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Free Agency Grades for all NBA teams. RotoBaller's Kevin Larson analyzes every NBA Team and assesses how well they did in free agency this year.
NBA 2025 Free Agency Report Card: Grades For Every Team
With most of the happenings in the free agency market completed, let’s go ahead and take a look at how each team did. We’ll cover all transactions for each team and break them up by additions (extensions and re-signings will fall in this category) and departures so you have the full picture of what your team did over the past few weeks. Some teams were incredibly active, some were very creative, some didn’t really do anything of value and some may have even forgot that free agency was happening based off their inactivity (looking at you, Golden State). Now let’s start handing out some grades.
Atlanta Hawks: A
Additions: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (trade), Luke Kennard, Kristaps Porzingis (trade)
Departures: Clint Capela, Caris LeVert, Larry Nance Jr., Terance Mann (trade), Georges Niang (trade), David Roddy (waived)
The Hawks get an A for their foray in free agency. They took advantage of the Celtics selling and nabbed themselves Kristaps Porzingis. Maybe more under-the-radar, they acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Timberwolves for a second round pick and cash considerations. They’ve built themselves into contenders for the next couple seasons, which just so happen to coincide with the last two years of Trae Young’s contract. As long as this roster stays healthy, which will be a big if, they’ll be a threat.
Boston Celtics: B-
Additions: Georges Niang (trade), Luke Garza, Josh Minott, Anfernee Simons (trade)
Departures: Jrue Holiday (trade), Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porzingis (trade)
When Jayson Tatum went down in the playoffs it became evident that Boston was going to have to view this upcoming season differently without their MVP. Selling became a motive, but it doesn’t feel like they’ve gotten a ton back. Maybe I’d be viewing this differently if we had a clearer picture on whether Boston’s trying to flip Anfernee Simons to another team already. If he stays he’s a big scoring upgrade over Holiday. But until it’s a little more clear what Boston’s doing with him, their grade will stay at a B-.
Brooklyn Nets: B-
Additions: Day’Ron Sharpe (re-signed), Ziaire Williams (re-signed), Terance Mann (trade), Michael Porter Jr. (trade)
Departures: Cam Johnson (trade), D’Angelo Russell, Trendon Watford
The Nets’ moves in free agency don’t exactly paint a picture of competitiveness 2025-2026. It’d appear they may be in the same boat as last season, potentially fighting for the play-in but that’s likely going to be their ceiling. Their two main additions came through trade in Terance Mann and Michael Porter Jr. Those two will have a little more leeway to be able to prove themselves with more playing time this year. But they still have a bit question revolving around Cam Thomas’ future that will make a larger impact than any of their other free agency moves.
Charlotte Hornets: B
Additions: Tre Mann (re-signed), Pat Connaughton (trade), Spencer Dinwiddie, Mason Plumlee, Collin Sexton (trade)
Departures: Vasilije Micic (trade), Jusuf Nurkic (trade), Josh Okogie (waived), Mark Williams (trade)
The Hornets have assembled a bit of an interesting roster that may be able to surprise some teams if they stay healthy. But it’s not going to come without volatility. They may also struggle with size as Mason Plumlee and their fresh new draft pick Ryan Kalkbrenner are the only centers on their roster. They’re not losing much in their departures but now have some interesting options to play with. They get a B as I generally like their new additions, but I’m not sure if it gives them a ceiling that’s higher than “play-in contender” this season.
Chicago Bulls: F
Additions: Tre Jones (re-signed), Isaac Okoro (trade)
Departures: Lonzo Ball (trade)
The biggest thing the Bulls needed to do after last season is figure out what their identity as a team would be. Though they ended last season strong before losing in the play-in, you could argue they were more of a collection of talent rather than a team. And the biggest thing they’ve done since is swap Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro, arguably a bigger win for Cleveland. Nikola Vucevic trade rumors still run rampant and the Josh Giddey contract situation isn’t resolved yet. Chicago still doesn’t have an identity and made little to no effort to figure it out, hence why they’re getting our first F.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B
Additions: Sam Merrill (re-signed), Lonzo Ball (trade), Larry Nance Jr.
Departures: Ty Jerome, Isaac Okoro (trade)
Cleveland’s failures against Indiana in the playoffs showed they may need a little more depth on the roster for when their main guys get hurt. I’m not certain they quite did that, and you could argue losing Ty Jerome is pretty hurtful to the Cavs, but being able to get Lonzo Ball from Chicago at least helps with three-point production off the bench. He should fit right into Cleveland’s system. But the moves aren’t overwhelming and I still have depth questions for the Cavs. They get a B for now.
Dallas Mavericks: B
Additions: Dante Exum (re-signed), Kyrie Irving (re-signed), D’Angelo Russell
Departures: Spencer Dinwiddie
After winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes it’s not like Dallas needed to do a ton on the free agency side. They were able to re-sign Dante Exum and Kyrie Irving, though Irving won’t make an impact for the Mavs as he’ll be out all season. The main change is essentially a swap from Spencer Dinwiddie to D’Angelo Russell. Both have experience as a starter but Russell’s been there more recently. He’s a bit more volatile, but the plan is clearly to have him in Irving’s place. The Mavs get a B for the effort.
Denver Nuggets: A
Additions: Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr., Cam Johnson (trade), Jonas Valanciunas (trade)
Departures: Michael Porter Jr. (trade), Dario Saric (trade)
It’s amazing what Denver was able to do after moving Michael Porter Jr.’s contract. They were essentially able to turn MPJ into Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. They also were somehow able to swap Dario Saric for Jonas Valanciunas, giving Jokic a more-than-capable big man off the bench. These four have Nuggets fans very excited about their chances to get another title this season as they now have something that’s hampered them in the past: Depth. This would be an A+ if we had more clarity on the Valanciunas playing in Greece scenario, but even if he doesn’t play for Denver it’s still a very productive free agency period for the Nuggets.
Detroit Pistons: C+
Additions: Paul Reed (re-signed), Caris LeVert, Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
Departures: Simone Fontecchio (trade), Tim Hardaway Jr., Dennis Schroder
The Pistons are losing a bit of talent in free agency at the guard position with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schroder bolting. Add in the likely departure of Malik Beasley with his current situation and Detroit’s got a bit of production they need to replace. Some of that will come from Caris LeVert and some three-point production will come from Duncan Robinson. Arguably the biggest addition will be the return of Jaden Ivey, who missed most of last season with a broken left fibula. But I’m not sure it’s all enough for me to feel comfortable in saying Detroit’s moves will make them better in 2025-2026.
Golden State Warriors: F
Additions: None
Departures: Kevon Looney
I’m not really sure what the Warriors are doing here. With Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green all being 35 or older, they needed to try and find a way to get younger. They’ve also been a team that struggles with size, so losing Kevon Looney is a bigger blow than it seems. They’ve been rumored to be in the market for Al Horford, but he’s another aging player that won’t be playing much longer. Golden State needed to get younger and more impactful but they’ve done none of that. It’s a very clear F for the Warriors who don’t appear to have any plan for what to do when their aging stars retire.
Houston Rockets: B+
Additions: Steven Adams (re-signed), Aaron Holiday (new deal), Jeff Green (new deal), Jabari Smith Jr. (extension), Jae’Sean Tate (new deal), Fred VanVleet (extension), Clint Capela, Kevin Durant (trade), Dorian Finney-Smith
Departures: Dillon Brooks (trade), Jalen Green (trade), Jock Landale (waived), Cam Whitmore (trade)
The Rockets are going to make a run at it this season. That much is clear. The KD news is obviously the big one but they’ve also done quite a bit of work to make the money make sense for 2025-2026. Durant’s only under contract for this season so they’ve got to make it work this year. The additions of Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela help add some depth to Houston’s roster but they’re not dynamic offensive playmakers. If Durant is forced to miss any time Houston may still struggle with offensive production like they did last season. Landing KD is an A in itself for Houston, but a one-year all-in type of plan has a bit of risk associated with it that knocks them down to a B+.
Indiana Pacers: C-
Additions: Isaiah Jackson (re-signed), James Wiseman (re-signed), Jay Huff (trade)
Departures: Myles Turner
Maybe Indiana simply trusts where it is right now and knows that next season is one where they’ll be playing with house money since Tyrese Haliburton will be out all year. But they’ve done relatively little to replace Myles Turner, who bolted to Milwaukee. Acquiring Jay Huff for a couple second-rounders is a nice little boost but it doesn’t inspire confidence that Indiana will surprise teams again this season. My gut says they’re happy where they’re at and will simply aim for 2026-2027 to return to competitiveness while this year is a developmental year. If these were the moves made with a healthy Haliburton then they’re getting a worse grade, but for now it’s a C-.
Los Angeles Clippers: A-
Additions: Nicolas Batum (re-signed), James Harden (extension), John Collins (trade), Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal
Departures: Norman Powell (trade), Drew Eubanks (waived)
The Clippers are about to get bigger. With Ivica Zubac generally being their big man they’ve struggled with size in the past. But trading for John Collins and signing Brook Lopez will help them be bigger all around. Both Collins and Lopez can hit the three as well, though it’s less of a strength for Collins compared to Lopez. But that will provide a little more spacing on the court. Losing Norman Powell hurts, and is a bit confusing, but replacing his production with Bradley Beal doesn’t hurt. The only worry with the Clippers is that they’re now a team full of vets with very little youth. That’s the only knock here as we give the Clippers an A-.
Los Angeles Lakers: B-
Additions: Jaxson Hayes (re-signed), Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, Marcus Smart
Departures: Dorian Finney-Smith
The Lakers needed to fill the void Anthony Davis left and they found their man in Deandre Ayton. His size brings rebounding abilities and interior scoring to the Lakers, just not to the ability that Davis did for LA. And that’s totally fine in the meantime! But outside of that the Lakers have been relatively inactive. A weekend signing of Marcus Smart doesn’t exactly change that. On top of that the speculation about LeBron James’ future with the Lakers has run rampant, even after he opted into his $52 million player option a few weeks ago. There’s a weird murkiness that’s starting to ruminate in Los Angeles. Maybe Luka Doncic can stave that off, but the level of inactivity in LA, purposeful or not, gives them a B-.
Memphis Grizzlies: B-
Additions: Santa Aldama (re-signed), Jaren Jackson Jr. (extension), Cam Spencer (re-signed), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), Ty Jerome, Jock Landale
Departures: Cole Anthony (waived), Desmond Bane (trade), Luke Kennard, Jay Huff (trade)
So what’s the plan here? That’s the main question with the Grizzlies as they made headlines by sending Desmond Bane to Orlando. They got an absolute haul of draft picks in the trade but the message is conflicting. Are they going to aim to rebuild? Are they thinking a bit more veteran leadership can help stabilize their roster and they can still compete? Ja Morant is under contract for the next three seasons and they signed Jaren Jackson Jr. to a five-year extension. That says they think they can compete, but shipping out a major piece of their offense makes it look like a rebuild may be coming. Whatever plan the Grizzlies have, we haven’t quite seen it yet. They get a B- for now, boosted by the draft pick haul they got in the Bane trade.
Miami Heat: B
Additions: Simone Fontecchio (trade), Davion Mitchell (re-signed), Norman Powell (trade)
Departures: Kyle Anderson (trade), Kevin Love (trade), Duncan Robinson (sign-and-trade)
The Heat are trying to figure things out in the post Jimmy Butler era and they may have got themselves a nice guard to replace him. Norman Powell was surprisingly shipped to Miami in the three team deal that landed John Collins in Los Angeles. Though he’s in his young 30s, Powell has proven to be a very effective starter and certainly fits the Miami Heat mold with how he plays. It’s not an overwhelming move, but it’s a nice piece to add. The pieces that left don’t exactly take away much from Miami, outside of Robinson’s three-point production, but that will be more than made up for by Powell. Miami gets a B.
Milwaukee Bucks: C+
Additions: Chris Livingston (re-signed), Kevin Porter Jr. (re-signed), Bobby Portis (extension), Taurean Prince (re-signed), Ryan Rollins (re-signed), Jericho Sims (re-signed), Gary Trent Jr. (re-signed), Cole Anthony, Myles Turner, Gary Harris
Departures: Pat Connaughton (trade), Vasilije Micic (waived), Damian Lillard (waived), Brook Lopez
We mentioned with the Bulls that last season they seemed to be more of a collection of talent rather than a team. After Milwaukee’s moves this offseason you have to wonder whether they also are a collection of talent. I’m unsure if they will be able to move as a more cohesive unit this year. The addition of Myles Turner does help stymie the blow of Brook Lopez heading to LA. I’m not sure the additions of Cole Anthony and Gary Harris help fill the void Lillard had with this team, but they’re nice complimentary pieces. With a bunch of players re-signing, Milwaukee’s going to run it back at least one more season to see if they can get Giannis Antetokounmpo another ring. But the current plan looks a bit messy. Milwaukee gets a C+ thanks to the addition of Myles Turner.
Minnesota Timberwolves: C-
Additions: Joe Ingles (re-signed), Julius Randle (re-signed), Naz Reid (re-signed)
Departures: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luka Garza, Josh Minott
After getting embarrassed in the Western Conference Finals, you’d have thought that Minnesota would make a more concerted effort to improve. They did so after losing to the Mavs in 2024 and at least re-signed Julius Randle to a three-year deal, making the Karl-Anthony Towns trade a little more worth it. But outside of that there doesn’t appear to be a concerted effort to improve the roster. The departure of Nickeil Alexander-Walker may sting a little more that Timberwolves fans would like, dulling the impact of re-signing a couple key players. Minnesota’s in a bit of a limbo and needs to determine whether the failures in the Western Conference Finals were simply because OKC is that good or if there are deeper rooted issues with the Timberwolves. They did what they had to with Randle, but otherwise there doesn’t appear to be much that’s improved about this roster. That amounts to a C- for Minnesota.
New Orleans Pelicans: B-
Additions: Herb Jones (extension), Saddiq Bey (trade), Kevon Looney, Jordan Poole (trade)
Departures: Bruce Brown, CJ McCollum (trade), Kelly Olynyk (trade)
After trading away CJ McCollum the Pelicans have now shipped out two of the key pieces to their roster over the last couple years. With both Brandon Ingram and McCollum out of the picture, New Orleans faces a scenario where they need to decide if tearing down the roster makes sense or do they believe they have enough to compete? They first need to be healthy. That’s always a question with Zion Williamson on the roster and Dejounte Murray is also rehabbing from an Achilles injury. The additions of Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole say they think they can still compete in the West, but if and when that vision comes to fruition is the largest question facing the Pelicans. They get a B-.
New York Knicks: A-
Additions: Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele
Departures: None
It’s a new era in New York with head coach Mike Brown taking over the helm after five seasons from head coach Tom Thibodeau. One of the areas that held the Knicks back in past seasons was an over-reliance on the starters (something I know about all too well as a Nuggets fan). That gave the Knicks a clear direction to improve the bench to help get the starters more rest and hopefully more reliable weapons in the postseason. Signing Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele do just that. Neither signing is flashy, but both help get the Knicks just that touch of additional depth. They didn’t need to go big, they just needed to stabilize. And New York’s done just that. It’s an A- for Knicks.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B+
Additions: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (extension), Chet Holmgren (extension), Ajay Mitchell (re-signed), Jalen Williams (extension), Jaylin Williams (extension)
Departures: Dillon Jones (trade)
After winning the NBA Championship, with as many young pieces on their roster as they have, there really was only one option the Thunder had. And that was to sign their young guys to hopefully keep them around for as long as possible. The three mainstays in their starting rotation all got well-deserved extensions. It was the right thing for the Thunder to do. The question now becomes just how long they can maintain their success before their roster gets too expensive. That’s going to be answered further down the road, though, and won’t have much of an impact this year. SGA, Holmgren and J-Dub are locked in for the foreseeable future and the Thunder will right their wave for however long it’s there. B+ is the grade.
Orlando Magic - A-
Additions: Paolo Banchero (extension), Moe Wagner (re-signed), Desmond Bane (trade), Tyus Jones
Departures: Cole Anthony (trade), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (trade), Gary Harris
After two seasons of knocking on the door the Magic finally feel like they’re ready to really go for it. Their effort to acquire Desmond Bane turned heads around the league as he was the perfect piece to plug into their lineup. Along with the Paolo Banchero extension, Orlando feels like it has its starting rotation nailed down. Tyus Jones was brought in to help fill in the void left by some of their departures and brings a solid veteran presence to their locker room. The only downside here is the haul of draft picks they gave up to acquire Bane. That may come back to bite them in a couple seasons, but they’ll take the risk now and deal with the consequences later. A- is the grade for Orlando.
Philadelphia 76ers: C-
Additions: Justin Edwards (re-signed), Eric Gordon (re-signed), Kyle Lowry (re-signed), Trendon Watford
Departures: Guerschon Yabusele
After a chaotic disappointment last season the Sixers really need to get back on the right path. A lot of that course correction will come from Joel Embiid and Paul George simply being healthy, but that means that Joel Embiid and Paul George need to be healthy. Depth was something that needed to be considered and Philly didn’t really do much to help out in that area. Trendon Watford is their newest bench piece, and he may be able to provide double-digit point production off the bench, but there’s nothing else intriguing about Philadelphia’s moves. They may be on track to get a deal done with restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, but much of Philadelphia’s season will once again be placed in the hopes that two of their three superstars stay healthy. Because of the relative inactivity, Philly gets a C-.
Phoenix Suns: B-
Additions: Devin Booker (extension), Collin Gillespie (re-signed), Dillon Brooks (trade), Jalen Green (trade), Mark Williams (trade), Nigel Hayes-Davis (trade)
Departures: Bradley Beal (buyout), Kevin Durant (trade), Tyus Jones, Cody Martin (waived), Mason Plumlee
One thing you can’t accuse the Suns of this offseason is not being active. They’ve made big headlines after shipping out Kevin Durant and buying out Bradley Beal, two of their big three that they tried to build around over the past couple seasons. With things obviously not working out they had to make a change and they’re hoping to build around a backcourt of Devin Booker and Jalen Green. Mark Williams helps provide some size for them as well, giving the perception of a team. But there’s going to be a lot of volatility for the Suns this season with all the changes on the roster. Green is also a very streaky shooter with a ton of volatility in his performance. Phoenix games will likely feature a ton of points on both sides this season, but the quality of results are yet to be determined. I’m not as down on Phoenix as many others seem to be, but I’ll grade them at a B- until we can see just exactly how this all works.
Portland Trail Blazers: C
Additions: Jrue Holiday (trade), Damian Lillard
Departures: Anfernee Simons (trade), Deandre Ayton
It’s Dame Time in Portland again. The 35-year-old signed a three-year deal to return to the Blazers on Thursday, though he’ll use the 2025-2026 season to rehabilitate from his torn Achilles tendon. That’s great for the future but I’m not really sure what the plan here in Portland is for this season. Do they have some good young pieces to build around? Yes. Does adding Jrue Holiday, along with Lillard on the sidelines, help provide more of a veteran presence for the younger guys? Yes. Does any of this point to being competitive this season? No. Does it point towards a rebuild? Also no. Portland appears to be complacent with where they’re at heading into the 2025-2026 season, which is a team with an outside shot of making the play-in. This was a D- until the Lillard news broke on Wednesday afternoon. That’s at least more of a positive than their offseason had initially looked so this is now a C in my book.
Sacramento Kings: C
Additions: Drew Eubanks, Dennis Schroder, Dario Saric (trade)
Departures: Jake LaRavia, Jonas Valanciunas
We’re looking at another team who’s OK with running it back when they still had some issues that they needed to get figured out. Only Dennis Schroder stands to make a real impact from the pieces they’ve acquired, which really are just depth for their bench. They don’t have many roster questions to answer this season, though, and next offseason isn’t expected to be crazy for them (player option for Zach LaVine, Keegan Murray will be a restricted free agent). So there’s some flexibility to run it back another year here, but it’s not like last season’s formula worked well. The Kings were 14-18 with LaVine active after acquiring him from the Bulls. Not a mark that inspires confidence and something the Kings should have made more of an effort to improve. They get a C.
San Antonio Spurs - B-
Additions: Jordan McLaughlin (re-signed), Luke Kornet, Kelly Olynyk (trade)
Departures: Malaki Branham (trade), Sandro Mamukelashvili, Blake Wesley (trade)
San Antonio never really got a chance to see just how well the De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama combination can work. It looks like they’ll be waiting on that before making any other drastic changes to the roster. The additions of Luke Kornet and Kelly Olynyk give them two things: Additional size inside for when Wemby is off the court (Kornet) and someone who can shoot over 40% from three (Olynyk). The only regular from the Spurs’ lineup that shot better than Olynyk’s 41.8% from three last season was Harrison Barnes. The Spurs will be an interesting watch next season and should at least be in contention for the play-in tournament. These moves help, but it still feels underwhelming as these two don’t solve many of the issues the Spurs face. They get a B-.
Toronto Raptors: C
Additions: Jakob Poeltl (extension), Garrett Temple (re-signed), Sandro Mamukelashvili
Departures: None
Toronto’s big move didn’t even happen this offseason. It was last season when they acquired Brandon Ingram from the Pelicans that was their big splash. He didn’t suit up at all for Toronto as he recovered from an ankle injury, but it’s clear that the Raptors have been trying to get ahead of things. Signing Jakob Poeltl to an extension gives the belief that they’ve got their core locked down for the next few seasons and they’re ready to roll with it. They used an interesting tanking technique last season that gave their younger guys experience in the closing minutes of tough games instead of the starters that may pay off. But they may still have issues with bench depth for starters and other role players that were often injured last season. They didn’t address that and were relatively quiet, so they get a C.
Utah Jazz: C+
Additions: Kyle Anderson (trade), Kevin Love (trade), Jusuf Nurkic (trade)
Departures: John Collins (trade), Johnny Juzang (waived), Collin Sexton (trade), Jordan Clarkson (buyout)
I’d say it’s just vibes in Salt Lake City but I don’t even know if there are enough vibes left for the Jazz to put on the court. It looks like they’re aiming for yet another rebuilding year. They acquired Nurkic but he looks to be an obvious trade deadline candidate with his contract expiring at the end of the season. Kevin Love and Kyle Anderson won’t be expected to make much of an impact, rather they’re going to roll their young guys out there alongside Lauri Markkanen and just see what happens. I’m not big on the moves overall, but they’re at least going in an obvious direction that will eventually improve the team. Just not this season. They’re headed home with a C+.
Washington Wizards: D
Additions: Marvin Bagley III (re-signed), Malaki Branham (trade), CJ McCollum (trade), Dillon Jones (trade), Blake Wesley (trade), Cam Whitmore (trade)
Departures: Saddiq Bey (trade), Anthony Gill (waived), Richaun Holmes (waived), Jordan Poole (trade), Marcus Smart (buyout)
What exactly is happening in Washington? A franchise that clearly looks like it should be rebuilding all of a sudden has become a gathering of the veterans. Maybe they’re looking to have their vets be obvious trade chips at the deadline as CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton become unrestricted free agents next offseason. It’s the only likely scenario that makes sense given they are still in no position to compete in the East in 2025-2026. The big worry with adding more vets you’re likely to flip at the deadline is they’ll play ahead of the younger guys, who should be playing as much as possible so they can develop as much as possible to be better prepared for the next few seasons. It feels messy in Washington. Even though they were active, they’re getting a D.
