NBA offseason grades: Western Conference

With two weeks to go until the 2024-25 NBA season kicks off, rosters are more or less set after a busy offseason of draft picks, free-agency signings, and trades.

Here's a look at how each Western Conference team fared this summer, taking into account motivations, resources, and both short-term and long-term planning:

To view the Eastern Conference grades, click here.

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DAL | DEN | GSW | HOU | LAC | LAL | MEM | MIN | NOP | OKC | PHX | POR | SAC | SAS | UTA

Dallas Mavericks: B

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Mavs general manager Nico Harrison had one thing in mind after coming so close to the Larry O'Brien earlier this year: winning it all. Dallas' front office pushed all of its chips into the middle of the table to supplement its leading core of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

The Mavs sacrificed developing talent for win-now pieces as a result, parting with 23-year-old Josh Green to land veteran Klay Thompson. The former Golden State Warrior has lost a step or two, but he still gives Dallas a much better scoring punch on the wings as well as vast playoff experience.

Naji Marshall may end up as one of the offseason's most underrated pickups. He's a much better 3-point threat than Derrick Jones Jr. while being no worse of a defender, especially when matched up against other big-body wings. Marshall and Dereck Lively could make the Mavs' bench one of the league's stingiest.

Denver Nuggets: C

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There can be many truths when a player leaves in free agency. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope struggled to shoot the ball during the playoffs, knocking down 33% of his attempts from deep. However, he was part of one of the league's most potent lineups, and it's not ideal that the Nuggets don't have a bona fide replacement. Christian Braun has shown promise defensively and Julian Strawther projects to be a shooter in the NBA, but both are unproven and the Nuggets have no real backup plan.

Denver did bring in veteran backups. Nikola Jokic reportedly requested the front office to sign Russell Westbrook, who replaces Reggie Jackson as the team's backup point guard. The 35-year-old should be able to play consistent minutes during the regular season, but he averaged 6.3 points on 26% field-goal shooting last postseason. Dario Saric could be a nice depth piece, but he hasn't played more than 65 games since tearing his ACL in 2021. Even if Saric and Westbrook play well, the Nuggets didn't address their biggest need: another reliable wing to replace KCP.

Golden State Warriors: B+

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The Warriors split up the Splash Brothers after an incredible decade-plus run that delivered four NBA titles. Moving on from Thompson was undoubtedly a difficult decision emotionally, but it was the correct call from a basketball and financial standpoint. Golden State acquired Hield and Anderson as part of the sign-and-trade deal for the five-time All-Star. Hield is a seamless replacement for Thompson's 3-point shooting, while Anderson defends multiple positions and can initiate some of the offense when Stephen Curry isn't on the floor.

Thompson's departure also allowed the Warriors to sign 3-and-D specialist Melton without exceeding the first apron. The club's last and most important move was extending Curry through the 2026-27 season. The two-time MVP's Olympic heroics for Team USA showed that he's still got plenty of fuel left in the tank. Curry's new contract gives the front office an additional year to build a championship contender around him.

Houston Rockets: B

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The Rockets have made a bet that their excess of young talent will continue to develop under head coach Ime Udoka. Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson are all under the age of 24. Green, in particular, made tremendous strides in the second half of last season.

The former second overall pick in 2021 became the clear No. 1 option after Sengun went down with an injury. Green averaged 22.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 5.8 rebounds post-All-Star break while shooting 37% from deep and 44% from the field; the Rockets went 17-11 during that final stretch. Both Green and Sengun are eligible to sign their rookie extensions before the Oct. 21 deadline, with Sengun reportedly very close to inking a new deal.

Third overall pick Reed Sheppard looked like a potential star at summer league, averaging 20 points and 5.3 assists in Vegas. After shooting a staggering 52% from three in his freshman season with Kentucky, Sheppard seems like a perfect fit in Houston.

Los Angeles Clippers: D

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Not re-signing Paul George is a head-scratcher for the Clippers' short-term future. The 34-year-old was by far the team's most reliable star. Even though Los Angeles brought in considerable veteran talent that should help out Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, none of them have George's scoring or defensive upside. L.A. could still theoretically make the playoffs and even win a series or two, but the championship window is 100% over without its former star.

Plus, the Clippers still owe the Oklahoma City Thunder one pick swap in 2025 and a first-round selection in 2026 for the original George trade in 2019. Now, the franchise will open up a brand-new, state-of-the-art arena without one of its most notable players.

Los Angeles Lakers: C-

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If the Lakers' sincere objective this season is to win the 2024-25 NBA title, they didn't help their case this offseason.

The enigma of head coach JJ Redick aside, are the 2024-25 Lakers better than the squads that twice labored through the play-in tournament before being swatted away by the Denver Nuggets? The evidence isn't promising.

Nabbing Knecht at No. 17 is a solid find outside the lottery, but the former Tennessee sharpshooter has arguably been L.A.'s best addition of the summer. Koloko showed promise as a center with the Raptors before being sidelined all of last season due to blood clots, but he's yet to even finalize his contract due to pending NBA clearance. Goodwin was a relative bright spot on a dire Grizzlies squad last year, but he's played a total of 121 games with three franchises over three seasons.

Bronny James is the elephant in the room. He's expected to make history as the first player to play alongside his father in an NBA game. That'll be a moment in time worth celebrating, but we've still seen little-to-no indication that the younger James will cement himself as a long-term piece of the Lakers' rotation, let alone a significant contributor on a championship squad.

That said, any blame for the Lakers failing to meet lofty expectations should be pinned on everyone but the prominent rookie. And it's Rob Pelinka who stands to lose the most for running things back with essentially the same underperforming roster (with an older Anthony Davis and LeBron James at that). At least the club re-signed James and will thus almost certainly be the last stop in his Hall of Fame-bound career.

Memphis Grizzlies: B+

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We are just one season removed from this Memphis squad winning 51 games and finishing second in the Western Conference. Last year, the team was decimated by injuries. It's hard to win games when Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, Brandon Clarke, Steven Adams, and Jaren Jackson Jr. - among others - all miss extended time. At one point, Memphis had 13 players out with a variety of ailments. The Grizzlies had a successful offseason by simply having the summer to get healthy.

After moving on from Adams just before the 2024 trade deadline, the Grizzlies' front office pinpointed their lack of physicality as something that needed to be addressed. So, Memphis went out and drafted two-time Naismith Player of the Year Zach Edey No. 9 overall.

The towering 7-foot-4 Canadian is one of the best screen-setters to ever grace a basketball court. That elite skill set creates an opening for him and Morant to form a lethal pick-and-roll partnership. The only player to average more drives per game than Morant over the past three seasons has been OKC's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Morant can be expected to put constant pressure on the rim with Edey's help, opening up outside opportunities for the likes of Bane.

Minnesota Timberwolves: B

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Minnesota was having a quietly decent offseason. The T-Wolves acquired the rights to Dillingham - their potential point guard of the future - in the draft and then replaced Anderson's passing skills off the bench with the sharpshooting Ingles. They were set to run back the core from last season's West final run until they shockingly traded Towns to the New York Knicks just days before training camp.

Randle doesn't provide the same level of outside shooting as Towns, which may compromise the T-Wolves' floor spacing. However, Randle's playmaking skills add another dimension to last season's 17th-ranked offense. Plus, he's familiar with head coach Chris Finch after their season together with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Meanwhile, DiVincenzo's elite 3-point shooting offsets some of Towns' long-distance firepower and bolsters a second unit that ranked 21st in scoring last season. The Villanova product is a seamless fit in Finch's defense-first system and is under contract for three more seasons at a bargain deal. The financial savings from trading Towns give Minnesota the flexibility to re-sign Naz Reid next summer or extend Rudy Gobert.

New Orleans Pelicans: (B+)

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New Orleans emerged out of left field to make one of the stunning moves of the summer, sending Daniels, Nance, Zeller, and a pair of first-rounders to Atlanta for Murray. That might be a steep price to pay for a 28-year-old ball-handler with one All-Star appearance to his name, but Murray gives the Pelicans their first bona fide starting point guard in years - a role in which they've deployed CJ McCollum in recent seasons. Murray also should create chaos in passing lanes, especially when playing alongside other disruptive defenders like Trey Murphy III, Herbert Jones, and Zion Williamson.

A drawback of the Pelicans' summer of change is that their frontcourt is much thinner heading into 2024-25. Valanciunas, Marshall, and Nance all averaged at least 19 minutes last season, which will likely put a lot of early-season pressure on Missi in his first year as a pro. However, playing Williamson predominantly at center and surrounding him with shooters galore may be New Orleans' recipe for success.

Oklahoma City Thunder: A

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The No. 1 seed in the West last year had a terrific summer. Landing Alex Caruso from Chicago without giving up a draft pick was nothing short of a coup. The Thunder can now throw out two of the league's most intimidating perimeter defenders: Caruso and Luguentz Dort. Bringing in Isaiah Hartenstein on a three-year, $87-million deal was the cherry on top. Chet Holmgren was great during his rookie season but struggled to hold up against some of the giants in the Western Conference. Hartenstein - a terrific defender in his own right - will add some much-needed size to a Thunder squad that finished 27th in rebounds per game last season.

Snagging Nikola Topic with the 12th pick in the draft was another shrewd piece of business. Oklahoma selected a top-five talent who slipped in the draft because of some lingering knee issues. GM Sam Presti then traded up to grab Dillon Jones at the end of the first round. Jones was a do-it-all type of player at Weber State and can give head coach Mark Daigneault some lineup versatility.

Phoenix Suns: B+

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The Suns had holes at two of the most important positions in basketball: point guard and center. Signing veterans Monte Morris and Mason Plumlee on minimum deals were good additions at the beginning of free agency, but adding Tyus Jones is a major boost to Phoenix's backcourt. The 28-year-old averaged career highs in points (12) and assists (7.3) for the Washington Wizards last season.

In the draft, the Suns also came away with the best perimeter defender in Virginia's Ryan Dunn, as well as another big man option in Arizona native Oso Ighodaro. With key contributors Royce O'Neale, Josh Okogie, and Bol Bol re-signed, new head coach Mike Budenholzer has a deep and versatile roster for the Suns' quest for a championship.

Portland Trail Blazers: B-

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Portland's two major offseason moves were aimed at improving its 23rd-ranked defense. Clingan was one of college basketball's top rim-protectors last season and was an effective pick-and-roll defender in drop coverage. A logjam at the center position shouldn't prevent the UConn standout from seeing the floor. Meanwhile, Avdija is fresh off a breakout campaign that saw him finish sixth in Most Improved Player voting. His strong defense at the point of attack and secondary playmaking address two of the club's most glaring weaknesses.

There's not much more the Blazers could've done this offseason, but unloading the contract of Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, or Robert Williams would've been helpful for their long-term future. Portland is clearly in rebuild mode, yet the franchise has no salary cap space to work with.

Sacramento Kings: B

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DeRozan still has plenty of gas left in the tank, averaging 25.5 points and 5.1 assists over his last three seasons with the Chicago Bulls. The 35-year-old has finished in the top three for Clutch Player of the Year in each of the past two campaigns. His lethal mid-range game should complement Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox. Carter's perimeter defense will certainly help, too, once he's fit to play after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery.

Sacramento's front office also deserves credit for not messing with a good thing. The Kings used their early Bird rights on Malik Monk to keep the Sixth Man of the Year runner-up from hitting the open market. They also rewarded head coach Mike Brown with a three-year contract extension instead of forcing him to enter the last year of his original deal with uncertainty.

San Antonio Spurs: A-

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The Spurs spent this summer supplementing their talented young core with respected veteran floor-raisers. Paul, for instance, is a near-perfect choice to provide tutelage to Victor Wembanyama while also improving the team as a whole. Barnes will likely be counted on to be an experienced voice in a young locker room as much as he will be for his on-court floor spacing.

Paul is almost certainly also going to be a boon for Castle, the fourth overall pick who played a central role as a freshman in UConn's ride to the national championship earlier this year. Paul, 39, may not be in San Antonio long or help the team contend for a title, but he may impart enough during his time in San Antonio to help set up its young talent for sustained success.

Utah Jazz: B-

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The Jazz had one main priority this offseason: extend All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. Utah inked him to a new five-year, $238-million deal after a brief flirtation with the Warriors. Having the 27-year-old under contract until the 2028-29 season gives the franchise flexibility to either keep its star or trade him as the young roster continues to grow under Will Hardy.

The Jazz also added three rookies in the first 35 picks during June's draft. While Utah acquired a few placeholder veterans, the amount of young talent on the roster should supplant them and earn playing time this season.