2016 West Off-season Grades
Apr 15, 2013 18:24:26 GMT -5
Post by gp on Apr 15, 2013 18:24:26 GMT -5
Midwest
Dallas Mavericks
Key Acquisitions: SG Terrell Ham, SF Travis Carter, SF Calvin Porter
Key Departures: SF Paul George
Off-season summary: The Mavericks by most accounts missed with their top selection of Terrell Ham in the most recent draft. Ham, was quickly overshadowed by talents taken a few picks after him in Jesus Brown and James Young. However, the Mavericks did pick up a pair of small forwards this off-season in Calvin Porter and Travis Carter who have shown some promise in the pre-season. Still this team is vying for another No. 1 selection at the conclusion of 2016 season.
Grade: C+
Denver Nuggets
Key Acquisitions: PG Thabo Sefolosha, C Bobby Portis, PG George Hill
Key Departures: SF Earl Clark
Off-season summary: The Nuggets GM jeff has certainly added more depth this off-season which was badly needed last year during their playoff run. It will be interesting to see the future of shooting guard Victor Oladipo, who was dealt in exchange for Brandon Roy, and whether the Nuggets can resign him to a reasonable deal next off-season.
Grade: B-
Houston Rockets
Key Acquisitions: SG Aaron Harrison, PG Daniel Gibson, PG Randy Madden
Key Departures: PG Tyreke Evans
Off-season summary: Rockets’ GM Biggie has remained pretty adamant on what he wants and who he wants to build around which is clearly top pick Aaron Harrison and big man Jonas Valanciunas. Houston was able to get a nice bounty from Chicago for Tyreke Evans and able to shed more payroll for next year. The Rockets seem to be on the right track to rebuilding despite having an abundance of swingmen and shooting guards on the roster.
Grade: B+
Minnesota Timberwolves
Key Acquisitions: PG Andrew Harrison, SF Mario Harpring
Key Departures: N/A
Off-season summary: Outside of the Mavs, the T-Wolves future seems the most worrisome out of any other team in the West. The Wolves were able to land top pick Andrew Harrison and still have All-League center Meyers Leonard but they also have many picks that haven’t lived up to their billing in forward LeBryan Nash and Otto Porter. Still, the Wolves were able to obtain second round forward Mario Harpring but could not extend his contract to three years and secure his bird rights. It’s probably in the best interests of GM mike to get the most value out of Harpring as soon as he can.
Grade: B-
San Antonio Spurs
Key Acquisitions: SF Jabari Parker, PF Tristan Thompson, PG Jonny Flynn, SF Nicolas Batum, PG Kasey Hill
Key Departures: C Andrew Bynum, PG Russell Westbrook
Off-season summary: The Spurs had a rather interesting off-season as they were able to secure the rights to several free agents including Jonny Flynn and Nicolas Batum, both who signed lucrative deals. Yet, the Spurs let Westrbook go to Orlando on a one year deal without much compensation and who is still considerably better than Flynn. New GM ucrenegades was able to redeem himself some in a tremendous deal including three future picks plus Jabari Parker and Tristan Thompson who are nice building blocks for this club.
Grade: B
Utah Jazz
Key Acquisitions: SG Nick Young, SF Kuran Iverson, PF Alon Radejevic
Key Departures: N/A
Off-season summary: GAME was furious over the non-selection of James Young who was taken one pick before the eventual selection of SF Kuran Iverson. It seems as if Utah management was simply going after the best player available and probably saw that Iverson wasn’t the best pick on the board at that point. Nevertheless, the Jazz got Nick Young with their lower level exception and might have a nice second rounder on board in Alon Radjevic.
Grade: C+
Memphis Grizzlies
Key Acquisitions: SF Stephane Lasme, PG Tony Wroten
Key Departures: N/A
Off-season summary: The Grizz was able to add another piece to their rotation with the pickup of Tony Wroten from Orlando. In addition, Lasme could also be a valuable piece in the playoffs to defend forwards and shooting guards. Still, GM kobe was limited on what he could do this off-season with several of its main players in the final years of their contracts in Cody Zeller, Daunte Cunningham and Brandon Roy.
Grade: B
Pacific
Golden State Warriors
Key Acquisitions: C Tyson Chandler, C DeAndre Jordan
Key Departures: C Erik Osgood, PG Leandro Barbosa
Off-season summary: It was a rather quiet off-season in Oakland until recently when GM monkeyballz rolled the dice with aging big man Tyson Chandler in exchange for former lotto pick Erik Osgood and veteran Emeka Okafor. The Warriors will again rely on the veteran leadership of Shawn Marion and John Wall to lead this team to another playoff run this year.
Grade: C+
Los Angeles Clippers
Key Acquisitions: PG Mfon Udofia, PG Goran Dragic, C Kyrylo Fesenko
Key Departures: PG Ryan Harrow
Off-season summary: Perhaps the most underrated off-season winner would have to be the L.A. Clippers. None picked up two unheralded point guards in Goran Dragic and Mfon Udofia on one year deals and got another underrated big in Kyrylo Fesenko with the mid level exception. The Clips have good cap flexibility and still about $16 million below the hard cap in order to resign forward Shabazz Muhammed in the off-season.
Grade: B+
Los Angeles Lakers
Key Acquisitions: N/A
Key Departures: Jameer Nelson
Off-season summary: There’s not a lot to write here. GM Nanzanator has been MIA literally in MIA and has not been able to get this team under the hard cap or in a comfortable hard cap situation since the resigning of guard Lou Williams. It might take the moving of forward Blake Griffin or James Harden to get this team back under.
Grade: F
Phoenix Suns
Key Acquisitions: SF Rudy Gay, SF Kawhi Leonard, SG Klay Thompson, PG George Hill, C Glen Davis
Key Departures: PG Darren Collison, PF Quincy Davis, SF LeBron James, SG Dwyane Wade, PG Royal Ivey
Off-season summary: In typical Skillz fashion, the Suns have been super involved in off-season transactions this year headlined by the Nets deal which netted them two premier swing men in Rudy Gay and Kawhi Leoard and later also getting sweet shooting forward Klay Thompson. Point guards still remains a concern on this team but were able to overcome it last year to one of the top seeds in the West despite not having John Wall or anyone on an elite level.
Grade: B+
Portland Trail Blazers
Key Acquisitions: PG Jacquez Irish, PF Nene
Key Departures: N/A
Off-season summary: Treasure Island and the Blazers were relatively quiet this off-season as they barely had any cap room to start out with. The Blazers are continuing to bank on a core of Josh Selby and Jamaal Franklin coupled with the addition of lottery pick Jacquez Irish now in the mix. The Blazers will also have a big decision to make on the future of Enes Kanter as major piece in their frontcourt in the off-season.
Grade: B
Sacramento Kings
Key Acquisitions: C James Simon, SG Rico Holloway, PF Gage Taylor
Key Departures: SF Luol Deng
Off-season summary: The only league owned team made some rather nice moves this off-season with the tutelage of Alex Len. They were able to ink second round surprise James Simon to a nice 6 year deal from the Suns and also drafted well in selecting guard Rico Holloway and an a raw 18 year old in Gage Taylor. This team has plenty of assets at its disposal as well as cap room which should mean a return to contention after a new GM takes over.
Grade: A-
Seattle Supersonics
Key Acquisitions: PF J.J. Hickson
Key Departures: SG Lester Hudson
Off-season summary: After escaping the contract year threat last season, the Sonics were another club with little activity this off-season. The hard cap situation is the main culprit preventing their flexibility and will probably have to hope center Darko Milicic takes a hometown discount to stay with the team next season. Still, this team has a nice 1-2-3 punch in Kyrie Irving, Tony Parker and Monta Ellis and should be fighting for wins in the West all season.
Grade: C
