieces of rotation. Brogdon can aim and is an exceptional off-ball shooter, both as a starter and as a bench. Gallinari may not be able to stay on the defensive in the deepest playoff rounds, but he will be able to write Al Horford and Robert Williams III during the regular season, giving the Celtics a spacer and a bucket. Overall, it’s hard to say that the reigning Eastern Conference champions haven’t improved significantly this off-season, so it’s a home run. Grade: A +
Brooklyn Nets
It would be easy to give the Nets an “incomplete” while we wait for the other shoe to drop with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, but instead we rank the moves they actually made. Losing Bruce Brown hurts, but O’Neale bridges that gap as the more traditional defensive winger who shot 38 percent from 3 points last season. On the same subject : College football coach enters Year 2 facing a defining campaign in 2022. Bringing back Claxton, Edwards, and Mills gives them a solid spin, as they take flyers on Warren and Sumner, who are both coming out of injuries but are able to be productive as they regain their legs. Obviously more will follow, but for now it has been a solid offseason for Brooklyn. Grade: B
Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte has been remarkably quiet this off-season, which could portend some moves down the road. The Hornets briefly had Jalen Duren as their center of the future, but they quickly swapped him and captured Williams, an athlete who blocks shots and runs on the circle who should fit in wonderfully with LaMelo Ball. See the article : John Wall to Clippers is Official, Klutch Sports Says. Martin was a key part of their squad last season and they brought him back with a reasonable deal, while McGowens is an intriguing prospect at number 40, if not somehow a duplicate of James Bouknight. It’s hard to gauge the Hornets because we don’t know which direction they are going – trying to get into the playoffs or settling for playing with the youngsters in an attempt to win lottery balls – but Williams is a good choice for them and that’s all we really need. to move on. Grade: B
Chicago Bulls
Bringing back LaVine was the A-if-Z priority for the Bulls, and they did it with minimal drama. Drummond offers them a true back-up center and Terry is a talented but raw prospect who could possibly break the wing rotation. On the same subject : 2022 NBA offseason grades for all 30 teams: Celtics put on a masterclass; Lakers under siege; Wolves swing big. The problem is that few other teams in the east have loaded (Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta), while Chicago essentially reports the same roster that finished sixth in the conference last season. The hope is that a healthy Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso will make a difference, but as far as off-season additions go, the Bulls haven’t really made legitimate waves. Grade: C +
Cleveland Cavaliers
Garland’s extension was inevitable and the Cavs wisely brought back Rubio, who played so well for them last season before snatching his ACL. At 22, Agbaji gives Cleveland a 3-and-D winger who can contribute right away and potentially develop his skills on the ball to be a secondary creator. The front office also gets major drafting props for Evan Mobley’s brother Isaiah to help keep their franchise milestone happy. It’s not an overwhelming off-season for the Cavs, but they are clearly patient and let their young talent cook. Things might change depending on what they do with limited free agent Collin Sexton, but not bad for now. Grade: B +
Dallas Mavericks
The wood trade seemed to solve a lot of problems for the Mavericks, but then Brunson fled for the Knicks and created an entirely different set of problems. They are now stuck in one position with Spencer Dinwiddie – who has flashed but is far less reliable than Brunson – as secondary ball handler alongside Luka Doncic. Coach Jason Kidd has indicated that McGee will be the new starting center, which … OK. But either way Wood should be able to provide a different element such as a large wheelbase which can also end around the edge. Hardy looked good in the Summer League, but it’s hard to imagine he will have a big impact so early in his career. Grade: C +
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets were set to be a legitimate title contender next season with the reigning MVP (now owner of the most lucrative contract in NBA history) along with healthy Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., and their additions out season make them even more intimidating. Losing a constant reserve point guard to Morris hurts, but he was overqualified for the position and ready for a big payday. They swapped him and Barton for Caldwell-Pope, a perfect fit that will provide the shot and defense that Barton, at times, couldn’t. They also took Brown into the free agent market to do the weird things that made him so famous in Brooklyn. Denver is doing better now than when the off-season started, which means high grades. Grade: A
Detroit Pistons
This Pistons offseason is all about Ivey, who landed on his lap after the Kings chose to go with Keegan Murray at number 4. Ivey has the potential to be an All-NBA level guard and looks to compliment Cade Cunningham perfectly. Detroit also finally cashed in the Jeram Grant chip for a modest tally, but used the pick they had to pick up and draft Duren, possibly the best true central prospect in the draft. Troy Weaver has also decided to become a landfill for the Knicks’ inflated contracts, collecting leverage goods in exchange. The Pistons won’t win a title anytime soon, but they are clearly taking steps in the right direction. Grade: A
Golden State Warriors
Warriors owner Joe Lacob has drawn a line with Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr.’s salaries, allowing them to go elsewhere to avoid even heavier luxury taxes. Golden State was able to catch DiVincenzo, who looks like the kind of player who could grow as a shooter and cutter in the team’s unique offensive system. They were also able to keep Looney (of course they were), to bring back the entire starting lineup for next season. Baldwin and Rollins are talented prospects and we’ve seen Steve Kerr not afraid to put rookies under pressure. The champions have lost two key pieces, but hope the impact can be replaced or overcome by the development of Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman. Grade: B
Houston Rockets
These are very strong back-to-back drafts for the Rockets, who have added shooting, defending and directing with their first three rounds, led by Smith, who was the No. 1 pick by consensus until hours before the draft. They traded Wood for the pick that turned into Washington, another highly regarded prospect that dropped more than expected. Eason looked good in the Summer League and will add a much needed defensive presence to the young Rockets. Grade: A
Indiana Pacers
Deandre Ayton’s dream in Indiana lasted as long as Carmelo Anthony’s time in Atlanta. Despite missing the big man, the Pacers had a strong offseason with the addition of Mathurin and the exchange of Brogdon, which took them to the first round of next year’s draft. Mathurin has been fantastic in the Summer League and should provide a winger / guard scoring option with directing and defensive raise. There are still deals to be made involving Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, so the valuation may change as the summer progresses. Grade: B
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers had virtually zero financial flexibility, so it was important to bring back Batum, Zubac, and Coffey to round out their powerful roster. Taking a flyer on Wall makes sense for a team that doesn’t have a real point guard to take some of the directing weight off Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Losing Hartenstein hurts, but the Clippers look happy as they try to piece together the reserve middle position with smaller players like Robert Covington and Marcus Morris. They did what they had to do and entered next season as one of the league favorites. Grade: A-
Los Angeles Lakers
Everything changes if the Lakers end up with Kyrie Irving, but no one on Earth can predict how it will turn out, including Irving himself. As it stands, the Lakers had a clear intention of aging this off-season, which they certainly have done with their free agent additions. Problem is, there aren’t too many shots yet around LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, which was one of their key issues last season – and now they don’t have Monk, whose price was too high for ownership to justify. Defense is slightly better on paper, but none of the acquisitions are in any way stopper. Christie is a handsome player, but she’s probably too far away to help a team with championship aspirations. Irving would solve a lot of things, but for now, things are not going well for L.A. Grade: C
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzes locked down their franchise player, which was obviously priority # 1, and then relied on the draft to replenish their depth after losing Anderson to free will and trading Melton for Philadelphia. The departure of those two should help solidify roles on what was a very deep roster last season and LaRavia should be able to help both sides immediately. Memphis hasn’t done anything drastic this off-season but continues to build one of the best young talent groups in the league. Grade: B
Miami Heat
Losing Tucker is difficult, especially as the Heat failed to replace him and now look ready to enter the season without a forward on the roster. Jovic is too far away to help right away, and bringing Oladipo, Martin and Dedmon back doesn’t exactly move the needle. Obviously the Heat are a contender in Kevin Durant’s sweepstakes, which would lead them to a team that has apparently stepped back to become perhaps the league’s top title contender. Stay tuned. Grade: C-
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks could have won a second straight title if Khris Middleton had been healthy, so it makes sense that they haven’t done anything desperate this off-season. They brought back Portis, Connaughton and Matthews – three key players of rotation – and also signed Carter and Ibaka again for more depth. The wild card is Ingles, who could be an incredibly productive player for them with his shooting and passing skills if he can get back to health and get his legs under him before the playoffs. Beauchamp is an older prospect who seems physically ready to at least have a chance to contribute. Basically the Bucks returned it with the addition of Ingles, which puts them in a pretty good position. Grade: B +
Minnesota Timberwolves
Well well then. We’ve seen plenty of teams resist and build around the edges, but the Wolves jumped deep without a life jacket, trading a billion picks and players to pair Gobert with the newly expanded Cities. It is a unique combination of training that could produce positive results in the regular season. The questions are about the impact of Gobert’s playoffs and how he will age until his monstrous contract expires in the summer of 2026. Anderson is a key addition that allows the Wolves to grow small if necessary, while Prince, Forbes and potentially Moore will add. the shooting. Overall it was a huge bet and a huge price (too high a price in this reporter’s humble opinion), but it will be worth it if it results in playoff wins. Grade: C
New Orleans Pelicans
Pelicans fans heaved a sigh of relief when Williamson actually signed his extension after much anxiety-inducing speculation. Adding him to Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum forms one of the most powerful Big Three in the entire league. Liddell looked like a steal at number 41, but will lose long after snatching his ACL in the Summer League. Daniels could jump into action with ease, but he looks like a great defensive guard who could fit directly into the starting lineup. New Orleans ended last season on a positive note and things got more promising this off-season. Grade: A
New York Knicks
I wrote how all the Knicks off-season moves have been … OK. Brunson is a solid player and they have made some crafty moves to acquire some first-hand players. What they did, however, was prepare to be in the mix for a player like Donovan Mitchell, who would obviously change the team’s long and short term outlook. As it stands, the Knicks ceiling appears to be the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. That could all change with one big hit, though. Grade: B
Oklahoma City Thunder
OKC is quickly turning into a League Pass favorite, quite a feat for a team that probably doesn’t aspire to win next season. Holmgren may be the best player in the draft and has already showcased a diverse and unique set of skills. The Thunder traded the number 11 to take Dieng, who may be slightly further away but has tantalizing potential, and the Williams should both be ready to contribute immediately. As usual, OKC’s offseason can’t really be judged for several years, but on paper they’ve garnered plenty of young talent to put around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. Grade: B +
Orlando Magic
The Magic provided one of the most impressive chords in NBA Draft history, convincing all of us that they were taking Jabari Smith Jr. with the first pick, but ultimately chose Banchero, who looked like a limited-time franchise player during the Summer League. . None of the moves outside of this really matter, although seeing what they have in Bamba and Bol isn’t a bad idea for rebuilding a franchise. Basically this is a vote for taking Banchero over Holmgren and Smith, which is really hard to gauge right now. Grade: B
Philadelphia 76ers
Assuming James Harden follows through with the reporting and scores for a significantly lower salary than he could have opted for, this has been a low season for Philadelphia. The Tucker pickup adds the same defense and toughness we’ve seen for playoff contenders after playoff contenders in recent seasons. Melton takes the defense from the guard position and has shot 39 percent from 3 points in the past two seasons. House is familiar with Harden and Tucker from his days in Houston, providing a 3-and-D option off the bench. Given the way things ended in the post-season, the Sixers must be excited about where they are right now. Grade: A
Phoenix Suns
Despite all the reported discord between Ayton and the Suns organization and questions about how he was rated, they certainly wasted no time comparing the Pacers’ maximum bid sheet to keep former choice # 1. 1 aged 23. Now it can’t be traded until January, which eliminates it as a piece in a potential deal with Kevin Durant if it takes place this off-season. Booker’s extension means Phoenix will reunite the band for at least next season, which makes sense given that they had the best record in the NBA after a final appearance. Maybe they handled things badly by not only taking Ayton to the top last summer, but in terms of basketball they should be just as powerful next season. Grade: B +
Portland Trail Blazers
Will the Blazers win the title this season? Probably not. Did they comply with Lillard’s request and at least position themselves to be a playoff team next season? Safe? We have to see how the pieces fit, but Grant and Payton are solid additions on both sides of the pitch, while Simons has shown incredible potential to replace CJ McCollum’s offensive outing alongside Lillard. Sharpe is a mystery box that may end up being the best player in the class or the answer to a sad trivia question, but either way it will likely take some time to develop. The Blazers have had some flexibility this offseason and have done what they can to get back into contention. We will see how it works. Grade: B
Sacramento Kings
It’s hard not to be persuaded by Murray’s phenomenal Summer League (we haven’t all made that mistake before), but taking him in Jaden Ivey’s place could prove to be a sizable miscalculation despite Murray’s superior fit to this Kings roster. They added shooting with Huerter and Monk, solid pieces to put around De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. If the goal is to reach the playoffs next season, the Kings seem to have gotten closer in the past couple of months. It could have cost them some potential grandeur along the way, but it seems the Kings property (and fans) are sick of hearing about the potential. Grade: B-
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs finally hit “Run” on a full rebuild by getting some nice loot in Murray’s trade to fill their resource closet. They also had a great draft, picking up defensive ace Sochan, nerd Branham and human Wesley, who will all be 19 when their rookie season begins. San Antonio also has the potential to be a landfill for bad contracts in the future, which would earn them additional resources in return. They may be one of the worst teams in the league this season, but it looks like the ownership, management and Gregg Popovich are (finally) happy with that. Grade: A-
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors continue to lurk as a potential destination for Kevin Durant, but they should be competitive again next season even with their roster as it is currently built. Distinguishing Porter from the Warriors was enormous, as it provides much needed footage while fitting perfectly with the Raptors’ stance-less philosophy. Boucher and Young are both solid pieces to bring back, while Koloko could help fill some middle minutes during the grueling regular season. Toronto didn’t exactly blow the doors of the NBA, but it didn’t need to give its young and exciting core. Grade: B
Utah Jazz
There is still a large domino left to fall in love with the Jazz, but they were undisputed winners in Gobert’s swap, earning a previously designated king’s ransom for the league’s top five players. They are in an exceptional position to tank if they send Mitchell to pack, with players like Beverley, Beasley and potentially Vanderbilt ready to be redirected elsewhere as well. Assuming Danny Ainge and the front office felt their title fight days with that roster were over, they couldn’t have asked for a better start to rebuild / reset. Grade: A
Washington Wizards
Beal’s $ 251 million might look really bad in a few years, but the Wizards did what they had to do to lock up their one All-NBA-level talent and place him alongside new running mate Kristaps Porzingis. They also acquired a stable point guard in Morris and a top scorer in Barton, although it cost them a very solid piece in KCP. We’ll see how Davis’ draft pick will work (I think there were better players on the board at number 10), but actually this season is about Beal and Porzingis staying healthy as the coaching staff find the best combinations around them. Grade: C +
