| Andrew |
| 0 Comments | 3562 Read | Jul 22, 2009 |
![]() |
I realize there are still plenty of free agents left to be signed and trades still to be consummated. But, I also feel that there's been enough action in the NBA offseason so far to accurately grade every team. As always, comments, questions and other thoughts are welcome in the comments below. Here we go:
Atlanta Hawks - B+: They added Jeff Teague and Jamal Crawford to a 47-win, playoff team. And they kept Mike Bibby. Not too shabby for the Hawks.
Boston Celtics - B-: Adding Rasheed Wallace looks great on paper. But I'm not convinced a lineup of Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Wallace can co-exist peacefully. My guess is Garnett will make it work. But for now, call me a doubter.
Charlotte Bobcats - C: Not much to be excited about here yet. They added Gerald Henderson in the draft, which I like. But as the rest of the East adds pieces, the Bobcats stand pat.
Chicago Bulls - C+: Yes, they lost Ben Gordon. No, it will not set them back. The Bulls added James Johnson and Taj Gibson and I suspect they have a few more moves coming this offseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers - A-: Give the Cavs credit, they are doing everything they can for LeBron James. Adding Shaq speaks for itself, while Anthony Parker and Danny Green were shrewd additions.
Dallas Mavericks - B: It's been a rough ride so far for the Mavs. They kept Jason Kidd and added Shawn Marion, but lost out of Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass. I think they would have overpaid for Gortat, so not getting him wasn't the end of the world.
Denver Nuggets - B+: I love the addition of Ty Lawson. Keeping Chris Andersen and adding Arron Afflalo is icing on the cake, though losing Dahntay Jones is a bit of a hit.
Detroit Pistons - B-: The Pistons have been active, but I really don't know if they're much better. Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are nice pieces, but I question the Austin Daye selection. Chris Wilcox is OK, but I would still take Rasheed Wallace or Antonio McDyess over him.
Golden State Warriors - B: I'm a fan of Stephen Curry and definitely see him as an upgrade over Jamal Crawford. I'm not crazy about Acie Law or Speedy Claxton, but at least they add depth.
Houston Rockets - F: What a nightmare. Ron Artest? Gone. Yao Ming? Possibly done for his career. Tracy McGrady? Who even knows? Trevor Ariza is not NEARLY enough to offset this mess.
Indiana Pacers - B+: I'm a fan of what the Pacers have done. They've added Tyler Hansbrough, A.J. Price and Dahntay Jones, while only losing Jarrett Jack. That's a positive tradeoff if you're Indy.
Los Angeles Clippers - B+: This was an 'A' until the Clips traded Quentin Richardson for my Timberwolves' spare parts. But still, you have to love Griffin. He's a beast. Sebastian Telfair should be a decent backup. Craig Smith is actually solid, but he won't see much time.
Los Angeles Lakers - A-: Hard to give them anything but an 'A' after adding Ron Artest and re-signing Shannon Brown. Even though they lost Ariza and (most likely) Lamar Odom, the Lakers will be a dominant force next year.
Memphis Grizzlies - B: There's been a lot of moving and shaking for the Grizzlies this offseason, but they've added two post presences (Hasheem Thabeet and Zach Randolph). Combine them with O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay and, well, you've got a decent start.
Miami Heat - D: To date, Miami has only added rookies Patrick Beverly and Robert Dozier (and re-signed Joel Anthony). Yawn. Should they add Lamar Odom, Allen Iverson or both, this grade will improve.
Milwaukee Bucks - D-: What, exactly, is Milwaukee trying to do? Besides, of course, lose 60 games next year. They dump Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva and essentially replace them with Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks, Bruce Bown and Kurt Thomas. Good luck with that.
Minnesota Timberwolves - C: Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington look legit, which makes me a happy T'wolves fan. Unfortunately, there's the Rickt Rubio mess. Adding Quentin Richardson is nice, but hardly a blockbuster move. Overall, some nice pieces have been added, but a lot more have been removed.
New Jersey Nets - C: I understand that the Nets are positioning for a run at LeBron James. But their team was fun to watch when healthy last season. So, they go and trade Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson. Courtney Lee is a nice piece, as is Terrence Williams through the draft. But Devin Harris can't do it alone.
New Orleans Hornets - C-: Basiclally, they swapped Jannero Pargo for rookie Darren Collison. Most would agree that's an upgrade. However, it's completely irrelevant in the grand scheme of the Western Conference.
New York Knicks - A-: Are the Knicks actually having a ... gulp ... GOOD offseason? Well, in a word, yes. They've added Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas and Darko Milicic, while subtracting dead weight in Chris Wilcox and Quentin Richardson. I like it.
Oklahoma City Thunder - B+: The Thunder added James Harden and B.J. Mullens to an already young, talented bunch. They could benefit from a veteran or two, but for now, I'll give them a solid mark.
Orlando Magic - A+: My first 'A+." Why the Magic? Well, Vince Carter for Hedo Turkoglu is an upgrade no matter how you look at it. Then consider Marcin Gortat, Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie. I'll take that first group. The Magic have done very well so far.
Philadelphia 76ers - C+: So they added Jrue Holiday. ...that's it? So far it is. I'm not a big Holiday fan to begin with, so I'm a little less than impressed.
Phoenix Suns - A-: The Suns get an 'A-'? Am I crazy? I don't think so. Shaq was ripe for a trade. And replacing him with Earl Clark, Taylor Griffin, Channing Frye and Sasha Pavlovic (and re-signing Grant Hill) at the very least ensures they'll be fun to watch.
Portland Trail Blazers - B-: Fyre was a solid player, but got lost in the shuffle in Portland. Dante Cunningham was a good get in the second round. This grade is largely incomplete, mainly because I'll have to see how the rookies pan out.
Sacramento Kings - C+: The Kings have been difficult to figure out. They make nice pickups, like Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi, but then make head-scratchers, like signing Sean May and trading for Sergio Rodriguez. At least we can say they've been active.
San Antonio Spurs - A+: Adding Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair and Antonio McDyess more than equals an 'A+' for San Antonio. Seriously, they've hit a home run this offseason.
Toronto Raptors - A: I think Hedo Turkoglu is overrated, but I understand why they went after him. He will fit well with their team. I like the Jarrett Jack addition, but I question the Demar DeRozan draft pick. If he's an instant hit, this grade should be an 'A+.'
Utah Jazz - B: So they kept Paul Millsap and added Eric Maynor and Goran Suton. All good moves. But, they are apparently set on dealing Carlos Boozer. Depending on what they get in return for him, this grade will change accordingly.
Washington Wizards - B: As a T'wolves fan, I was sad to see Randy Foye go. He is a talented player who got a bad rap for struggling with injuries, but he'll thrive in Washington. Mike Miller never fit in with Minnesota, but he's far from finished.
That's all 30 teams. Agree? Disagree? Like, I said, post away in the comments section. A little healthy debate never hurt anyone. Also, as a sneak peak, later this week I'm going to unveil something I've been excited about for a while now. I will announce the inaugural Andrew Lovell Sports Hall of Fame class, coinciding with my birthday weekend. I'll save the specific details of this Hall of Fame for now, but I promise it will be fun (if only for me).









