Atlanta - They've lost Childress and have seemingly alienated Smith while adding no one. Grade - F
Boston - Loss of Posey without a reconfigure of the bench but rather just signing House and Allen is a step back. They seem to be taking a gamble that one of three youngsters will blossom(O'Bryant, Walker, Giddens). Not a gamble I like. Grade - C-
Charlotte - A young team that got younger drafting Augustin and Ajinca. They keep piling up the trading chips. If the plan is to attempt to copy Ainge and trade those chips into contendership then they made the right move. But they are no better on the floor than they were in April. Grade - C+
Chicago - They drafted Rose, have lost Duhon, and have yet to sign their RFA's. This is a team screaming for a trade to happen to improve itself. Since they went with Rose over what I consider to be to better players in Beasley and Mayo: Grade - C
Cleveland - For where they drafted I think the Cavs did great with Darnell Jackson and J J Hickson. If they resign Delonte and grow more as a team then: Grade - B-
Dallas - They drafted no one of consequence, overpaid for a stiff, and Kidd is another year older and slower and less likable Grade - D
Denver - I'm still trying to figure this team's management out. They've killed themselves with bad contracts so they give away the only good contract they had for a second rounder. They trade out of #20 til next year and pass on Koufos and Pekovic and Chalmers, all areas they could have used. Then they go out and sign a guy out of rehab. Grade - D-
Detroit - They drafted D J White and traded him for 2 stiffs and .....nothing. Grade - C-
Golden State - everything they have done has been reactive not proactive. Grade - F
Houston - They added Barry and Greene in an area they needed help in. That alone should warrant an A- but they still have the player that can't deliver when he needs to so only: Grade - B
Indiana - This is all I have to say about this fiasco. Fire Larry. They are paying five, yes count them, five PGs a total of $17 million. Larry you can't throw five PGs together, pay them Chris Paul money and think you are going to get Chris Paul results. Grade - F
LA Clippers - I like what they have done mostly because I think Elton Brand still has to prove his Achilles will allow him to be Elton Brand. Camby, Davis, Gordan and DeAndre Jordan in the 2nd round are excellent pickups for what they paid for them. Grade - A-
LA Lakers - they lost Turiaf, Vujacic might head back to Europe, they drafted no one, and they are hoping an often injured, young and as of yet unproven center comes back and becomes something he might not be able to be. Grade - D+
Memphis - they stole a superstar for a journeyman center. Grade - A
Miami - I love all three guys they draft in Beasley, Chalmers, and Padgette. Now if they could just find a way to not resign Ricky Davis and get Blount and Banks never to show up again, they would get a perfect grade. Grade - A
Milwaukee - overall not bad but they have glaring weaknesses at the PG and PF positions and did little to rectify that. Williams is a 1 that wants to be a 2 and Villanueva and Alexander are 4s that play they game of a 3. Still they have Jeffereson, Redd and Bogut so: Grade - B-
Minnesota - another ex-Celtic that needs desperately to be fired. They traded a superstar for a journeyman center Grade - D-
New Jersey - they got bigger, tougher, and younger and dropped the ever more important salary. Their grade is based on the fact they are doing everything they can to land LeBron in two years. Grade - A-
New Orleans - Posey gives them a B but they deserve a D for overpaying. Grade- B
New York - Once they buyout Starbury they will be adding by subtracting so I'll count that in here. But I'm not convinved Duhon can run a team as a starter and be successful and if Gallinari doesn't pan out and some of the other vast amounts of talent drafted after him do, D'Antoni may not get enough run to get the Knicks running. I know most experts have Gallinari being exceptional as a player but they all questioned his athleticism and strength. Hope this turns out like Darko did for Dumars. Grade - C-
Orlando - consider me a fan of what the Magic are doing do there - Grade - B
Philadelphia - obviously stealing Brand was huge and Speights has potential but if Brand's Achilles doesn't let him be Brand they are in trouble. Grade - A-
Phoenix - They drafted a guy to take Brian Skinner's place. Big deal. Grade - C
Portland - I can't go on enough about enough about how well this franchise has been doing. With everything else they have Oden coming back. Grade - A+
Sacramento - "With the 12th pick in the 2008 NBA draft the Sacramento Kings select Jason Thompson, Rider University"?? Who?? Was this guy even expected to go in the top 45?? Oh and thanks Kings for giving an unproven PG who has only had a decent 3/4 of a season MLE money. You just drove the price for Rondo up by about $4 million a year. Grade - D+
San Antonio - they've taken care of business and will be the same team next year, just a year more mature. Grade - C-
Seattle - Well, they are a lot younger and they were already pretty young. They won't be better but they will have a bunch of trading chips in 2-3 years. Grade - B
Toronto - I hated the O'neal trade but that said if he and Bargnani bounce back they could be much improved. If they don't it's lotteryland. Grade - B-
Utah - I'm not the biggest Koufos fan but the Tomic kid could some day pay dividends. Grade - C
Washington - This team could have done so much better and so much more by not bringing back the very selfish, me first Gilbert Arenas. Instead they are now stuck with him for years to come. This was a better team without him. Substraction by addition. Grade - D+
