NBA Free Agency Live Deal Tracker: Grading every signing made worst to best

NBA Free Agency signings: B grades

Sixers land Reggie Jackson

Contract: One year, figures TBD

Grade: B-

Jakob Poeltl re-signs with Raptors

Contract: Four years, $80 million
Analysis: Good value for Jakob Poeltl, one of the league’s most underrated defensive anchors. The Raptors gave up a fair amount to acquire Poeltl at the trade deadline in February, so there was definite urgency to get this deal done. He can’t shoot a lick, which doesn’t help Toronto’s spacing concerns, and he’s not maximized as a rim finisher with Toronto’s lack of high-end point guard play. But, he’s a very good player worth $20 million per year in a vacuum.
Grade: B-

Rui Hachimura re-signs with Lakers

Contract: Three years, $51 million
Analysis: The Lakers were treated to Rui Hachimura’s coming out party in the postseason. He started really hammering spot-up 3s and he was consistently the third or fourth-best player on a conference finals team. That kind of reliability in the playoffs is no joke, but it will be worth monitoring whether or not Hachimura’s torrid shooting carries over to next season. He still has room to grow as a decision-maker offensively.
Grade: B-

Coby White re-signs with Chicago Bulls

Contract: Three years, $40 million
Analysis: Coby White has gradually developed into a reliable role player for the Bulls, delivering on his promise as a microwave scorer while improving drastically on the defensive end. Chicago is wise to keep him around on a movable contract, but losing Ayo Dosunmu would really sting.
Grade: B-

Cam Johnson re-signs with Nets

Contract: Four years, $108 million
Analysis: It’s a little tricky to grade this one as we watch the new era of Brooklyn basketball unfold, since the plan is largely nebulous to this point. I don’t hate this deal, but I need more context to bump it up higher.
Grade: B-
Contract: Three years, $26 million
Analysis: The Cavs need more shooting on the wing, which Georges Niang readily provides. He doesn’t address their defensive concerns, but he will absolutely scorch the nets in the regular season and that’s enough for $8 million per year.
Grade: B-

Cavaliers land Georges Niang

Contract: Two years, $26 million
Analysis: Georges Niang addresses Cleveland’s need for shooters. He’s one of the best in the NBA at spot-up 3s, but that’s generally the extent of his contributions. Niang has made marginal improvements on the defensive end, but he remains a significant liability. Cleveland is paying $8 million per year for a very useful regular-season player who will get phased out of the rotation when the games start to count.
Grade: B-

Timberwolves land Troy Brown

Contract: Terms and figures TBD
Analysis: Troy Brown remains intriguing enough with his intersection of athleticism, shooting, and slashing to warrant an investment from Minnesota. The Wolves need reliable wings. Brown might be able to scrap his way to a consistent role for a contender.
Grade: B

Celtics land Oshae Brissett

Contract: Two-year deal, figures TBD
Analysis: Oshae Brissett is an enthusiastic wing defender and an impressive athlete at 6-foot-7. He’s considerably less impactful on the offensive end. The Celtics will hope his 3-point shot comes around in a big way. He’s a smart low-dollar investment for Boston, who could use another bigger wing defender with Grant Williams potentially out the door.
Grade: B

Josh Richardson makes his way back to Heat

Contract: Two years, figures TBD
Analysis: What better place for Josh Richardson to revive his career than where it all started? Famously the centerpiece of the Jimmy Butler sign-and-trade with Philadelphia, there was once a time when Richardson looked like a future All-Star with Miami. He probably won’t reach those same heights, but I’d imagine Erik Spoelstra will find a use for a scrappy wing defender and mostly competent 3-point shooter of Richardson’s ilk.
Grade: B

Kevin Love re-signs with Heat

Contract: Two years, figures TBD
Analysis: Kevin Love stepped right into Miami’s starting lineup last season and looked at home. His toughness, veteran savvy, and 3-point shooting are well suited to Miami’s current areas of need. It’s a little concerning that he’s the only player the Heat have brought back, but he still has gas in the tank.
Grade: B

Lakers land Taurean Prince

Contract: One year, $4.5 million
Analysis: Perfectly solid wing depth for the Lakers. Prince shot 38.7 percent from deep last season and was one of the most reliable members of Minnesota’s second unit. He can guard a few positions, rebound at a decent clip, and thrive as a play-finisher offensively.
Grade: B

Kyrie Irving re-signs with Mavericks

Contract: Three years, $126 million
Analysis: After joining the Mavericks midseason to the tune of a disappointing absence from the NBA Playoffs, Kyrie Irving will run it back on a three-year, $126 million contract. For a superstar, it’s a solid deal, but Irving likely being close to the decline of his career and a noted public relations headache makes this tough to give anything higher than a B.
Grade: B

Caris Levert re-signs with Cavaliers

Contract: Two years, $32 million
Analysis: The Cavaliers had to know there was high interest around signing Levert from teams around the league but they made sure they locked him down to a two-year deal immediately, per Adrian Wojnarowski. The price is plenty reasonable for a wing of Levert’s caliber with the option to use him in a trade very much on the table.
Grade: B

Damion Lee re-signs with Phoenix Suns

Contract: One year, figures TBD
Analysis: The Suns keep Damion Lee on a minimum contract. He’s experienced with winning teams and he should earn minutes as a volume shooter in the second unit. The Suns’ ability to surround the Durant-Booker-Beal trio with shooters will make the offense very difficult to stop.
Grade: B+

Tre Jones re-signs with Spurs

Contract: Two years, $20 million
Analysis: The Spurs were always going to keep Tre Jones around. While it’s a bit basic to compare him to his brother Tyus, the root appeal is similar. Jones limits mistakes and plays with great poise at the helm of the offense. He thrived in an expanded role last season, but his limitations as a 3-point shooter — combined with a slender, undersized frame — limit his upside.
Grade: B+

Bulls land Jevon Carter

Contract: Three years, $20 million
Analysis: Jevon Carter provides steady 3-and-D value. He shot 42.1 percent from deep with Milwaukee last season and he’s on the shortlist of best point guard stoppers in the NBA. He won’t make many mistakes with the ball in his hands and he add some edge to Chicago’s rotation.
Grade: B+

Kings land Sasha Vezenkov

Contract: Three years, $20 million
Analysis: Strong value for the MVP of the second-best league in the world. There are natural defenses concerns that will follow Sasha Vezenkov from Turkey to the U.S., but he’s a dynamic shooter who can beat closeouts and run some pick-and-roll on the side. He should earn minutes with the Kings. He fits their general offensive philosophy quite well.
Grade: B+

Cavaliers land Max Strus

Contract: Four years, $63 million
Analysis: Great value for one of the playoffs’ top role players. Cleveland was frightfully short on playable guards in their first-round series against New York, and we all know how that series ended. Strus can shoot, defend, and make the right plays within the flow of the offense. He’s going to really bolster the supporting cast around a core that is more than ready to contend in the winnable Eastern Conference.
Grade: B+

Kyle Kuzma re-signs with Wizards

Contract: Four years, $102 million
Analysis: On the backside of acquiring Jordan Poole before free agency opened, the Wizards bring Kyle Kuzma back for a deal that honestly feels below what another team would have paid for him. This might be slightly out of affordable for what he offers, but he brings a real scoring punch alongside Poole that could make the Wizards low-key interesting in 2023 depending on the moves they make around this.
Grade: B+

Khris Middleton re-signs with Bucks

Contract: 3 years, $102 million
Analysis: After opting out of his contract, Milwaukee keeps Khris Middleton with the Bucks for another three years on a more affordable deal. A good, needed deal to keep Giannis satisfied, assuming Middleton bounces back from an injury-defined season.
Grade: B+

Draymond Green re-signs with Warriors

Contract: Four years, $100 million
Analysis: The Warriors officially avoided losing one of their core stars, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, which is obviously a good thing. However, penning the 33-year-old to a four-year deal is banking on his body holding up into his late 30s. From Green’s perspective, it’s basically the same deal as he had before.
Grade: B+

Brook Lopez re-signs with Bucks

Contract: Two years, $48 million
Analysis: In a vacuum, this deal probably gets an A. The Bucks bring back Brook Lopez who scored more and shot better from distance last year, things he was already doing well the years prior. The rationale for bumping down to a B+ is that the Bucks process to roster building is feeling a little uninspired. After a disappointing early exit from the postseason, Milwaukee runs it back with mostly its same roster now that it has re-signed Middleton and Lopez. It could work, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see this play like flat soda.
Grade: B+

Mo Wagner re-signs with Magic

Contract: Two years, $16 million
Grade: B+