NBA offseason grades for every team in the East: 76ers, Celtics earn high marks, others get ‘D’

We are nearing the midway point between the end of the NBA Finals and the start of training camp, and most of the league’s offseason business is done. A dwindling contingent of players, including Tyus Jones, Luke Kennard and Markelle Fultz, remains unsigned, but it is unlikely any of them swings a championship.

So we feel comfortable issuing report cards for each of the Eastern Conference’s 15 teams. Here goes …

The Hawks lucked into the No. 1 overall pick, moving nine spots up in the lottery, and from there it is difficult to earn a bad offseason grade. They pegged Risacher as the best prospect in an underwhelming draft class. The 6-foot-9 wing is heralded for his defense, and he shot 38.7% from 3-point range for his French league team last season. Theoretically, he fills a position of need on a Trae Young-heavy roster.

Atlanta deemed its Young-Murray backcourt a failure two years into the experiment and dealt Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Hawks did a decent job recouping the assets they traded for Murray, securing two first-round draft picks in addition to Daniels, Nance and Zeller. The 21-year-old Daniels, a top-10 pick in 2022, is full of potential, and the veteran Nance will be a benefit both on and off the court.

GRADE: B

(Gregory Hodge/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

What do we want from a champion? A legitimate title defense, and the Celtics have gotten the band back together with aplomb. They returned every member of the rotation but Oshae Brissett, who could still re-sign. Kornet and Tillman already opted to return on minimum deals. An injection of Scheierman, the final pick of the first round, should also inspire some healthy competition among the team’s reserves.

Extensions for Tatum and White locked up Boston’s top six for next season and its vaunted starting lineup for at least the next two seasons. Tatum’s contract was a foregone conclusion. White and Hauser accepted slight discounts from what they could have earned next summer, when they were eligible to become free agents. The Celtics’ tax bill will soar in 2025, but that is a concern for a different day — or someone else, if you are the…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-07-23 13:57:51

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