Just because the focus now rests on the Eastern Conference doesn't mean that all is quiet on the Western front.
While certain situations still need to play out (*cough cough* Kawhi Leonard *cough cough*), most of the wheeling and dealing leading up to the NBA season in a couple of months is virtually at a standstill. Barring any shock trades, like the early-October deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks back in 2024, the scene appears set for the 2026-27 season.
Which means that there's no better time — while the water is still and the winds are at rest — to evaluate how teams have fared this off-season. To start this series, we'll be looking at the Western Conference, where the subtractions may be more notable than the additions, but all transactions are important nonetheless. Missing a test also affects your grade. Here's a look at how all 15 squads stack up more than a month into the off-season.
(Teams are listed alphabetically)
Key arrivals: Zaccharie Risacher, F; Santi Aldama, F; Morez Johnson Jr. (rookie), F
Key departures: Ryan Nembhard, G
Grade: B
If we were handing out grades for front-office and coaching acquisitions, the Mavericks would get a pretty solid bump here, bringing in president of basketball ops Masai Ujiri and former Michigan Coach Dusty May as they embark on their Cooper Flagg-centred rebuild. However, where those two additions do earn points for this exercise is in their collective push towards a new identity.
What Ujiri likes when he's building a roster is well-known — rangy, versatile, six-foot-nine defensive hustlers. He grabbed just that in his first pick at the Mavericks helm, pairing May with one of his former Wolverines in Johnson Jr. Taking a flyer on Risacher is also a decent shout, bringing in a former first-overall pick to pair with Flagg and betting on his three-and-D upside.
Key arrivals: Marvin Bagley III, F
Key departures: Jonas Valanciunas, C; Tim Hardaway Jr., G
TBD: Peyton Watson, F
Grade: D+
The Nuggets are behaving as if they don't have arguably the best player in the world on their roster, much less convincing him to stay as he looks towards unrestricted free agency next summer.
It's been an embarrassing run for the Nuggets since winning the title in 2023 — overpaying Christian Braun, net-negative on the Michael Porter Jr.-Cameron Johnson swap — and they haven't done nearly enough to build a legitimate contender around Nikola Jokic as he enters his 12th season. Bringing in Bagley isn't terrible, but it's hardly the sort of urgency this front office needs if they fancy themselves contenders. The ongoing restricted free agency situation with Watson hasn't helped, but their hopes of re-signing him could be slim, already past the second apron. It's all nowhere near enough.
Key arrivals: Yaxel Lendeborg (rookie), F
Key departures: Quinten Post, F
Grade: C-
Much like the Nuggets, do the Warriors realize Steph Curry plays for them and, well, won't play forever? It's been a legendary run for No. 30, winning four titles in the Bay Area and cementing himself as a top-15 (10, if we're being honest) player of all time. While miracles come easy in San Fran, with Curry hitting shots no other person on Earth can, the Warriors spent the off-season hoping rather than acting, and who knows what that could spell for the 38-year-old as he looks ahead to free agency next summer.
While they didn't lose anything, they didn't gain much either. Lendeborg is a solid add and should be a Day 1 contributor, but the Warriors were a 37-45 team last year, and project to be a similarly average team this year.
Key arrivals: Marcus Smart, G; Bogdan Bogdanovic, F
Key departures: Dorian Finney-Smith, F
Grade: B-
Though the Rockets disappointed in the playoffs last year, losing to the Luka-less Lakers in Round 1, they've rebounded nicely this off-season with some tidy and cheap business. Houston added Smart and Bogdanovic for a combined $8.5 million next season and re-signed Tari Eason on a team-friendly five-year, $81 million deal.
Staying the course made sense for the Rockets, as Fred VanVleet is set to return from an ACL injury this season, giving them the point guard they desperately needed, and they managed to get out from under a hefty Dorian Finney-Smith deal. It wasn't anything spectacular for Houston, but it was exactly what it needed, and at a good price. The Uniqlo of off-seasons.
Los Angeles Clippers
(pending reported Kawhi Leonard trade)
Key arrivals: Brandon Ingram, F; Gradey Dick, F; Rui Hachimura, F; Keaton Wagler (rookie), G
Key departures: Kawhi Leonard, F; Bogdan Bogdanovic, F; John Collins, F
TBD: Bennedict Mathurin, G
Grade: B+
Let's just pretend there isn't a league-shattering investigation going on, getting worse by the day. The reported deal that the Clippers put together with the Raptors was a win for both parties, as both furthered their agendas as it concerns long-term or short-term contention, but L.A. came out real nice, with firsts in 2031 and 2033, and a swap next year. For a 35-year-old with one year left on his deal, that's a solid move by the Clips front office. A flyer on Dick and a fine partner in crime for Darius Garland in Ingram isn't nothing, either.
Stealing Hachimura from their older-brother Lakers is a good move, and lucking out with the fifth pick to take Wagler should set them up well down the line. The one piece still in flux is Mathurin's situation, as the Montreal native is still sitting out there in restricted free agency. Could be a solid sign-and-trade option if they don't see him as part of next year's plans.
Key arrivals: Quentin Grimes, G; Walker Kessler, C; Sandro Mamukelashvili, F; Collin Sexton, G; Matisse Thybulle, F
Key departures: LeBron James, F; Deandre Ayton, C; Luke Kennard, G; Rui Hachimura, F; Marcus Smart, G
Grade: C
Officially Doncic's team, it's been intriguing to see the Lakers' vision for their new era so far. Unwilling to waste any time, president Rob Pelinka traded his biggest assets — unprotected picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030 — for centre Walker Kessler, who fits as both a play finisher and shot-blocker, but may not have the superstar pedigree you'd expect from a return package that hefty. A lot hinges on how he meshes with Doncic, but the profile is exactly what they needed.
Needing to fill out the rest of the roster, the Lakers landed Grimes, Mamukelashvili and Sexton, all of whom make sense around Doncic in a spaced-out system, but beyond the Thybulle signing, none of them give L.A. the perimeter defence needed to hide Luka.
All in all, the time was right for the Lakers to move on from James. He got them their 17th championship, but the second they swung the Doncic blockbuster, his reign had ended. Now it's about keeping Doncic happy, and the string of deals is a good first step. So is keeping Austin Reaves around for the next four seasons.
Key arrivals: Jerami Grant, F; Isaiah Stewart, C; Kris Murray, F; Cameron Boozer (rookie), F
Key departures: Ja Morant, G; Santi Aldama, F
Grade: A-
With Morant's value at an all-time-low following a career-worst season riddled with injuries and inefficiency, the Grizzlies have done well to pivot. Grant and Murray, Memphis's return in the trade, fit the grit-and-grind identity of the franchise and city, and grabbing Stewart from the Pistons is the exclamation point. Grant being in the final year of a terrible five-year, $160 million contract also makes the deal easier to swallow.
The centrepiece of the off-season, however, is Boozer, who should be the piece the Grizzlies centre this rebuild around. Memphis got lucky in the draft, rising to No. 3, and the reigning NCAA player of the year is the reward, giving the Grizzlies a do-it-all forward who fits the identity to a T.
Key arrivals: LaMelo Ball, G; Josh Green, G
Key departures: Julius Randle, F; Naz Reid, F
Grade: B-
This all hinges on how you feel about the Ball blockbuster, but adding one of the most electric offensive players in the league to pair with Anthony Edwards, who continues his ascent into stardom and has only improved as an off-the-ball threat in recent years, has all the makings of a great time. It'll be must-see TV, if nothing else.
However, the cost was steep, as the T-Wolves lost their secondary scorer in Randle, as well as fan favourite and bench mismatch Reid. That's not to mention the draft capital, with a 2033 first and three first-round swaps headed to Charlotte in the move. At the end of the day, it felt like we had essentially seen the T-Wolves' ceiling, regardless of how high Edwards' star rises. Scared money don't make money.
Key arrivals: N/A
Key departures: Kevon Looney, C
Grade: D-
The Pelicans only get a D- because they didn't lose anyone major, but it's not as though they really had anyone to lose. One of the most directionless franchises in the league continues to tread water, and it only feels like a matter of time until they veer towards a rebuild yet again.
It's tough to blame them, as Zion Williamson didn't provide the promise everyone expected when he went first in 2019, but their failure to even try and build something promising with this roster is disappointing. If anything, it could be interesting to see if the Pelicans canvass the league for Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones over the rest of the off-season, but for now, the phone lines appear quiet... Maybe even unplugged.
Key arrivals: Aday Mara (rookie), C; Bennett Stirtz (rookie), G
Key departures: Luguentz Dort, F; Isaiah Joe, G; Aaron Wiggins, G
Grade: C+
As the young core begins to age into their second or third contracts, the Thunder have done a solid job of cutting and decreasing salary to stay under the second apron. By dealing away Dort, Joe and Wiggins, they head into the 2026-27 season $6.9 million under the second apron despite paying the trio of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams a combined $123.2 million — nearly 75 per cent of their cap.
What's most impressive about their management is their ability to recoup assets, acquiring a handful of second-round picks in those above trades and letting their second-to-none talent scouting department handle the rest at the draft. Rookies Mara and Stirtz are set to enter the fold and fill key needs for OKC at the five spot and as a bench guard, respectively. It's become clockwork for Sam Presti and the Thunder, but overall, it was a less-than-thunderous summer for a team that intends to return to the top, hence the grade.
Key arrivals: Miles Bridges, F; Luke Kennard, G
Key departures: Grayson Allen, G; Royce O'Neale, F
Grade: C-
Who do the Suns think they are? What about a 45-37 season and first-round exit makes them think they're contenders and should be giving away more draft capital? Sure, acquiring Bridges gives the Suns some much-needed verticality and strength on offence, but the 28-year-old is an inefficient shooter and isn't an impact defender. It's somewhat reasonable to feel jittery if you're Phoenix and feel like Devin Booker's prime is slipping away, but to offload the only real trade asset for Bridges isn't great business.
Kennard, however, is a solid add for a team that parted ways with Allen and O'Neale, two huge pieces of their three-point-heavy offence. Re-signing culture-maker Dillon Brooks through the 2029-30 campaign also earns them a gold star here.
Key arrivals: Ja Morant, G
Key departures: Jerami Grant, F; Kris Murray, F; Matisse Thybulle, F
Grade: C+
After making the playoffs for the first time since 2021, the Trail Blazers decided to take a solid flyer on Morant, who certainly has question marks, as mentioned above. On paper, managing to acquire a two-time all-star and one-time all-NBA selection for a bad contract in Grant and a solid young forward in Murray is good business, but looking at how he fits into the Portland roster calls the move into question.
Already rostering youngsters Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, bringing in another downhill driver and vertical guard in Morant doesn't exactly give them a new profile and could stifle their development. The move also doesn't play into the skill set of core piece Deni Avdija. It's worth monitoring their willingness to deal Jrue Holiday and what role Damian Lillard plays when he returns this season.
Key arrivals: Jonathan Mogbo, F; Darius Acuff Jr. (rookie), G; Alex Karaban (rookie), F
Key departures: DeMar DeRozan, G; Devin Carter, G; Russell Westbrook, G
Grade: D
It's hard to believe the Kings returned to the post-season this decade; with the way it's going now, don't expect them to get back for another 10 years. Is there any franchise in professional sports more confounding than the Kings? Not a single serious addition; they traded the 2024 13th-overall pick, Carter, to the Hawks for scraps; they still can't find a trade partner for Zach LaVine. Congrats on earning the No. 5 overall pick at the 2027 Draft come June.
What the Kings have done this off-season is trim some fat by waiving DeRozan and letting Westbrook's contract run out — both remaining unsigned in August is telling. They also took some swings at the draft, but their No. 7 pick, Acuff Jr., looked a bit erratic at Summer League, averaging 20.8 in five games but on brutal .350/.270/.696 shooting splits. Not a great first impression.
Key arrivals: Tobias Harris, F; Tarris Reed Jr. (rookie), F; Jayden Quaintance (rookie), F
Key departures: N/A
Grade: B
With a roster as young and as cheap as theirs — three core pieces still on rookie deals — splurging a bit on a luxury piece after finishing only three games away from a championship isn't the worst thing you can do. Adding veteran forward Harris on a $15 million deal to shore up their four spot is worthwhile for the Spurs, who could've used both his steady hand and head in the finals against the Knicks.
Also important was penning Wembanyama to a long-term deal, doing so with a five-year, $252 million max contract that'll keep him in Texas through the 2030-31 season. As a bit of insurance at the five, however, the Spurs beefed up the front line at the draft, adding Reed Jr. and Quaintance, both of whom project to be high-ceiling, low-floor adds. Again, they have the privilege to afford luxuries like that.
Key arrivals: Jaxson Hayes, C; Josh Okogie, G; Darryn Peterson (rookie), G
Key departures: Walker Kessler, C
Grade: A
If the Lakers get docked for the price they paid for Kessler, the Jazz get full credit. Turning a guy who only played five games last season into two unprotected firsts and two pick swaps is a stroke of genius, particularly for a player they may not have been comfortable paying $130 million over four years.
The big addition is No. 2 pick Peterson, who should be a key piece of their future with Keyonte George and Ace Bailey. Though the Kansas product hoped he'd go first overall, he ends up in a nice spot in Utah, joining a roster ready to take the leap after trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. last year, with plenty of cap space and draft capital to make additional moves should they make some early noise.
