NBA Offseason Grades: Warriors, Clippers, Pacers, Nuggets, Lakers

We’re getting to the really juicy part of the standings in evaluating teams’ offseasons.

The Denver Nuggets came ever so close to toppling the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder and they used that as impetus to possibly have the best offseason of any team. The Los Angeles Lakers needed significant upgrades at key positions like center. They may have got one of the more recognizable names but is he what they need?

On that note, the other L.A. team probably had the offseason the Lakers needed. The Indiana Pacers fumbled the bag when it came to Myles Turner while the Warriors are playing their own hard ball.

Here’s how all these teams have fared.

Golden State Warriors

Notable Additions: N/A

Notable Departures: Kevon Looney

Jonathan Kuminga stands in the way of being able to assess the Warriors’ offseason properly. There are rumors of adding Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and perhaps even Seth Curry. All of that is on hold, for salary cap purposes, until Kuminga’s restricted free agency is sorted.

The teams who most want Kuminga — Kings and Suns — don’t have the cap space to sign him outright. This is what leaves the Warriors staying firm with their stance. They will either get closer to their ideal package in a sign-and-trade or leave Kuminga in limbo.

What could change is that, the longer this lingers, the free agents they have lined up may want their peace of mind.

Grade: Incomplete

Los Angeles Clippers

Notable Additions: Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, John Collins, Chris Paul, Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Notable Departures: Norman Powell

This Clippers offseason is the reward for moving on from Paul George. There was a flexibility the team was afforded and now, instead of being handcuffed by the second apron, they have Lopez, Beal, Collins and Paul to show for it.

Harden signing an extension at just enough to keep the mid-level exception is also what allowed the Clippers to offer that to Beal. He should serve as at least an equivalent piece of the puzzle to the departed Powell.

Lopez offers an excellent stretch big option off the bench which will be in stark contrast to Zubac’s style of play. Collins adds a scoring punch with size while Paul will be there to extract the best out of secondary units where Harden doesn’t feature.

Yes, the team is quite old on paper and that is a concern. There is a purpose in that, too, as the books are lined up for the 2027 offseason.

Grade: A-

Indiana Pacers

Notable Additions: Jay Huff, Kam Jones

Notable Departures: Myles Turner

The Pacers tried to play hardball with Turner and failed. This was the most unnecessary of botched player negotiations and now someone who represented the franchise for a decade is in Milwaukee.

Sure, it was nearly impossible to anticipate what the Bucks did to get him but it shouldn’t have even been a possibility. In addition to not having Haliburton next season, the Turner exit makes it plausible the Pacers may not even be a playoff team. After a run to the NBA Finals, that would be pretty disappointing.

It does, however, make reacquiring the 2026 first round pick they traded away a crucial bit of business. Indiana will now focus on seeing what the likes of Andrew Nembhard and Bennedict Mathurin can do in an expanded role. The Pacers will also hope that Jay Huff can outperform his contract.

If none of those things hit, then playing for ping pong balls could become an option and that 2026 pick becomes all the more valuable.

Grade: C

Denver Nuggets

Notable Additions: Cameron Johnson, Bruce Brown Jr., Tim Hardaway Jr., Jonas Valanciunas

Notable Departures: Michal Porter Jr., Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric

When your biggest weakness is depth and you address that while having the best player in the world, you have aced your offseason. The Nuggets upgraded at the small forward position and added three players who should be meaningful contributors during the season.

Johnson will provide Porter Jr.’s spacing but also make cuts and reads at a higher level. He’s an upgrade defensively, too. That trade provided the Nuggets with the flexibility to improve in other areas, too.

Brown Jr. already knows how to fit in on this Denver team he won a championship with. Hardaway Jr. adds another three-point threat and Valanciunas provides desperately needed depth at center.

Putting Jokic in a position to conserve energy for the most important time of year is the biggest win of all. Brilliant work by Ben Tenzer and Jon Wallace after GM Calvin Booth was let go.

Grade: A

Los Angeles Lakers

Notable Additions: Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Adou Theiro

Notable Departures: Dorian Finney-Smith, Jordan Goodwin

The Lakers went 18-10 with Luka Doncic in the lineup, that’s around a 53-win pace for a whole season. They’ve made a meaningful upgrade at center with the addition of Ayton. Smart is a needed plus-defender. LaRavia is a deeper depth option.

However, they did lose Finney-Smith. He was excellent for the Lakers after the trade deadline and Smart will likely be a downgrade considering Finney-Smith’s higher proficiency from three.

A team that has Doncic and LeBron James will be very good. The problem in the Western Conference is that you need to be great to have a real shot at a title. As things stand, the Clippers, Rockets, Nuggets and Thunder all appear to be ahead.

Is James going to be content with that or eventually force his way out?

Grade: C+