High marks
Now that the majority of the NBA offseason is in the books and the basketball world begins to count the days until the 2017-18 campaign tips off, USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick, Jeff Zillgitt, Michael Singer and AJ Neuharth-Keusch give their summer grades fo
In the West, few teams stood pat in the NBA offseason. Our writers review and grade the moves,
DALLAS MAVERICKS
B+ Assuming they come to terms with restricted free agent Nerlens Noel, the Mavericks — who made out like bandits by signing franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki to a two-year, $10 million deal — can consider themselves winners this offseason. They’re not going to compete with the best of the West, let alone fight for a playoff spot, so owner Mark Cuban is investing in the future — a future that Dennis Smith Jr., this year’s No. 9 overall pick, figures to be a big part of. The rookie point guard was one of the NBA Summer League’s top performers, and he should fit nicely in a backcourt of fan-favorite guards including Yogi Ferrell and Seth Curry. — Neuharth-Keusch
DENVER NUGGETS
A- The Nuggets made up for the loss of Danilo Gallinari to the Los Angeles Clippers by landing one of the pre-eminent free agents on the market in Paul Millsap on a three-year deal. The Nuggets were terrible defensively last season, and Millsap is an immediate frontcourt upgrade for a team trying to reach the postseason for the first time since 2013. It’s hard to not get excited about a core built around blossoming star Nikola Jokic and guard Gary Harris, both just 22. — Singer
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
A+ The Warriors won the offseason — again. Not only did Golden State secure its core by re-signing Stephen Curry (five years, $201 million) and Kevin Durant (two-year deal with a player option next summer), but the Warriors returned to their “Strength in Numbers” roots by bringing back Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Zaza Pachulia and David West. Their bench got even deeper with the additions of scorers Nick Young and Omri Casspi, and they drafted a rookie in Oregon forward Jordan Bell ( by way of a second-round draft pick purchased from Chicago for $3.5 million) who could make their elite defense even better. — Amick
HOUSTON ROCKETS
A The Chris Paul trade doesn’t put the Rockets on the Warriors’ level, but it’s as loud a statement as they could have made that there will be no white flags waved. Even at 32, Paul — who spent his last six seasons with the Clippers before his decision to leave for Houston in free agency sparked this deal in late June — remains one of the most impactful players in the game. And while Paul can be a free agent next summer, James Harden’s decision to sign a massive extension through 2023 should only up the odds of his new co-star re-signing. The loss of point guard Pat Beverley in the Paul trade hurts the Rockets’ defensive identity, but they bounced back nicely in free agency by landing veteran forward P.J. Tucker to help on that front. — Amick
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
C+ Nothing — not even locking up Blake Griffin with a fiveyear, $173 million deal — can make up for the loss of a generational talent the likes of Chris Paul. Not Danilo Gallinari. Not Lou Williams. Not Pat Beverley. Not even European sensation Milos Teodosic. But after another injury-riddled season and early postseason exit, the Clippers were long overdue for changes. Although they’re no longer part of the Western Conference elite sans Paul, JJ Redick, Raymond Felton, Jamal Crawford, and Luc Mbah a Moute — don’t expect this team to disappear completely. — Neuharth-Keusch
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
B If we’re grading on a curve here, this Lakers B is actually closer to an A. After so many years of mismanagement, new executives Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka put together a kind of deliberate, pragmatic summer. They dumped the allegedly untradable Timofey Mozgov contract (three years, $48 million remaining) on Brooklyn in midJune, sending the big man away with D’Angelo Russell in exchange for veteran center Brook Lopez and the 27th pick. Their draft was strong, too, with the Lakers landing their targeted man in point guard Lonzo Ball at No. 2 while getting a promising prospect in forward Kyle Kuzma. The leaguewide optics on the Lakers seems to have changed as well, with the notion of a superstar such as LeBron James or someone like him coming their way next summer seeming entirely plausible because of the uptick in their image. Amick —
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
C+ Memphis lost two key players and influencers: forward Zach Randolph and guard-forward Vince Carter. But at their ages, it’s not the worst thing that could’ve happened to the Grizzlies. Memphis, which is getting younger, didn’t have a first-round pick, but forward Ivan Rabb (No. 35 pick) could bring value. In free agency, it signed guards Tyreke Evans, Ben McLemore and Mario Chalmers, and the McLemore signing at two years, $10.7 million could be a steal. — Zillgitt
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
A By adding star forward Jimmy Butler and veterans Jeff Teague, Jamal Crawford and Taj Gibson to the young core of Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, the Tom Thibodeau-led Timberwolves are destined to not only put an end to the franchise’s 13year playoff drought but also fight for a top-four spot in the Western Conference. Sure, Crawford is 37, Teague is probably not worth $57 million over three years and it might take time to work out the kinks — but as far as improving a roster goes, the Timberwolves hit the jackpot. — Neuharth-Keusch
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
C+ The DeMarcus Cousins experiment, Part II, continues. After trading for the former Sacramento Kings big man in February, Pelicans general manager Dell Demps has gone all in on trying to persuade the three-time All- Star to stay in free agency next summer and star alongside franchise centerpiece Anthony Davis. New Orleans gave incumbent point guard Jrue Holiday a whopping $125 million over five years to stay, then added a Cousins favorite/former teammate in veteran point guard Rajon Rondo (one year, $3.3 million). The addition of young Ian Clark was a very nice pickup, but they needed more roster upgrades than this to keep up in the Western arms race. Amick —
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
A+ Take a bow, Sam Presti. One year after losing 2013-14 MVP Kevin Durant to the Warriors, the Thunder general manager had as good a summer as anyone in the NBA. He orchestrated a trade with the Indiana Pacers for an MVP-caliber player in Paul George for pennies on the dollar (Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis) while giving MVP Russell Westbrook a worthy co-star again. He responded to the free agency loss of veteran forward Taj Gibson to Minnesota by landing very-capable Patrick Patterson on an efficient contract. The re-signing of defensive standout guard Andre Roberson was crucial to maintain their toptier defense. Now if only Presti could compel Westbrook to sign that five-year, $217 million extension offer that expires at the start of the regular season. If not, Westbrook and George will be free agents next summer, and the Thunder’s season will be as compelling as they come. — Amick
PHOENIX SUNS
B Perhaps no team this offseason has been more tangentially involved in potential deals while doing little to actually enact significant changes. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing given the impressive core (along with valuable draft assets) the Suns have assembled around budding star Devin Booker. Their biggest offseason move might have been using their No. 4 pick on Josh Jackson, a strong, versatile, NBA-ready defender who showed a good motor in the Summer League. The Suns should be reticent to include him in any potential deals, including one for Kyrie Irving, though that deal might ultimately hinge on his availability. — Singer
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
C At a time when stars Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum could use roster upgrades to help them return to contention in the West, the cashstrapped Blazers have been forced to heal self-inflicted wounds. They traded guard Allen Crabbe to the Brooklyn Nets a year after inexplicably matching the four-year, $75 million deal given to him by the Nets, then waived the player they received in return, forward Andrew Nicholson, for salary cap purposes. In another necessary cap move, they waived big man Festus Ezeli and stretched his salary ($7.5 million remaining) after knee problems kept him out for the season. And at a time when one would think rookie contracts were preferred, they traded the No. 15 and No. 20 picks to the Sacramento Kings for No. 10 to land Gonzaga center Zach Collins. — Amick
SACRAMENTO KINGS
B+ Much like the Lakers, you could grade on a curve in Sacramento. Yet after operating as one of the league’s most dysfunctional franchises for so many years, the Vlade Divac-led group had a prudent offseason by way of the draft, landing Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox and nabbing Justin Jackson and Harry Giles. In free agency the Kings added senior leadership in veterans George Hill, Vince Carter and Zach Randolph. The Kings are ecstatic about adding 24-year-old Serbian shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, whose rights Divac acquired in a draft-day trade with the Suns in 2016. The loss of vice president of basketball operations Scott Perry to the New York Knicks after just three months in Sacramento was unfortunate for the Kings’ purposes, but they bounced back by adding respected executive Brandon Williams as assistant general manager from the Philadelphia 76ers. Amick —
SAN ANTONIO SPURS UTAH JAZZ
C It’s not that the Spurs have taken a significant step back this summer, it’s that the West — most notably Golden State, Oklahoma City and Houston — has taken another step forward. The last 20 years are telling us to bite our tongue, but we’re going to say it anyway: As of right now, the Spurs don’t have a roster that can win a championship. They overpaid an over-the-hill Pau Gasol (three years, $48 million), let defensive-minded swingman Jonathon Simmons walk and haven’t solved the LaMarcus Aldridge problem. The positives of the offseason? They took a gamble on a proven scorer in Rudy Gay, which could pay dividends if he makes a full recovery from his torn Achilles, and locked in point guard Patty Mills for four more years. — Neuharth-Keusch B- The loss of Gordon Hayward hurts. There’s no way around it. So does the departure of George Hill. But the summer hasn’t been all bad for Utah. The Jazz landed Summer League standout Donovan Mitchell with the 13th overall pick, which could prove to be a steal, and added a defensiveminded, pass-first point guard in Ricky Rubio, who fits the team mold. Adding veterans Thabo Sefolosha and Jonas Jerebko to the mix on reasonable two-year deals doesn’t hurt, either. — Neuharth-Keusch