NBA Free Agent Signing Grades

Updated: Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023.

By Mike Elworth. Follow Mike @MikeElworth24. For site updates follow @walterfootball.



Raptors sign Garrett Temple to a 1-year, minimum contract
Temple has been a quality solid fourth guard for awhile. There’s a reason he’s 36 and still in the NBA: He plays his part.

Grade: A


Hawks sign Wesley Matthews for one season at the minimum
Meh. Matthews isn’t really more than a veteran leader and an 11th man. The former three-and-D superstar is in his mid-30s, but he can still shoot the ball.

Grade: B


Hornets get Frank Ntilikina at the minimum for one season
Yes, if you had no clue, Ntilikina is still in the NBA. I thought he left awhile ago, but he was with the Mavericks. So, why is one of the largest busts of the last decade somehow still in the league? Defense. This is just a player No. 13-15 move.

Grade: B




Lakers sign Anthony Davis to a 3-year, $186 million deal
Really? $63 million a season? I heard that there was a huge number coming, but when I saw the number, I assumed it was for four seasons. This is a lot of money, but the Lakers had to keep Davis, as the eight-time all-star is still just 30 and when healthy cannot be stopped. He’s one of the 10 biggest stars in the NBA. At least the Lakers weren’t the team that gave Jaylen Brown $304 million.

Rockets sign Jeff Green to a 2-year, $16 million deal
Green has left Denver, where he won a ring, choosing to take one more solid payday. He is an excellent reserve, but the Rockets seem to have signed him for mentoring, as they have an incredibly young roster. This is way too much money, but Houstons had a ridiculous amount of money.

Grade: C+


Jazz sign Omer Yurtseven for two seasons at the minimum
The Jazz have added a nice young piece in the talented big from Turkey. Yurtseven is a talented scorer and rebounder who can shoot. He is an excellent value signing.

Grade: A


Bucks sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo to a two-season, minimum contract
The elder brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo is statistically is one of the weakest players in the NBA. Having your superstar’s brother has to be nice for the franchise, so I have no problem with him as the 12th man.

Grade: B


Nuggets sign Deandre Jordan for one season, $3 million
The Nuggets have basically no money to spend, so keeping their depth guys was important and Jordan was vital. He is one of the elite second centers in the NBA and is cheaply looking for a second straight ring.

Grade: A


Pelicans sign Cody Zeller for one season, $3.5 million
The Pelicans needed at least one more big man, and getting Zeller for almost the minimum was a strong signing. He is a big improvement over the team’s reserve bigs from last season and actually played a role for the team that just won the Eastern Conference. Zeller’s not a splashy add, but he’s a solid one.

Grade: A-


Pistons sign Keita Bates-Diop for two seasons, $5.1 million
Bates-Diop just had a really nice season and has earned this 2-year contract. He’s shown excellent shooting ability, meaning he can be a big help off Detroit’s bench.

Grade: A-






Clippers sign Russell Westbrook for two seasons, $6 million
After signing with the Clippers following the trade deadline, Westbrook was very solid for them. Adding him on basically a 2-year minimum contract is strong value, and given that he’s made almost $500 million over his incredible career, he is looking for a ring.

Grade: A


Grizzlies sign Derrick Rose to a 2-year, $7 million deal
Rose has made a fortune, so money wasn’t likely part of his choice, but the Grizzlies aren’t contenders. They also have Marcus Smart in town, so minutes may be hard to come by. I have no idea why Rose signed with Memphis.

Grade: A


Celtics sign Dalano Blanton for two seasons, $5 million
The 6-foot-7 Blanton has excellent size for a guard, and in scarce minutes, he has actually performed well as a scorer and as a playmaker. He’s a decent signing for depth, but I would have rather seen the Celtics sign a ring-chasing shooter or a scoring guard.

Grade: C+




Miami signs Kevin Love for two seasons, $7.6 million
Love isn’t a superstar or an all-star at 35, but he’s still an excellent role player and shooter. At basically a minimum contract, this is simply a smart deal.

Grade: A-


Celtics sign Oshae Brissett to a 2-year, minimum money contract
In this depth move, the Celtics have signed former Pacer Oshae Brissett. He has scoring talent, but there are literally no minutes for him. This is pretty meh.

Grade: C+




Celtics sign Jaylen Brown to a 5-year, $300 million deal
This is the biggest contract in NBA history, which is kind of funny as Brown because is one of the league’s 10 premier players or “the man” on the Celtics; but they kind of had to sign him. The money is hilarious, but Brown’s an elite player and Boston simply could not lose him.

Grade: B


76ers sign Montrezl Harrell for one season, $2.8 million
Harrell is arguably the No. 1 hustle big man in a league where that skill isn’t appreciated now. Regardless, he’s a wrecking ball of energy when he plays, which should be a lot more. This is an excellent contract.

Grade: A-




76ers sign Patrick Beverly for one season, $3.2 million
This isn’t the big move Sixers fans want, but Patrick Beverly improves the teams he joins, and he was recently brilliant with the Bulls. Beverly brings elite defense – just pestering teams – and is a solid playmaker and scorer when he needs to be. With Harden likely being traded away, Beverly could start for the 76ers, as he fits very well with the smallish Tyrese Maxey.

Grade: A


Mavs sign Dwight Powell to a 3-year, $12 million deal
Powell is yet one more role player who has stayed a long time as a secondary player for Dallas. He’s an elite third big who can and has started, and he produces. Powell is a hustle big man who brings strong scoring and rebounding. This is a fantastic contract.

Grade: A


76ers sign Mo Bamba signs for one season at league minimum
Bamba is a big name, but hr isn’t a big-time player. Regardless, he is an excellent depth signing who is needed given that Joel Embiid misses a lot of games.

Grade: A-




Bulls sign Jevon Carter to a 3-year, $20 million contract
The Bulls really needed a point guard, where Carter should be the starter next season. He is no star, but he’s a strong playmaker and an excellent defender/shooter. I could easily see him averaging 15-5-5 for Chicago next season.

Grade: A


Bucks sign Jae Crowder for one season, $3 million
The Bucks traded for Crowder around the trade deadline, and he’s simply a fantastic role player. An excellent shooter who defends, Crowder played very well for them and was a role player who they needed to keep.

Grade: B+


Nets sign Dennis Smith Jr. for one season, $3 million
I missed this one, but I really like it. To me, Smith’s value is at least double this, and he fills a huge need as Brooklyn’s reserve point guard. He is still an athletic freak and although not much of a scorer, he’s a really talented playmaker.

Grade: A-


Spurs sign Julian Champaign to a 4-year, $12 million deal
Champagne has only appeared in 17 games, but in those 17 games, he was pretty solid. He is a natural scorer. In starter minutes, he would have averaged 18 points on very efficient scoring. He is a bench scorer who can stand a bigger role.

Grade: A


Nets sign Darius Bazley for one season, $5 million
The Nets needed at least one more quality big man as they only had Nic Claxton and rookie Noah Clowney. Bazley is a strong veteran role player who has put together some really solid seasons.

Grade: A


Kings sign Nerlens Noel to a 1-year, $3.1 million contract The Kings made a smart signing here. They needed at least one more big man, and Noel can play with Sabonis, but also be an excellent reserve. Noel’s defensive talent and athleticism should really help.

Grade: A


Cavs sign Georges Niang for three seasons, $25.5 million
Niang is one of the elite role players in the NBA, and the Cavs needed another big, so this is an excellent contract. Niang is an elite shooter who really helps his teams win.

Grade: A-


Bulls sign Ayo Dosunmu for three seasons, $22 million
After signing Jevon Carter and Cony White, it was assumed that Ayo Dosunmu would walk, but the Bulls signed their young combo guard for a more-than-fair value. The local guard is a solid scorer, a talented defender and a solid playmaker, plus his energy is an excellent talent itself. This signing was one more solid move by the Bulls.

Grade: A-


Timberwolves sign Troy Brown Jr. for 2 seasons, $8 million
I missed this contract, but I like it. Minnesota needed a starting small forward, and although Brown isn’t special, he is a rock-solid role guy who just had a really nice season for the Lakers. He is a really solid three-and-D guy who is an excellent shooter and fits.

Grade: B


Pistons extend Isaiah Stewart for four years and $68 million
Isaiah Stewart added a jump shot and just averaged 11 points and eight reboungs. If he can continue to improve, this $17 million-per-year deal will be a steal. As for now, it’s a very fair extension.

Grade: B


Celtics agree with Kristaps Porzingis on an additional two seasons, $60 million
The Celtics added two seasons to Porzingis’ current deal, so this is more of a 3-year, $97 million contract. Porzingis is the star big the Celtics have lacked and gives them arguably the league’s premier roster after Denver. This price is also more than fair value.

Grade: A


Cavaliers sign Ty Jerome for two seasons, $5 million
This a really solid move, as Jerome is a sneaky excellent role player. He’s a shooter and strong playmaker who should be able to run Cleveland’s second unit if asked, and the money is more than fair.

Grade: B


Trail Blazers sign Matisse Thybulle for three seasons, $33 million
This is technically matching a sign-restricted sheet, and although $11 million is a bit too much for a guard with zero scoring or shooting talent, he fits. Assuming the Trail Blazers trade Damian Lillard, they will be led by a roster of young offensively gifted guards, and having an ace defender like Thybulle is somone they had to find.

Grade: A-


Suns re-sign Yuta Watanabe for one season, $2.3 million
Watanabe is one of the NBA’s premier shooters and just came off a season in which he shot 44% from long range. He should have been paid at least $10 million a season, but he must want a ring from signing with the Suns. This might be my favorite signing in free agency so far.

Grade: A


Rockets sign Aaron Holiday for one season at the minimum
This is simply a depth move, but Holiday is a talented shooter. I have no issue with this.

Grade: B


Heat sign Thomas Bryant for two seasons, $5 million
I really like how the Heat have been adding strong veterans for depth, which will be needed if they are aiming for a championship run, which is possible when they trade for Lillard. Thomas is a big talent who can help the Heat win.

Grade: A-


Suns sign Drew Eubanks for two seasons, $5 million
Eubanks just had a really nice season in Portland and turned that into a multi-season contract with the Suns. He is a nice reserve big and comes cheap, which is important for the Suns.

Grade: B


Warriors sign Cory Joseph for one season, $3.2 million
This is a sneakily solid signing by the Warriors, providing them with much-needed veteran depth. He’s as solid of a No. 2 point guard as you can find, but as the Warriors are loaded at guard, minutes will be difficult to find. Still, this is a nice move.

Grade: A-


Nets sign Lonnie Walker IV for one season, $6.5 million
The Lakers may have soured on Walker, but he quietly had a really nice season for them, thriving as a shooter. I have no idea why the Nets paid Walker more than double what Yuta Watanabe received, as the former Net is a superior talent, but market-wise, this is fine.

Grade: B


Mavericks sign Seth Curry for two seasons, $10 million
Curry isn’t his brother, but he has been one of the NBA’s elite shooters for awhile now. He is one of my favorite role players in the league, and Dallas had to improve its reserves.

Grade: A-


Lakers sign Jaxon Hayes for two seasons, $4.6 million
This seems like the mesh of a depth pick and also developmental as Hayes is a bust as a lottery pick, but he’s still 23, a 7-footer and has performed when given minutes. The issue is that he rarely got minutes in four Pelican seasons. This is a nice, small move.

Grade: A


Suns sign Damion Lee for two seasons, $4 million
The Curry Brothers’ brother in law is a baller in his own right, and just like his brothers is a fantastic shooter. He’s a solid sixth man, and the Suns kept him for very little.

Grade: A


Kings re-sign Domantas Sabonis for five seasons, $217 million
It’s kinda strange saying that a $217 million contract is solid value, but star big men are expensive and you could say that he’s the No. 3 center in the NBA after Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid. Forty-three million dollars a season is a lot of money, but in today’s NBA, this is a relative value signing.

Grade: B


Knicks sign Donte Divincenzo for three seasons, $47 million
I love that Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte Divecenzo, who were all college teammates, are on the same team again. However, I’m not the biggest fan of this signing, as it is just meh, but the value is solid. Divincenzo has played roles on elite teams like Milwaukee and Golden State, which is promising, but I just am not a big fan of paying money like this to guys who will not make a difference when it comes to winning.

Grade: B


Rockets sign Dillon Brooks for four seasons, $80 million
Yes, they have a ton of money to spend, and yes, Dillon Brooks is a fantastic defender, but he’s pretty poor offensively. Additionally, he’s a big-time personality for a non-star. I like him as a player, but in no world is he an $80 million guy.

Grade: D+


Jazz re-sign Jordan Clarkson for three seasons, $33 million
I assumed Clarkson wanted to be moved to a contender, but he has agreed to a contract that ties him to the Jazz for three more seasons. Their scoring guard is a nice veteran piece for the rebuilding Jazz, and this is a bargain move.

Grade: A-


Lakers sign Rui Hachimura for three seasons, $51 million
As the Lakers traded assets for Hachimura, they needed to keep him. He was excellent in the playoffs, but he was quite average for basically his first four seasons, mostly in Washington. The way I look at this contract, it’s the Lakers paying Hachimura for the playoff run, which is a mistake.

Grade: C


Pacers sign Bruce Brown for two seasons, $45 million
Brown is arguably the premier role player in the NBA, and there were obviously plenty of teams interested, but then there were rumors he’d receive a huge contract; then the Pacers signing news was released. I love Brown, but no role player should be making this type of money.

Grade: C


Suns sign Eric Gordon for two seasons, $7 million
The Clippers for financial reasons had to cut Eric Gordon, who has basically been the league’s premier bench player for a decade; he is the perfect role player and one of the league’s elite shooters. This is the Suns signing a fantastic sixth man for almost the minimum.

Grade: A


Hawks sign guard Dejounte Murray to a four-season, $120 million contract
If this sounds weird to you, it probably is, as Murray wasn’t a free agent, but the Hawks now have their 26-year-old all-star guard signed for five more seasons. It is also weird as there were rumors he was on the market. Regardless, he’s one of the elite two-way guards in the league and I like this. I’d rather have Murray than Memphis’ Desmond Bane.

Grade: A-


Lakers sign Gabe Vincent for three seasons, $33 million
The Lakers have nailed the draft and free agency this offseason, and this is a fine signing as well. The cost is more than fair, but I liked the fit of Dennis Schroder, who signed a very similar deal. Vincent has a similar game to D’Angelo Russell, so it’s hard to say I love this deal. I would have rather seen the Lakers keep Malik Beasley.

Grade: B


Thunder sign Valiljie Misic to a 3-year, $23.5 million deal
NBA fans have been waiting awhile for Misic to come to the United States from Europe, where the 30-year-old guard has been a superstar for years. Oklahoma City has long owned his rights, and it will be nice to see how he helps his NBA team.

Grade: A


Cavaliers re-sign Caris Levert for two seasons, $32 million
Levert has been an elite role player when healthy, which has been an issue, but he is a big-time scorer and playmaker. The Cavaliers have a bit of a hole at small forward and the money’s decent, so this is a nice deal.

Grade: B


Kings sign Sasha Vazenjo for three seasons, $20 million
Vazenjo was arguably the premier player in Europe and has a Euroleague MVP award. He is truly a perfect fit for the Kings.

Grade: A+


Heat sign Richardson to a two-season, $6 milllon contract
The Heat recently lost lost most of their guards, and although Richardson shouldn’t be a starter on a team that sees itself as a contender, this is a really nice deal. He’s a solid role player who is perfect for the roster, assuming the Heat get Damian Lillard.

Grade: A


Nuggets sign Justin Holiday for one season, $3 million
The Nuggets have been adding quality depth to their roster, and Holiday has been a strong three-and-D guy for a decade or so. He probably won’t play very much, but he could still help.

Grade: B+


Clippers sign Mason Plumlee for one season, $5 million
Plumlee’s market value is triple this, and he could have had a bigger role and received more money, so the Clippers were very lucky to keep him. This is quietly one of the biggest values of free agency.

Grade: A


Raptors sign Dennis Schroder to a 2-year, $24 million deal
The Raptors lost their long time point guard in free agency, and then signed the Lakers’ former starting one. Schroder is a somewhat inefficient scorer and shooter, but he is a strong distributor and a solid starter at the position. The money’s fine.

Grade: B+


Grizzlies sign Desmond Bane to a 5-year, max contact
The Grizzlies have signed their young shooting guard to a five-season, $210 million max deal that will keep him in Memphis for six more seasons. Health has been his only real issue, but he’s an elite shooter and scorer who may have to become “the guy” for Memphis if Ja Morant has more issues. This is way, way too much money, but they had to pay Bane.

Grade: B

Nuggets re-sign Reggie Jackson for two seasons, $10 million
Jackson was not a huge part of the Nuggets after the trade from Los Angeles, but he is still an elite reserve guard. Having a guy off the bench with his scoring and playmaking ability is huge, and his value is double this. I love the champions keeping him for so cheap.

Grade: A

Pacers sign Tyrese Haliburton to a 5-year, max contract
The Pacers have given a max contract of five seasons, $260 million to stud point guard Tyrese Haliburton, which will keep him with them for six more seasons. In his first season in Indiana, he was an all-star, and after averaging 20-4-10, he has become the franchise player the team has lacked. This is way too much, but the Pacers had to give it to the young guard.

Grade: B+

Hornets sign Lamelo Ball to a five-season, max contract
Ball has also earned a max contract from the Hornets; a $260 million dollar deal that makes their 23.3-6.4-8.4 star point guard a Hornet for six more seasons. He’s probably 1B to Kemba Walker’s 1A as the biggest star in franchise history, and this was a move the organization had to make.

Grade: B+

Lakers sign Austin Reaves for four seasons, $56 million
This is the biggest contract the Lakers were allowed to give to Reaves, but nobody thought he would actually take it. I legitimately thought he would sign a deal for $90 million or so, but he really, really must have wanted to stay with the Lakers. They have had a brilliant free agency – incredible really.

Grade: A

Lakers sign D’Angello Russell to a 2-year , $36 million deal
This is a bigger steal to me than the Lakers’ contract with Austin Reaves, because Russell is young, a former 20-point scorer and all-star. I thought Russell would get at least $25 million per season. He’s the excellent third scorer the Lakers needed, and this deal is a big-time value.

Grade: A

Timberwolves give Anthony Edwards a five-season, max contract
Minnesota now has franchise player, star shooting guard Anthony Edwards signed for six seasons. A max deal of $260 million isn’t cheap, but he is the fourth young player to receive that max deal, and is easily my favorite of the four. He has legitimate superstar potential, isn’t constantly having injury concerns, and should continue to improve. Edwards isn’t as talked about as Lamelo Ball, but he is easily the premier talent from that draft class three offseasons ago. Edwards is fantastic.

Grade: A-

Warriors re-sign Draymond Green for four seasons, $100 million
The Warriors’ dynasty continues! Defensive and emotional leader Draymond Green has chosen to spend the rest of his prime with the Warriors. After Stephen Curry, Green’s the biggest part of their dynasty, and it seems that they will have four more tries at another ring. For what Green brings to the Warriors, I have no issues with the money and love that they are keeping him.

Grade: A

Bucks re-sign Khris Middleton to a 3-year, $102 million deal
Although Middleton was injured for half the season and wasn’t really himself for most of the year, he is still a star on a contender and deserves this money. Middleton is a 20-point scorer, an excellent defender and a perfect fir. This helps keep the Bucks a contending team, which is big, but they need to keep Brook Lopez too. This is costly, but this is Middleton’s value.

Grade: A-

Trail Blazers re-sign Jerami Grant for five seasons, $160 million
It looks like Grant will get the biggest contract in free agency. He is Portland’s No. 2 scorer and probably a legitimate No. 3 guy on a contender. Also, Damian Lillard said it pretty clearly that he wanted the Trail Blazers to keep him, and I think that fifth season was a nod toward Lillard, but it’s far too much money and there was zero need for five years. Grant is youngish and an excellent scorer, but this is ridiculous.

Grade: C-

Nets sign Cam Johnson for 4-year, $104 million deal
Johnson was a fantastic shooter and role player for three and a half seasons in Phoenix and a star in half a season with Brooklyn. If we saw three seasons of Brooklyn Cam Johnson, yeah I’d say this is an excellent value contract, but this is far too much. The Nets needed to keep him, as their Bridges/Johnson duo seems to be their foundation along with their draft picks, but this is for too much money.

Grade: C-

Pelicans sign Herb Jones for four seasons, $54 million
The Pelicans have re-signed starting three Herb Jones, and I like this deal a lot. There’s been much more given to lesser players recently, and he’s a strong scorer and rebounder who is a playmaker and excellent defensive talent. Jones needs to improve as a shooter, but he is valuable.

Grade: B

Rockets sign Fred VanVleet to 3-year, $130 million deal This is a ridiculous contract with an average annual value of $43 million, but I kind of like it. The Rockets are incredibly young and have a stable of A+ young talents who need tutoring, and you have to love signing a UDFA guard who became a champion and All-Star. VanVleet teaching Jalen Green and Amen Thompson could be huge for the Rockets, and since they had a ridiculous amount of cash to spend, this deal works.

Grade: B

Lakers sign Taurean Prince to a 1-year, $4.5 million contract
Prince is a really talented shooter and scorer who makes for an excellent bench piece. The Lakers had to find a cheap shooter, so this has to be considered a big win.

Grade: A+

Timberwolves sign Shake Milton for two seasons, $10 million
The Timberwolves have no money to spend, had no depth – more so at guard -, and they got Milton for cheap; that is simply excellent business. Milton is a strong shooter, a solid scorer, a playmaker at the two, and can be an excellent third guard. I love this deal.

Grade: A+

Mavericks re-sign Kyrie Irving to a 3-year, $126 million
The AAV of this deal is more than $40 million which is a lot for a guy you cannot trust, regardless it’s just a 3 season deal. He’s a true superstar and pairing him with Luka Doncic for 3 seasons makes them one of the league’s elite duos. Like him or not, this is a win. Grade: A-

Wizards Kyle Kuzma for four seasons, $102 million
Kuzma is one of the elite shooting bigs in the NBA and just averaged 21-7 for the Wizards. He is also an excellent playmaker, but seriously, I have no idea why he re-signed on what should be the league’s celler dwellers for awhile. I’m guessing that money was a factor. It’s difficult to really understand this for him and the team.

Grade: D

Kings re-sign Harrison Barnes to a 3-year, $54 million deal
The Kings have chosen to re-sign long-time King Harrison Barnes for three more seasons. He’s had an excellent career with them and just had a big season in their recent playoff return, but I’m not the biggest fan of this. Value-wise it’s a bit too much, and although I would be fine with a $15 million per year deal, this is too much. I wanted to see Sacramento go big this offseason, and this isn’t the start I wanted. The Kings have the money to make one more large-ish move due to the Richaun Holmes trade; I just hope they are able to go big to improve the roster.

In no way would losing Barnes have helped the Kings, and they probably needed to keep him, but not at that price.

Grade: D+

Chicago Bulls re-sign Nikola Vucevic for three seasons, $60 million
As a basketball move, I really like this for the Bulls. Nikola Vucevic is only 32, and he just averaged 17.6 points, 11 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Vucevic is a big part of the Bulls, so on its face, this contract is a steal. He could have easily gotten an extra $10+ million.

As a franchise move, it is hard to love it. Chicago is stuck in average purgatory and giving an aging center $60 million increases the team’s chances of staying there. Because of that, it’s really hard to love this.

Grade: B

Timberwolves sign Naz Reid to a 3-year, $42 million deal
Reid is Minnesota’s third big after the big-money duo of Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert. That is a duo that cannot work, and this deal only makes me think more that Minnesota will be dealing Anthony-Towns soon.

Reid averaged 11-5 in 19 minutes a game, which means he produces, and this is a more than fair contract, more so if he takes a bigger role. Reid can be a starting big.

Grade: A

Los Angeles Lakers sign Shaq Harrison
The Lakers have chosen Shaq Harrison for their last roster spot. Harrison is quite skilled defensively and gives a team a lot of energy, but he isn’t very talented offensive. He is likely there to challenge the Lakers in practices, but that’s pretty valuable come playoff time.

Grade: A-

Los Angeles Lakers sign Tristan Thompson
This is a move to add a big body who will challenge at practice and provide a strong veteram presence. He is also a champion amd knows LeBron James well, which are two more strong factors in favor of this move. As it stands, he won’t get minutes, but I like the signing.

Grade: A-

Houston signs D.J. Augustin
It is very well known that this franchise needs leadership, and the long-time NBA point guard, at 35, can give it to them. He hasn’t been in the NBA this season, but if he can provide just a bit of leadership, that’s a win.

Grade: A

Nick Richards re-signs with Charlotte for three seasons, $15 million
The Charlotte Hornets have made the wise decision to re-sign reserve center Nick Richards, who has played well this season. He is an excellent shot-blocker and rebounder, as well as a very efficient scorer. He is just 25, and this is smart business by the Hornets.

Grade: A-

Hawks re-sign Bogdan Bogdanovic for four seasons, $68 million
This is a random, big, in-season deal, as the Atlanta Hawks have re-signed sixth man Bogdan Bogdanovic, the younger brother of Detroit star Bojan Bogdanovic. Bogdan isn’t the 20-point scorer that his brother is for the Pistons, but is averaging about 14-3-3, which are right at his career numbers, and is shooting 40.1 percent from three while taking 6.7 shots from there per game, which is incredible. He could start for a number of teams, and honestly, I think he would have signed for a four-year deal for as much $80 million if he made it to free agency, so this is simple.

Grade: A-

Brooklyn Nets sign Nerlens Noel
The Nets have signed veteran big man Nerlens Noel, who I’ve been a fan of since he was at Kentucky. He has been in the league for a while now, but is just 29 and still a valuable role player. The defensive center is strong rebounder and defends well in a reserve role. He is one of the elite second centers in the NBA, and should give the Nets 15 solid minutes when Nik Claxton is resting. I like this move for Brooklyn, but he could have found a role on a title contender.

Grade: A+

Milwaukee Bucks sign Goran Dragic
The Bucks needed to replace veteran George Hill off the bench, as he was traded to the Pacers, and they were able to grab veteran Goran Dragic, who the Bulls just waived. Dragic has aged, but he is still an excellent shooter, can run the reserves, and gives a lot of energy. He could easily see consistent minutes. I love this signing by the Bucks.

Grade: A+

Wizards sign Xavier Cooks to 2-year contract
Cooks is the reigning MVP in the NBLA, which is Australia’s No. 1 league, and there are quite a few NBA draft prospects there. Cooks is a 6-foot-8 defensive big first, but he has some offensive skills and can help the Wizards, even though they have a lot more talent than people think. I love small-market teams making smart moves to find talents when we all know no big free agents will sign there. This is a solid signing.

Grade: B+

Sacramento Kings sign P.J. Dozier
The Kings have signed P.J. Dozier for the season after his two 10-day contracts, as K.Z. Okpala will miss the rest of the season. Dozier is a fringe NBA player who has made the league at some point in six straight seasons, three with Denver, which says a lot about his work ethic and heart – you have to love when that is recognized. This season, he has only been on the court for four games and scarce minutes. As for the signing, he won’t play much and won’t affect Sacramento making the playoffs.

Grade: B

Toronto Raptors sign Will Barton
This is a home run for Toronto, but I have no idea why such a valued bench scorer would choose a team that has to work hard just to make the playoffs rather than a contender. Barton was just waived by the Wizards, but the former Nuggets scorer has been one of the strongest bench scorers for quite awhile and has started as well. With Gary Trent Jr., Scottie Barnes and O.G. Anunoby, I simply cannot see many minutes available for Barton. It’s odd that he isn’t signing with the Warriors or Suns, or simple returning to the Nuggets.

Grade: A

Detroit Pistons sign R.J. Hampton
This is a small move for Detroit, but I like it. The Pistons are spending this season trying to see who are keepers along with the excellent but injured Cade Cunningham, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, James Wiseman and more. Who knows? Hampton could prove to be a strong reserve.

Grade: B+
Chicago Bulls sign Patrick Beverly for remainder of year
You know, as a huge Bulls supporter, I was really rooting for Russell Westbrook to come and rescue our season. A player like him could have really helped us get a spot in the playoff, but I’m actually really fine with the Bulls getting Lonzo Ball lite – or as he probably prefers, Patrick Beverly.

Nobody seems to have a real clue what the actual issue is with the brother of Liangelo, but the Bulls have actually played all season with no point guard, as excellent young combo guard Ayo Dosunmu has technically started at point for most of the season. As I said, Dosunmu is no point guard, while Coby White is a shooter and scorer labeled a point guard and Goran Dragic is nearly 40, so point guard was a huge need. The problem? It still truly is. Beverly is the polar opposite of Coby White, as a small defensive ace labeled a point guard, but he isn’t a point guard. Beverly should help the Bulls a lot though on the court and in the locker room, but this won’t make the Bulls more than they are as for wins.

Grade: B

Los Angeles Clippers sign Russell Westbrook
The Los Angeles Clippers have signed Russell Westbrook, a former MVP and one of the best players of the century, who was just waived by Utah. He receives a lot of flack for his style and shot selection, but he was to me the Sixth Man of the Year for the Lakers. He no longer should start, but as a sixth man, he can still give you 15-6-6 and improve your bench in a big way. The Clippers traded away John Wall and Reggie Jackson, and although they have Terrance Mann and Bones Hyland, they needed another point guard, so Westbrook fits in theory.

As for the signing, this is a gamble, as the Clippers are contenders if Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are healthy, which they are, and the team already had arguably the most depth in the league, so the question is, does the organization need him? With his ball-dominant ways and personality, he could cause some issues, but he increases the roster’s talent and helps solidify its only weak position, so this is a win. Also, if he causes issues, the Clippers can cut him, so there’s very little risk.

Grade: A-

Miami Heat sign Kevin Love for rest of season
The Cavaliers and long-time star Kevin Love agreed to part ways, and Love has chosen to play for the Heat. Given that I am living in Tampa Bay and am from Chicago, my guess Love’s move was either for the weather or to receive a huge role on a Heat squad that truly needed another big man. I still have no idea why they couldn’t wait until Love was a free agent after the season to have him switch teams, more so as he signed with the current No. 7 seed in the East when the Cavs are at No, 4. Also, I know Love wasn’t in Cleveland’s rotation at the time, but why is a young team with title aspirations getting rid of a stud bench big man who has actually won one? Adding Love is huge for the Heat, as he should be a big part of their rotation and they really needed more depth.

Grade: A

Spurs re-sign Charles Bassey for 4-years, $10.2 million
Bassey made the most of his two-way contract – half the season in the NBA and the other portion with San Antonio’s minor league squad -, parlaying that into more or less a first-round pick’s four-season deal. The San Antonio Spurs are in their first season of a potentially long rebuild, but obviously they feel Bassey is a keeper at center, so there is no reason to not like this.

Grade A

Nuggets sign Reggie Jackson for remainder of season
The longtime Clippers point guard was traded for Mason Plumlee, as Terrence Mann became the starter for them at point guard. Jackson was traded to the Hornets, but they only cared about the pick that came with him and waived him. Now, Jackson is joining the West’s best team, which needed a second point guard and scoring guard off the bench.

Grade: A

Suns sign Terrence Ross for rest of season
It was widely assumed that Ross, who was waived by the Magic, would be signing with the Mavericks, but it’s hard to fault him for joining a true contender where there’s a role for him. While the Suns have one of the best starting fives in the NBA, they have depth issues, so Ross should have a pretty solid role for the them.

Grade: A

Cleveland Cavaliers sign Danny Green
It’s funny that Green is in the news for signing with the Cavaliers as he literally began his season a week or so ago due to a knee injury. He was actually in the three team trade that involved Luke Kennard going to Memphis, Eric Gordon going to LA and he joined John Wall with the Rockets. Now he has signed with the Cavaliers, which was his team as a rookie 14 years ago. I actually really like this move for non basketball reasons, as Green is simply a winner, as he has won multiple titled and was a trusted member of Greg Popovich’s Spurs for a long time; that matters. If the young Cavaliers see themselves as a team that can compete for a title, he is someone you want in that locker room. I doubt he sees very much time, but he is still an excellent shooter.

Grade: A

Philadelphia 76ers sign Dewayne Dedmon
Dedmon was traded from Miami to San Antonio, waived and is now a 76er. Dedmon has been a solid reserve big in the league for awhile, as he is an excellent rebounder and efficient scorer, but they should have signed a shot-blocking defensive center.

Grade: B

Dallas Mavericks sign Justin Holiday
Many thought the Mavs were signing Terrence Ross, but he went to Phoenix and so they have signed a much older version in Justin Holiday. Holiday was traded from the Hawks to Houston, was waived and will now be a steady locker room figure for a team thst needs as much help there as they can get and although he is 35, he hasn’t lost his shot. He’s not as strong as Ross, but he is a solid get for them.

Grade: A-

Indiana Pacers re-sign Myles Turner for 2-year, $60 million deal
This confuses me. Myles Turner has seemingly wanted a trade for a long time, and most thought he would sign a big contract with a non-Indiana team in the offseason when he will be a free agent. Not only is he staying, but for only 2 seasons; it doesn’t make sense. He would have been given a contract for likely four seasons and about $110 million in the offseason, but he must be gambling on still being a big signing candidate in two seasons, when he will be 29. As a player, Turner is one of the best shot-blockers in the league, has a solid offensive game, rebounds nicely and is an excellent shooter. I love this deal for the Pacers, as its lets them keep their center. The money is a bit much, but they have to keep their stars.

Grade: A-

Boston Celtics re-sign Al Horford for 2-year, $20 million contract
Whoops! Apparently, this happened quite a while ago, apologies. This was a brilliant move for Boston to keep its starting center for two more seasons after this season. Horford is a huge part of this team, which needed to keep him, although he has aged quite a bit and is quite overpaid now. He is 36 now but still an efficient scorer, an excellent shooter, a nice playmaker and a talented defender. He has a game that will still work nearing 40.

Grade: A

Dallas Mavericks sign Kemba Walker to a 1-year, minimum deal
Although the Mavericks already have Luka Doncic and Spencer Dinwiddie at the point, it seems they wanted some more scoring at the position on the bench, as they’re signing Kemba Walker. The former Hornets star will give Dallas leadership, along with scoring, so he’s a solid signing.

Grade: A-

Grizzlies re-sign Brandon Clarke for 4 seasons, $52 million
The Grizzly forward has signed one of my favorite deals of the offseason. With elite role players receiving monster contracts all offseason, the Grizzlies kept their third big man at a big discount. I love this.

Grade: A

Warriors re-sign Andrew Wiggins for 4 seasons, $109 million
This is a ton of money, but with far lesser players this week alone – Poole and Herro – getting bigger deals, I love the value. Wiggins is one of the elite scorers in the NBA, an athletic freak, and a strong defender.

Grade: A-

Heat re-sign Tyler Herro for 4 seasons, $130 million
Herro’s mediocracy in the playoffs and lack of defense hurts his reputation, but he’s just starting his prime, just won a Sixth Man trophy, and is one of the leagues elite scorers. It is a big contract, but I like it a lot.

Grade: B

Warriors re-sign Jordan Poole for 4 seasons, $140 million
Poole is a fantastic and productive young talent, but I wouldn’t pay him a cent more than $25 million a season, which is still too much. The Warriors had to keep him long term to stay contenders as Steph Curry and Klay Thompson are aging, but this is simply too much money. Grade: C-

Rockets re-sign Kevin Porter Jr. for 4 seasons, $82.5 million
Porter Jr. has become one of Houston’s core guys, and is a fantastic scorer and distributor, plus he is still only 22. He’s had on- and off-court issues, however, which makes this a little risky. Regardless, in today’s league, this is a solid market deal that could be a steal.

Grade: B

Trail Blazers re-sign Nassir Little for 4 seasons, $28 million
The Trail Blazer’s third big man has missed a lot of games because of injury, but he had a really nice season a year ago. He averaged similar numbers to Brandon Clarke, who signed for $13 million a season this week, but Clarke had much stronger advanced statistics and has’nt had the injury issues of Little.

Grade: A-

Hawks re-sign Deandre Hunter for 4 seasons, $95 million
When healthy, which has been problematic since being the fourth pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hunter has been a starter for Atlanta. He’s known for his defense, but he has a solid jumper and can score. Atlanta is paying for the star he could become, and I don’t hate the contract, but for now, this is too much for him.

Grade: B-








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