NBA Team Grades: Assessing each team's offseason heading into 2022 free agency

With last week's draft in the rearview mirror, top draftees are signing rookie deals, while franchises continue rounding out Summer League squads with two-way contracts and undrafted free-agent signings.

The majority of the top-100 prospects, and beyond, have caught on with teams. Trades are in motion as rosters are tweaked heading into free agency, which begins Thursday evening. Ahead of free agency, let's evaluate how each team has done so far:

NBA Free Agency Tracker: Analysis on every signing and trade

Atlanta Hawks

Draft Picks: 

AJ Griffin (No. 16) 

Tyrese Martin (No. 51)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

James Akinjo (Baylor)

Tyson Etienne (Wichita St.)

Grant Golden (Richmond)

Atlanta's week is headlined by the acquisition of All-Star Dejounte Murray. 

The cost for Dejounte Murray mortgages Atlanta's future -- three unprotected firsts and a 2026 first-round pick swap. Atlanta finally gets a jumbo defender in its backcourt. The backcourt partnership with Trae Young will work offensively. Young playing off-ball more often will diversify Atlanta's sets. The Hawks also save $5 million by trading Danilo Gallinari instead of declining his option. Moving Kevin Huerter has to be the next step for Atlanta. His skills can be replicated in-house. 

His acquisition has ripple effects on key draftee AJ Griffin. Griffin joins Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic on the wing as great shooters and subpar defenders. 

Griffin and Tyrese Martin bring floor spacing. Martin is a quality addition for wing defense and general three-and-D. His build and hustle will generate some buckets. For Griffin, defensive effort is there, but what Griffin brings in size, he lacks in quickness -- very slow lateral abilities. Nonetheless, it's more than enough to offset Huerter. 

There's plenty of skepticism on Griffin's ability to become a multi-dimensional scorer and contributor, but his upside gives the pick merit for a win-now squad. Trading for Murray makes the presence of sound role players crucial -- setting the stage for Griffin and Martin to play within themselves.

Overall grade: B

Boston Celtics

Draft Picks: 

JD Davison (No. 53)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Trevion Williams (Purdue)

Put Davison alongside Romeo Langford, Demetrius Jackson, Tremont Waters and likely Aaron Nesmith as failed stabs at point guard depth for the Celtics in recent years. Lacking impressive size and shooting skills after a poor season at Alabama, it feels like the Celtics could've found a flier slightly more pertinent to championship aspirations. 

Williams offsets the Davison selection. He's potentially the best big-man passer in the 2022 class. A savvy signing with a good chance to earn a roster/two-way spot, Williams progressed as an all-around player in each of his four seasons at Purdue.

Overall grade: C

Brooklyn Nets

Draft Picks: None

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Alondes Williams (Wake Forest)

Donovan Williams (UNLV)

Taze Moore (Houston)

Brooklyn is a franchise in flux as it navigates the happiness of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Despite not having a draft selection, under-the-radar talent was added:

Donovan Williams transferred from Texas to UNLV and unearthed an impressive three-point clip. The frame to develop into a two-way asset is present.  

Alondes Williams was a revelation after transferring to Wake Forest. His shooting is a project and his defense has question marks, but he's a credible floor general and playmaker. Brooklyn issued him a two-way contract.

Taze Moore is a veteran of Kelvin Sampson's Houston culture. He brings grit, good size, the ability to run some P&R, and quality individual and team defense. 

Overall grade: B

Charlotte Hornets

Draft Picks: 

Mark Williams (No. 15)

Bryce McGowens (No. 40)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Brady Manek (UNC)

Justin Minaya (Providence)

Isaiah Whaley (UConn)

The Hornets traded the No.13 pick for Denver's 2023 first-round pick and four second-round picks. Charlotte passed on Jalen Duren for Mark Williams. Williams' ceiling is lower than Duren's, but his present-day strengths are plug-and-play. He's a great lob-catcher and interior force for Charlotte.

Charlotte trading a pick also operated as a cap-saving move that could be put towards Miles Bridges. With Bridges in the news for criminal activity, it's unclear how his market will be affected. The freshness of the news combined with limited spending dollars around the league could deflate his interest.

Regardless, Charlotte postponing further collection of assets is wise. Charlotte re-enters the first round in 2023, after having already dealt its 2023 selection. The development of JT Thor, James Bouknight and McGowens will benefit -- although the latter two remain buried on the depth chart. Nonetheless, McGowens represents great value in the mid-second round. He's never afraid of contact and has serious multi-level scoring potential. 

The notable undrafted free agents focus on forward depth. Manek is a fighter. His shooting prowess is noteworthy -- he could carve out a bench career. Minaya and Whaley bring defensive profiles -- nothing noteworthy.

Overall grade: B

Chicago Bulls

Draft Picks: 

Dalen Terry (No. 18)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Justin Lewis (Marquette)

Dalen Terry will be glue next to Alex Caruso -- the identity, tone-setting and energy that this duo can catalyze is exciting. The work ethic is there. As he adds weight, his two-way trajectory is high. Terry is super lengthy. The Bulls were the league's second-best team in transition last season and Terry will further that. 

Lewis' UFA signing has garnered mainstream popularity. He climbed his free-throw average by nearly 20 percent during his sophomore season at Marquette, along with a huge bump in three-point shooting at a respectable 34.6 percent average. Lewis has an NBA build with no NBA speed. The lack of speed is most noticeable on defense -- overall, he's a subpar defender. Offensively, he's strong, but he'll have to improve his technique to beat opponents to the basket and create separation. He's still one of the best two-way signings in the league. 

Overall Grade: A

Cleveland Cavaliers

Draft Picks: 

Ochai Agbaji (No. 14)

Khalifa Diop (No. 39)

Isaiah Mobley (No. 49)

Luke Travers (No. 56)

Notable Undrafted Signings: N/A

Agbaji is a fine pick that fills an immediate need. He's an underrated athlete and carries the poise to contribute immediately. He's a good fit next to Darius Garland and he'll take defensive pressure off of Garland and (especially) Collin Sexton if Sexton is retained.

Khalifa Diop is the overwhelming favorite for the worst pick in the draft. Just the second draft-and-stash project to go off the board, Cleveland passed on legitimate guard and wing talent. It's even more irrational given the selection of Isaiah Mobley 10 picks later. Cleveland doesn't project to need frontcourt depth in the future. Diop is a traditional center that hasn't shown the instincts to make this a justifiable selection for a competing team. Travers is a jumbo guard playing in Australia. He's struggled as a shooter across three seasons with Perth.

On Mobley, he's a quality player that improved his passing throughout his time at USC. Possessing a well-rounded game, Mobley averaged 14.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals/blocks per game last season. Blossoming star Evan Mobley is appeased. 

Overall grade: D

Dallas Mavericks

Draft Picks: 

Jaden Hardy (No. 37)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Marcus Bingham (Michigan St.)

On draft day, there was a much higher likelihood that Jalen Brunson would be returning to Dallas. A week later, the New York Knicks have cleared the cap for Brunson and he's enticed. The selection of Jaden Hardy looms larger. Whether or not Dallas viewed him as insurance at the time, he has steal-of-the-draft upside. Hardy has a clean handle and his shotmaking improved throughout the G League Ignite's season. Growing into a combo-guard complement to Luka Doncic yields a bright future.

Bingham is another rim-runner. He fits Dallas' preferred big-man mold to a tee.

Overall grade: A

Denver Nuggets

Draft Picks: 

Christian Braun (No. 21)

Peyton Watson (No. 30)

Ismael Kamagate (No. 46)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Collin Gillespie (Villanova)

Kellen Grady (Kentucky)

Adonis Arms (Texas Tech)

Drake Jeffries (Wyoming)

With Denver trading Monte Morris and Will Barton to Washington on Wednesday, Braun's usage in the rotation sees an uptick. He and newly-acquired Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are the new core of Denver's wing defense. If his shooting translates, Braun could have a Pat Connaughton-esque role in Denver. 

Braun's ceiling doesn't wow for a fringe top-20 pick, but Denver successfully swung for upside with Watson and Kamagate. Both possess greater than 7-foot wingspans and profile as interior shot disruptors. Both have the ability to switch and stretch towards the perimeter. Kamagate is quick and fluid -- an outside shot could be in his future. Watson is an offensive project, but has the athleticism to be a slasher/cutter/second-chance scorer in near years.

Denver's UFA is among the best in the league. The Nuggets' summer league squad is an early favorite to dominate the competition. Gillespie will have a long career as point guard depth, 3&D, and floor general leadership. Grady is one of the most proven collegiate snipers in the draft class. Arms, possessing a good build and attacking skills, climbed from NAIA to Texas Tech. Jeffries is a hyper-active defender with three-and-D potential -- he lives beyond the arc offensively.

Overall grade: A+

Detroit Pistons

Draft Picks: 

Jaden Ivey (No. 5)

Jalen Duren (No. 13)

Gabriele Procida (No. 36)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Charlie Moore (Miami)

Buddy Boeheim (Syracuse)

Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse)

Stanley Umude (Arkansas)

Ivey falling to Detroit is ideal for the franchise -- he and Cade Cunningham form a Yin & Yang offensively, offering elite athleticism/unreal attacking speed, and methodical scoring/craftiness/shooting, respectively. Calling Ivey's athleticism elite is an understatement. 

Duren lengthens the court for them -- he's too imposing to not be respected deep in the paint. Detroit acquired the rights to Duren in exchange for eating Kemba Walker's contract and Milwaukee's 2025 first-round pick. It's a huge win for GM Troy Weaver. 

E.J. Liddell could've been a strong fit at No. 36 -- filling a need at forward while providing high-IQ play. Additionally, Duren is the type of interior presence the undersized Liddell would need behind him. Instead, it was Gabriele Procida, a 20-year-old, 6-foot-7 guard from Italy. A well-regarded draft-and-stash prospect, he's future offensive firepower for Detroit. 

Overall Grade: A

Golden State Warriors

Draft Picks:

Patrick Baldwin (No. 28)

Ryan Rollins (No. 44)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Payton Willis (Minnesota)

Baldwin needs a reset and Golden State is the perfect place. He currently stands as the only modern scorer in Golden State's frontcourt. Becoming a two-way contributor will take defensive growth, but Baldwin was good value at No. 28. Ryan Rollins was good value at No. 44. A super lengthy point guard that can dictate the tempo, Rollins midrange game will add a new dimension to Golden State's bench. The Warriors will utilize him well in the P&R, something he excelled in at Toledo.

Willis is a tough point guard that limits turnovers and knocks down threes. He'll get buckets off the ball and knock down contested shots in isolations. Similar to Rollins, Willis was also a P&R maestro collegiately. 

Overall Grade: A

Houston Rockets

Jabari Smith (No. 3)

Tari Eason (No. 17)

TyTy Washington (No. 29)

Notable Undrafted Signings: N/A

Arguably, Paolo Banchero may have been a better fit with Jalen Green, but Houston ended up with perhaps the best prospect of the 2022 class at No. 3. Doubters of Smith point to limited self-creation skills and struggles finishing at the rim. However, Smith performed significantly better around the rim when Auburn teammate Walker Kessler was off the court. That bodes well for his NBA outlook. Smith projects as a prolific shooter and two-way tone setter.

Eason is visibly limited using his left hand, but is successful as a popper in the P&R and his defensive profile is alluring. He's a high-motor player with strong physical attributes -- Eason had the biggest hand measurements at the combine.

TyTy Washington is the traditional floor general Houston has been lacking. Kevin Porter handling point guard duties is explosive offensively, but Washington will better succeed at improving those around him and smoothing the offense. Skepticism persists for his shooting and ability to defend 1-on-1, but Washington was great value at No. 29

Overall Grade: A+

Indiana Pacers

Draft Picks: 

Bennedict Mathurin (No. 6)

Andrew Nembhard (No. 31)

Kendall Brown (No. 48)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Eli Brooks (Michigan)

Tevin Brown (Murray. St)

Fanbo Zeng (G league Ignite)

Mathurin fulfills Indiana's need for a running mate next to Tyrese Haliburton. Mathurin can shoot on the move, knock down threes and tear down the rim on attacks. There is real skepticism for his ability to create open looks and generate separation himself, but impressive athleticism provides hope. Ditto for his defensive abilities. 

Nembhard is another enabler for Mathurin. A heady offensive leader, Nembhard makes plays in the P&R and collapses defenses for shooters and cutters. Indiana is devoid of combo-forward prototypes and capitalized on Kendall Brown's draft-night slide. He's a couple years away from becoming a 3&D asset, but Brown next to Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson has wild lob potential. All three are high-fliers. 

Tevin Brown is an exciting prospect -- he's great in transition, has deceptive moves, good size, impressive speed, all headlined by reliable three-point shooting. He'll stick in the league. Eli Brooks has a pure stroke and performed well at the combine. He's a candidate to carve out a journeyman career as combo guard depth. Zeng is a 19-year-old, 6-foot-11 forward with experience for the Chinese National Team. He flashed talent during a small sample size on the G League Ignite.

Overall Grade: A+

Los Angeles Clippers

Draft Picks: 

Moussa Diabate (No. 43)

The Clippers have re-signed Ivica Zubac and signed John Wall, likely indicating an exit for Isaiah Hartenstein -- a hotly coveted free agent. Diabate can switch 3-5 against slower opponents, but remains mostly a paint patroller and putback machine. He won't fill the void of Hartenstein.

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Justin Bean (Utah St.)

Michael DeVoe (Georgia Tech)

Trey McGowens (Nebraska)

Lucas Williamson (Loyola Chicago)

DeVoe is an impressive sorcerer and three-point shooter with a sturdy 6-foot-5 build at the combo-guard spot -- he's the most likely to stick in LA. Williamson is a smart system defender that holds his own as a 3&D role player. Streaky at times, G League and international success feel most imminent. Bean is a sneaky athlete with a blossoming three-point stroke. He connected on 46.5 percent on 2.9 attempts per game as a senior -- not proven/sustainable, but Bean's status as a career 80.4 percent free-throw shooter helps validate. McGowens was a role player at Nebraska -- older brother of 2022 draft pick Trey McGowens.

The Clippers are already stocked on wings with limited roster spots.

Overall grade: C-

Los Angeles Lakers

Draft Picks: 

Max Christie (No. 35)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Scotty Pippen (Vanderbilt)

Cole Swider (Syracuse)

JaVante McCoy (Boston)

R.J. Cole (UConn)

Fabian White (Houston)

Shareef O'Neal (LSU)

Christie is a prudent pick for the Lakers -- good size, defensive energy and praised shooting mechanics around the industry. He's a project, which makes him an interesting selection for a LeBron James-led contender. The Lakers' willingness to deal with growing pains while still passing on Jaden Hardy will be a regret. Hardy could've made a meaningful impact down the stretch of 2022-23. 

Digressing…Christie profiles as a very strong shooter with the size to develop as a finisher. 

The Lakers added Scotty Pippen and Cole Swider on two-way contracts. Pippen was a volume scorer in his three seasons at Vanderbilt -- never overly efficient and lacking impressive size. Los Angeles could've used this roster spot for a less flashy, but more need-filling contributor.

Swider is a pigeonholed 3&D wing, but diversified his game while improving in transition at Syracuse. Standing at 6-foot-9 with shoes, Swider has an NBA build and hustle that will be impactful.

JaVante McCoy is a shifty ball handler. R.J. Cole is a veteran floor general and shooter. Fabian White is slow at the PF spot, but has newfound three-point shooting and is a fiery rebounder.

Overall grade: B-

Memphis Grizzlies

Draft Picks: 

Jake LaRavia No. 19

David Roddy No. 23

Kennedy Chandler No. 38

Vince Williams No. 47

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Kenneth Lofton (Louisiana Tech)

Memphis adds four players with high-defensive IQ, two-way effort and stable shooting skills. Chandler's speed coupled with his passion and instincts sets the floor high. Vince Williams is a steal-of-the-draft candidate. He's a lanky defender with fringe 1-through-5 switchability if he adds muscle. Williams connected on nearly 40 percent of his threes across his last two seasons at VCU.

Roddy is a rare type of bucket-getter. Posting up on 25.2 percent of his possessions at Colorado St.,the 6-foot-6, 260 pound Roddy is a new dimension to a Memphis offense that posted-up just 3.0% percent of possessions on offense. However, Roddy is more than that. He's a strong ball handler and tough shot maker -- decisive and good at getting to his spots. A freight train in transition, he isn't slow. His three-point shooting is a swing factor, but calling Roddy a top-10 skilled scorer in the 2022 class is fair.

Lofton is another big-bodied addition (6-foot-7, 275). He flashed a well-rounded skill set as a passer and finisher at the combine. 

As a team with no major weaknesses, Memphis simply made the entire roster better by drafting chess pieces.

Overall grade: A+

Miami Heat

Draft Picks: 

Nikola Jovic (No. 27)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Jamaree Bouyea (San Francisco)

Orlando Robinson (Fresno St.)

Jamal Cain (Oakland)

Bryce Hamilton (UNLV)

Bryson Williams (Texas Tech)

Jovic fills a glaring hole at forward for Miami. He was the highest-upside player while simultaneously being capable of contributing early in his career thanks to a deep offensive repertoire. However, other than potential three-point production, Jovic does nothing to fill the void of P.J. Tucker. Heat culture will be excellent for his two-way prospectus.

Orlando Robinson had merit as a top-60 prospect. He's a hulking rebounding presence with a multi-leveled offensive game. Cain, Hamilton and Williams all possess NBA frames, switchable builds and rebounding prowess. Williams is predominantly a post player, but floor spacing is the swing factor for all three.

He's undersized, but Bouyea has limitless range and is a smart defender. Sound familiar in Miami? The UFAs class is stout.

Overall grade: A

Milwaukee Bucks

Draft Picks: 

MarJon Beauchamp (No. 24)

Gui Santos (No. 55)

Hugo Besson (No. 58)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Iverson Molinar (Mississippi St)

Beauchamp is a plug-and-play defender for Miami. Defensively, he'll fill the void of Bobby Portis -- being able to switch out to the perimeter while holding ground against combo-forwards/smaller bigs. He isn't a quality three-point shooter yet, which will cap his role to begin the season. Nikola Jovic or Wendell Moore offered more offensively, but Beauchamp fits a need and his ceiling remains high. The need for another shooter in free agency remains.

Milwaukee has the roster spots to have utilized its late second-round picks to add contributors for the upcoming season. Dominick Barlow would've been a motor for the frontcourt. Jabari Walker would have been a fit. Tevin Brown has the upside. Santos and Besson are, respectively, Brazilian power forward and French point guard draft-and-stash prospects. 

Overall grade: A-

Minnesota Timberwolves

Draft Picks: 

Walker Kessler (No. 22)

Wendell Moore (No. 26)

Josh Minott (No. 45)

Matteo Spagnolo (No. 50)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

David McCormack (Kansas)

New President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly has an excellent track record in the draft and in roster construction. Kessler is a chess-not-checkers selection for Minnesota. He doesn't move the needle towards pushing for a championship. If there had been hesitancy re-signing Karl Anthony-Towns to a max contract kicking in 2024-2025 season, Kessler could've been justifiable. 

Even if a defensively porous second-unit is the justification for Kessler, the No. 22 pick has to be better utilized. Beauchamp could've contributed immediately. Roddy and Nembhard were better players on the board and strong roster fits.

Josh Minott has too many parallels to Jarred Vanderbilt. This pick doesn't help Minnesota against elite contenders either. Ditto for Spagnolo -- a draft-and-stash. Both players have upside, but Vince Williams or Jabari Walker were win-now oriented options. 

It's just too many moves that don't correlate to short-term results.

Wendell Moore is a good pick-up at No. 26. He's a pure shooter that plays well off the ball and can run some P&R. His defensive floor is solid.

Overall grade: D

New Orleans Pelicans

Draft Picks: 

Dyson Daniels (No. 8)

E.J. Liddell (No. 41)

Karlo Matkovic (No. 52)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Dereon Seabron (N.C. State)

Izaiah Brockington (Iowa St.)

As de-facto point guard, CJ McCollum performed at a career-best level in New Orleans. He averaged 24.3 points on 49.3 percent shooting from the field and 39.4 percent from beyond the arc -- collected 5.8 assists versus just 2.2 turnovers per game. 

McCollum will retain a healthy amount of point guard duties, but the selection of Daniels will lessen McCollum's usage and save from wear down the stretch. Daniels will also allow McCollum to set up his own offensive positioning in the half court more often. Problematically, Daniels joins Jones, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas as a large party of players that don't excel from beyond the arc. Going deeper, Daniels playing off-ball doesn't mesh with Jones being on the court. Daniels is a real project offensively.

E.J. Liddell shot 37.4 percent on 3.8 attempted triples per game last season at Ohio State. The frontcourt of Williamson, Valanciunas, Jaxson Hayes and Larry Nance will limit Liddell's impact, but he can pair with most of them. New Orleans still needs more to boost its three-point shooting, but Liddell provides excellent value at No. 41.

Matkovic is a paint-dwelling, draft-and-stash power forward. 

Seabron is a sneaky UFA get. He belongs in the same tier as Blake Wesley for speed and raw attacking skills. Seabron is a better finisher, but he's 22 years old and needs a shooting revamp. Nonetheless, if the shot develops slightly, he's a bargain for the Pelicans.

Overall grade: B

New York Knicks

Draft Picks:

Trevor Keels (No. 42)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Jean Montero (Overtime Elite)

The headline of New York's draft night was trading the No.11 pick to the Thunder in exchange for three future first-round picks. Throughout the past week, New York has traded six second-round picks to clear over $25 million in cap space. Jalen Brunson is the target.

The Knicks are trade winners. After multiple transactions, New York can look forward to Milwaukee's 2025 first-round pick, a first-round pick via Detroit by 2025 latest and a future lottery pick via the Wizards if Washington fails to tank successfully through 2026. The Knicks passed on Jalen Duren, but Mitchell Robinson suffices.

Keels is a Thibodeau player through-and-through. A thick frame yields hard-nosed defense and a valuable build as a finisher. The Knicks jettison of Alec Burks to Detroit (part of cap clearing) bumps Keels up the depth chart. Two-way skills are needed to reinforce Evan Fournier and, theoretically, the undersized Brunson. New York would've been another sound destination for Vince Williams.

Jean Montero is a raw speedster. Still just 18 years old, the point guard is among the youngest players in the class.

Overall grade: A

Oklahoma City Thunder

Draft Picks: 

Chet Holmgren (No. 2)

Ousmane Dieng (No. 11)

Jalen Williams (No. 12)

Jaylin Williams (No. 34)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Gabe Brown (Michigan)

Oklahoma City gets an elite prospect in Holmgren. He and Jaylin Williams represent really smart defenders anchoring the Thunder's center position for years to come. Jalen Williams skyrocketed up draft boards due to wild athleticism/length. In the final pre-draft mock, addressing the need for Oklahoma City to draft players with polished skill sets was discussed -- Williams accomplishes that. Conviction is brought to the rebuild. He's a P&R creator and a shot maker. Those skills will be put to the test on day one. 

Ousmane Dieng, on the other hand, is a project. He's years away from his polished form. Oklahoma City paying three first-round picks (all potentially non-lottery) is fine usage of GM Sam Presti's bountiful ammunition. Similar to how a baseball team aligns prospects for a window of contention, the Thunder have a stockpile of young talent that aligns with the heart of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's max contract. OKC will do the same thing next year, but a path is forming.

The aforementioned ammunition should be converted into NBA talent instead of draftees in the future. A lack of fondness of Dieng's game lowers the Thunder's grade, but the proactivity is rewarded.

Overall grade: B

Orlando Magic

Draft Picks: 

Paolo Banchero (No. 1)

Caleb Houstan (No. 32)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Tommy Kuhse (Saint Mary's)

The Magic ran an impressive cover-up to disguise interest in Banchero. He's a future star. Banchero included, Orlando's roster is filled with creators as opposed to play finishers/shot makers (Houstan profiles as a jumbo shot maker -- he's a good fit), but Banchero will ball regardless. If spacing is an issue, monitor how he'll navigate collapsing defenses. There could be real struggles/growing pains in utilizing his moves on fellow elite athletes and help defense. Development in his three-point shot will offset that, but in and of itself this marks another area where growth is needed.

That above paragraph is partial rationale for Jabari Smith being No. 1-pick worthy. His ability to knock down isolation and spot-up shots is unguardable at times. It's the best skill in the draft. Coupled with his defense, the floor is too enticing. 

Houstan's fit is indeed good, but Kennedy Chandler or Ryan Rollins could have brought new life to a backcourt without any sure-fire, long-term pieces

Outside of Kuhse, Orlando is bringing in a familiar cast of undrafted free agents thus far, composed of veterans from overseas and former G League affiliates. 

Overall grade: A-

Philadelphia 76ers

Draft Picks: None

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Julian Champagnie (St. John's)

Aminu Mohammed (Georgetown)

Philadelphia traded the No. 23 pick for De'Anthony Melton. The 24-year-old is a better injection of hustle, two-way effort, active hands and three-point shooting than Philadelphia would have found at No. 23. He's a huge get. 

Champagnie is a savvy bucket getter. He and Tobias Harris sharing the court won't do Philadelphia many favors defensively or flow-wise, but he can break Harris and is another source of offense for the 76ers.

Mohammed impresses as an NBA-prospect. He has good size as an off-ball guard, draws contact and brings elite energy as a rebounder. He was an extremely inefficient scorer at Georgetown, but the 20-year-old has upside.

Overall grade: A

Phoenix Suns

Draft Picks: None

Notable Undrafted Signings: N/A

Overall grade: Incomplete

Portland Trail Blazers

Draft Picks:

Shaedon Sharpe (No. 7)

Jabari Walker (No. 57)

Notable Undrafted Signings: N/A

The Trail Blazers selecting Sharpe is an excellent gamble. His ceiling as a scorer is among the highest in the draft and Portland was able to address other needs via the trade market. Sharpe developing as a sixth man over the next few seasons would be a divine path to nurture his game and fit with Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons on the roster.

Walker rounds out a cast of Jerami Grant, Justise Winslow, Josh Hart and Nassir Little as defenders at the forward spot. GM Joe Cronin received a ton of hate for his trades last season and delusions of grandeur in Portland -- but he's assembled a legitimately competitive team. Walker is a switchable defender with awesome size that has to be respected as a shooter. He could fight for minutes down the stretch.

Overall grade: A

Sacramento Kings

Draft Picks:

Keegan Murray (No. 4)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Jared Rhoden (Seton Hall)

Keon Ellis (Alabama)

Jeriah Horne (Tulsa)

Alex O'Connell (Creighton)

Sacramento passing on Jaden Ivey is understandable, but nonetheless a mistake. Ivey didn't want to be a King and Murray filled a need. Still, the Kings would have been wiser to trade back -- even to Jeremy Sochan range -- to fill the positional need and stock up on future assets. Murray has a verified two-way game that profiles as starter-worthy on a contending squad, but mishandling the Ivey situation stings. 

Jarden Rhoden and Jeriah Horne possess NBA-ready builds -- three-and-D upside coupled with two-way physicality at the forward positions. These kinds of UFA skills make Ivey increasingly more valuable than Murray.

Overall grade: C

San Antonio Spurs

Draft Picks:

Jeremy Sochan (No. 9)

Malaki Branham (No. 20)

Blake Wesley (No. 25)

Notable Undrafted Signings:

Dominic Barlow (Overtime Elite)

Darius Days (LSU)

Josh Carlton (Houston)

Jordan Hall (Saint Joseph's)

Upon dealing Dejounte Murray to the Hawks on Wednesday. The Spurs have turbo-charged a rebuild. Acquiring rights to four first-round picks from Atlanta, San Antonio could have nine first-round picks spanning 2022-2025. 

Blake Wesley is the heir. He's a total project -- Wesley has very poor finishing rates at the rim, poor shooting touch and underwhelming defense for his athleticism. Plus-size, wowing speed and youth work in his favor, but it feels unlikely that he develops into a top player on a winning team. Nikola Jovic, Max Christie and Peyton Watson would have reaped the benefits of San Antonio development.

Sochan can develop into a top player on a winning team. He's one of the best defensive prospects in the draft and was deserving of the selection at No. 9. San Antonio can nurture his shooting at its own pace. Malaki Branham was a great selection at No. 20 -- one of the best offensive creators+shooters left. Sans Murray, he gets the freedom to orchestrate more of his own game.

The Spurs Summer League is also among the top tier. Dominic Barlow and Darius Days have the upside of modern bigs in the league. Jordan Hall is a scorer and a top-shelf competitor -- he deserves to push Wesley for minutes if he makes the roster. Josh Carlton is a rebounding machine that can't stay out of foul trouble. There is talent across the board here.

Overall grade: A-

Toronto Raptors

Draft Picks:

Christian Koloko (No. 33)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Alex Barcello (BYU)

Ron Harper (Rutgers)

Toronto, in need of depth, got depth throughout the roster with guys that fit Raptor culture.

Koloko's rim protection compensates for Pascal Siakam's middling defense. Both are hearty defensive rebounders and Siakam is a cog of the offense. Koloko is a putback machine and pairs nicely with Scottie Barnes as well.

Ron Harper and Alex Barcello are scrappers and winners. Both can shoot and aren't major liabilities defensively. Harper lacks speed and Barcello locks size, but both project as fine team defenders. 

Overall grade: B

Utah Jazz

Draft Picks: None

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Kofi Cockburn (Illinois)

Johnny Juzang (UCLA)

Jeenathan Williams (Buffalo)

Jordan Usher (Georgia Tech)

Jeenathan Williams displayed impressive shooting at Buffalo. He has good size as a combo-forward, but is very slow-footed. Jordan Usher has quick-twitch athleticism, but the shot isn't there. Juzang has the most polished game of the three, but lacks a wowing build or athleticism. Cockburn is a known commodity -- but he's good at what he does. A career as a bench big is possible for Cockburn. Ditto for dominating in Europe.

This is an underwhelming cast of UFA for a team that didn't make a draft selection and is unlikely to blow up the roster in free agency.

Overall grade: C-

Washington Wizards

Draft Picks:

Johnny Davis (No. 10)

Yannick Nzosa (No. 54)

Notable Undrafted Signings: 

Quenton Jackson (Texas A&M)

Johnny Davis is a great prospect. His NBA floor is solid. He's a leader, an active rebounder and an impressive individual and team defender. Washington drafting him is a mistake. Washington is still lacking future direction. Player development is an issue.

New York secured three future first-round picks from Oklahoma City in exchange for the No. 11 pick -- a similar deal had to be available for Washington. Davis doesn't help any of Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija or Daniel Gafford improve. Davis wants the ball to score in the P&R or in isolation. The backcourt of Davis and Badley Beal doesn't enable that.  

Washington acquired Will Barton and Monte Morris from Denver in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell Pope and Ish Smith. Barton magnifies these problems because he also wants the ball and results in the jettison of Ish Smith -- one of the few facilitators on the roster.

Nzosa is an 18-year-old Congolese big man, while Jackson is a two-way, score-first guard with good size that excels in transition. 

Overall grade: D