Final 2023 NBA Offseason Grades for Every Team, Post-Extension Deadline – Bleacher Report

Following a flurry of contract extensions earlier this week, the 2023 NBA offseason is officially wrapped.
And that means it’s time to dive into the report cards for all 30 teams.
Based on the players every team lost, who they picked up in the draft, free agency or through trades and whether they were justified in mostly standing pat, traditional letter grades for every team’s summer can be found below.

Notable Additions: Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin
Notable Losses: John Collins
The Atlanta Hawks’ most significant move was clearly the salary dump that sent John Collins to the Utah Jazz.
And while his 17.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over the last five seasons suggest that’s a pretty big loss, there’s a chance it simply makes the team more versatile on the defensive end.
Atlanta will now have more minutes to distribute to a forward corps that includes De’Andre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin that’s mostly positionless and can switch all over the floor. There’s probably higher shooting upside too.
And given the fact that new coach Quin Snyder only had part of the 2022-23 campaign to implement his vision for this roster, mostly standing pat after the Collins move makes sense.
The Hawks have one of the game’s most prolific offensive engines in Trae Young. His long-term fit with Onyeka Okongwu (who was just signed to a very team-friendly extension) is easy to imagine. And they still have the flexibility to add to this group midseason with a Clint Capela trade.

Notable Additions: Kristaps Porziņģis, Jrue Holiday, Jordan Walsh
Notable Losses: Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown just appeared in their fourth conference finals together. The Boston Celtics could have easily justified running it back with most of the roster that got them there in 2023.
Instead, they completely overhauled the supporting cast and now might have the league’s best top six.
After those two, Boston’s rotation includes Kristaps Porziņģis coming off what was likely his best offensive season, Jrue Holiday as an almost certain upgrade over Marcus Smart and holdovers Derrick White and Al Horford.
There are some legitimate questions about the depth. The Celtics may need Payton Pritchard or Sam Hauser to be better. But deep playoff runs are about the top of the roster, and Boston’s is as good as any.

Notable Additions: Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Smith Jr.,
Notable Losses: Seth Curry, Patty Mills, Joe Harris, Yuta Watanabe
The Brooklyn Nets got a little younger and more athletic by replacing Seth Curry and Patty Mills with Dennis Smith Jr. (who ranked in the 99th percentile in defensive estimated plus-minus last season) and Lonnie Walker IV.
Other than that, they seem to be banking on internal development and the return of Ben Simmons as the potential sources of change.
And, as was the case with the Hawks, that’s probably fine.
We got a glimpse of the upside and versatility a team with Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale can have, and now they’re adding a hopefully healthy Simmons to that mostly positionless mix.

Notable Additions: Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges
Notable Losses: Kai Jones, Kelly Oubre Jr., Dennis Smith Jr.
Miles Bridges is listed as an addition because he missed all of last season after pleading no contest to a felony domestic violence charge, but his status is once again in question after he allegedly violated a protection order that arose out of the matter.
At this point, it wouldn’t be wise to rely on him providing anything to the Charlotte Hornets, and that leaves incoming rookie Brandon Miller as the only other notable addition (and he was just named in a civil lawsuit for wrongful death).
Those issues hanging over the team make basketball feel insignificant, but the season is here, and the rest of the roster will have to focus on that.
There’s a world in which LaMelo Ball is mostly healthy throughout the season, Gordon Hayward and Terry Rozier provide solid veteran contributions and P.J. Washington takes a leap. And in that world, Charlotte might be able to compete for a spot in the play-in tournament.
But all of those things are far from guaranteed, and the other end of the spectrum could have the Hornets near the bottom of the East.
There may not have been a ton to do this summer that would have changed that range of outcomes, but it’s hard to take a macro view and say it was a good offseason.

Notable Additions: Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig
Notable Losses: Patrick Beverley
It’s felt like time for a full-scale rebuild for a while for the Chicago Bulls. And if they get off to a mediocre-to-bad start, they could probably still head that direction between now and February’s trade deadline.
Signing Nikola Vučević to a new three-year, $60 million deal this summer would seem to suggest that isn’t in Chicago’s thinking, but the alternative would’ve been letting him go for nothing. And the new deal should be movable (though being 33 could scare some suitors off).
If the Bulls are again floating in play-in range, and the three-man net rating of Vučević, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine isn’t much better than the plus-0.7 it registered last season, Chicago will have to seriously consider going another direction.

Notable Additions: Max Strus, Georges Niang, Emoni Bates
Notable Losses: Robin Lopez, Cedi Osman, Lamar Stevens
The Cleveland Cavaliers were almost universally lauded for offseason moves that included the additions of Max Strus and Georges Niang.
In theory, both should be able to provide some much needed spacing for two-big lineups with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. But Strus had a below-average three-point percentage in 2022-23, and Niang could mark for opposing offenses to attack whenever he’s out there.
Of course, that’s the pessimistic view. If both shoot well and Mobley develops in that department, Cleveland could well earn home-court advantage in the first round again.

Notable Additions: Grant Williams, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Dereck Lively II, Dante Exum, Seth Curry, Derrick Jones Jr.
Notable Losses: Reggie Bullock, JaVale McGee, Christian Wood
The Dallas Mavericks made their splashy move during the 2022-23 campaign, when they acquired Kyrie Irving.
This summer, they re-signed him and used their limited flexibility to assemble a more versatile supporting cast around Irving and Luka Dončić.
The moves probably weren’t good enough to push the Mavs into the West’s tier of bona fide contenders, but they should be better than the team that missed the 2023 playoffs.

Notable Additions: Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett, Justin Holiday
Notable Losses: Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, Thomas Bryant
Much was understandably made of the loss of Bruce Brown, but the Denver Nuggets really didn’t have the capacity to re-sign him. Thanks to the collective bargaining agreement, the most they could have offered was a salary starting at $7.8 million for 2023-24, and the Indiana Pacers blew that out of the water.
So, with him and Jeff Green opting for more money from different teams, Denver took an approach that high-salary teams may have to emulate under the new CBA.
Luxury-tax penalties are about to get significantly more harsh, so if you have multiple max-salary players, you almost have to have contributors on rookie deals. That’s why the Nuggets prioritized older players in the draft this past summer.
Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson and Jalen Pickett may not have the same upside as some of their draft class, but they should also have a shorter runway between now and being a meaningful contributor (assuming they get there).
Given the strength at the top of this roster, it’s a creative (and probably necessary) philosophy that will be fun to follow over the next couple years.

Notable Additions: Joe Harris, Monte Morris, Ausar Thompson
Notable Losses: Cory Joseph, Hamidou Diallo
It may not result in a 2024 play-in appearance, but the Detroit Pistons made some smart moves on the margins that should help their young core develop.
Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and incoming rookie Ausar Thompson now have another shooter to set up in Joe Harris. Monte Morris is the kind of steady-handed reserve all those playmakers can learn from.
And Thompson is one of the highest-upside prospects in this draft class (with the obvious exception of Victor Wembanyama). If all of the above reach their ceiling, the Pistons could have about as much passing talent as anyone.

Notable Additions: Chris Paul, Dario Šarić, Cory Joseph, Brandin Podziemski
Notable Losses: Donte DiVincenzo, Andre Iguodala, Jordan Poole
Replacing Jordan Poole with Chris Paul in the rotation certainly made the Golden State Warriors smaller, older and more prone to injuries, but it also raised the team’s short-term ceiling.
Last season, Paul ranked in the 91st percentile in Dunks and Threes’ estimated plus-minus (one of the most trusted catch-all metrics in NBA front offices). Poole was in the 65th percentile and is less equipped to engineer solid possessions when Stephen Curry is out of the game.
Given the limited win-now window the aging Warriors find themselves in, it’s a move that made sense.
Dario Šarić could be a smart addition too. Draymond Green will get plenty of the backup 5 minutes, but Šarić can spare him some of that punishment with his 6’10” frame, a decent rebound rate and underrated playmaking.

Notable Additions: Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, Reggie Bullock, Jock Landale, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore
Notable Losses: Kevin Porter Jr., Kenyon Martin Jr., Josh Christopher
Beyond the roster moves, the Houston Rockets added a hard-nosed head coach in Ime Udoka who will contribute to the seriousness the veterans bring.
Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green and Jock Landale undoubtedly raise the floor of a team that finished with just 22 wins last season, but they don’t necessarily derail the development of the young core.
There should still be plenty of minutes for Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün and incoming rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. And giving them a taste of competitive basketball now should pay dividends down the road.

Notable Additions: Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker
Notable Losses: Chris Duarte, George Hill
The Indiana Pacers were already a solid plus-4.9 points per 100 possessions when Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Myles Turner shared the floor last season.
And supplementing that trio with two more solid players in their mid-20s (Bruce Brown and Obi Toppin) should make the team more competitive without interfering with the development of players such as Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin.
Some may quibble over the price of Brown’s new contract, which starts at $22 million for 2023-24, but next season is a team option. Given Indiana’s place in the league’s hierarchy, there really isn’t any downside in seeing how the 2023 champion fits on this team.

Notable Additions: Kenyon Martin, Jr.
Notable Losses: Eric Gordon
There’s a world in which Kenyon Martin Jr. is a meaningful upgrade over 34-year-old Eric Gordon, but essentially running it back feels like a potential misstep for a team with serious durability questions and a seemingly growing gap between itself and the West’s top contenders.
If Kawhi Leonard and Paul George can stay healthy, the Los Angeles Clippers may still be able to make some noise, but that’s a massive if. And that makes the team’s hesitance to move Terance Mann for James Harden a head-scratcher (unless they just aren’t that interested in the Harden business, which is a reasonable stance).
If this roster is essentially the one L.A. takes to the playoffs, it’s hard to imagine it pushing the Nuggets, Phoenix Suns or even Los Angeles Lakers.

Notable Additions: Christian Wood, Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Jaxson Hayes and Jalen Hood-Schifino
Notable Losses: Dennis Schröder, Lonnie Walker IV, Wenyen Gabriel, Troy Brown Jr. and Malik Beasley
The Los Angeles Lakers overhauled the supporting cast behind LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Austin Reaves, and the potential shooting upgrade there could go a long way toward contention.
Ultimately, though, this team’s chances are still heavily reliant on that top three and the potential to add to it.
It feels like there’s a decent chance L.A. isn’t quite done making moves. Right after D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura were re-signed, their combined 2023-24 salaries (which get to $33 million) seemed suspiciously tradable.
If those two and some draft capital are enough to land another star, L.A. will be tempted to do so.

Notable Additions: Marcus Smart, Derrick Rose
Notable Losses: Dillon Brooks, Tyus Jones
If you think of Marcus Smart as a direct replacement for Dillon Brooks, it’s not hard to talk yourself into that being an upgrade. The 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year is similarly challenged as a shooter, but he’s a better playmaker and far more willing to defer to higher-efficiency scorers.
Losing Tyus Jones, one of the steadiest backup point guards in basketball, and having to rely on a 35-year-old Derrick Rose for real point guard minutes during Ja Morant’s suspension is a far more dubious scenario.
But the real reason the Memphis Grizzlies are tabbed as incomplete is this week’s news that Steven Adams is going to miss the entire season because of a knee injury.
Memphis cannot make it too far into this season without acquiring a center to address this new (and significant) need. It’ll be easier to analyze the Grizzlies’ offseason after they do.

Notable Additions: Josh Richardson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Thomas Bryant
Notable Losses: Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller
If the specter of the failed Damian Lillard pursuit wasn’t hanging over this offseason, it’d be easier give the Miami Heat something in the range of a B.
Josh Richardson is a solid perimeter defender (he’s had an above-average defensive estimated plus-minus in every season of his career) who’s already familiar with the so-called “Heat Culture.” Thomas Bryant is probably an upgrade over Cody Zeller at backup center, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. appears to have the kind of feel for the game necessary to contribute as early as this season.
But the Lillard pursuit did happen. Miami did fail to land him, and it lost two playoff starters (Gabe Vincent and Max Strus) in the meantime.
Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are still around, so you can at least argue that the Heat were able to tread water this summer. But when the Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks had the offseasons they did, that’s likely not enough.

Notable Additions: Damian Lillard, Cameron Payne, Malik Beasley, Robin Lopez, Andre Jackson Jr.
Notable Losses: Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, Joe Ingles, Wesley Matthews, Jevon Carter
Speaking of Lillard and the Bucks, adding one of the 75 greatest players of all time and one of the league’s best deep-ball shooters is undoubtedly a win.
The space Lillard will create for Giannis Antetokounmpo inside could dramatically improve an offense that has sputtered in each of the past two postseasons.
Perhaps more importantly, adding him was enough of an assurance to Giannis to get him to sign a new three-year extension. For at least the next few seasons, Milwaukee shouldn’t have to worry about losing the longtime face of the franchise.
So, why don’t the Bucks get a plus after that A? It was out of their control after the Lillard trade was finalized, but that move opened the door for Boston to add Jrue Holiday. That might give the Celtics the highest upside in the East.

Notable Additions: Leonard Miller, Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr.
Notable Losses: Taurean Prince, Jaylen Nowell, Austin Rivers
The changes listed above were far from the biggest moves made by the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer.
Those were undoubtedly a new three-year, $42 million contract for Naz Reid and a five-year, $131 million extension for Jaden McDaniels that make Minnesota’s future feel somehow incomplete.
The Wolves are now threatening to exceed the new collective bargaining agreement’s dreaded second apron and have $165.6 million committed to Reid, McDaniels, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards for 2024-25.
If Gobert and KAT are better able to coexist and Minnesota contends for home-court advantage in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, the front office may be able to justify pushing forward under that circumstance.
Anything less, and you can probably bet on rumors of a potential Towns trade surfacing.
If the T’Wolves can turn Towns’ contract into more depth, some draft assets or both, a solid offseason will look even better.

Notable Additions: Cody Zeller, Jordan Hawkins
Notable Losses: Josh Richardson, Willy Hernangomez, Jaxson Hayes
The New Orleans Pelicans didn’t really make any needle-moving transactions this offseason unless Jordan Hawkins’ shooting makes him way ahead of schedule as a rookie.
The front office appears to be betting on (or hoping for) better health for Zion Williamson (who’s averaged 28.5 games per season for his career), Brandon Ingram (59.0 appearances per year) and CJ McCollum (61.3 games per season over the past three seasons).
As evidenced by the numbers above, that’s a pretty risky bet. But if it hits, New Orleans should be able to compete for a top-six spot in the West. During their four seasons together, the Pelicans are plus-5.3 points per 100 possessions when Zion and Ingram are both on the floor.

Notable Additions: Donte DiVincenzo
Notable Losses: Obi Toppin, Derrick Rose
The New York Knicks are betting on continuity. Following a first-round win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and a breakout campaign from Jalen Brunson, you can’t really blame them.
Keeping most of a core together that just had the second-best offense in the NBA is a no-brainer, especially when Brunson, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Quentin Grimes are all under 30.
Adding Donte DiVincenzo to a bench that includes Josh Hart is smart too, even if that move doesn’t suddenly vault the Knicks up to the true contenders’ tier.
This was a savvy approach to the offseason, and New York still has plenty of assets and salary filler to aggressively jump in if a superstar like Joel Embiid eventually asks for a trade.

Notable Additions: Vasilije Micić, Dāvis Bertāns, Cason Wallace
Notable Losses: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Dario Šarić
Even with the Oklahoma City Thunder signaling to reporters that they’d release him immediately, trading for Kevin Porter Jr. following his domestic violence charges—just to be able to add two future second-round picks—could certainly be seen as unseemly.
But beyond that, OKC had the right approach to the offseason for a team loaded with this much young talent.
On natural development alone, a team with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren should compete for a playoff spot in 2024.
And adding just a hint of veteran experience from Dāvis Bertāns and 2021 EuroLeague MVP Vasilije Micić makes sense too.
The younger players will get the bulk of the minutes, playmaking opportunities and responsibility, but the veterans (a group that would also include Kenrich Williams) will help stabilize the team on and off the floor.

Notable Additions: Joe Ingles, Anthony Black, Jett Howard
Notable Losses: Bol Bol
The Orlando Magic’s offseason looked a lot like the Thunder’s, and the reasoning would probably be about the same too.
This is another roster that’s almost bursting at the seams with interesting young talents, including Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr., Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony (who recently signed a team-friendly extension) and now incoming rookies Anthony Black and Jett Howard.
Those players will undoubtedly shoulder most of this season’s burden, but it won’t hurt to have the experience of Joe Ingles, Gary Harris and Moritz Wagner in the fold, too.
Natural progression is a fine (and probably correct) path for Orlando to pursue in 2023-24.

Notable Additions: Patrick Beverley, Kelly Oubre Jr., Mo Bamba, Danny Green, Filip Petrušev
Notable Losses: Georges Niang, Jalen McDaniels, Shake Milton, Montrezl Harrell
Our first failing grade of the exercise comes for the 23rd team on the list, the Philadelphia 76ers.
And while you could probably argue that the unresolved James Harden situation should earn Philly an “incomplete,” especially since Harden himself appears to be the primary decision-maker behind the saga, it’s hard to excuse the organization for the mess it finds itself in.
By the time the Sixers acquired him in 2022, Harden had already quit on two different teams. He did so, in shockingly blatant and public fashion, to the Rockets and Nets. He wasn’t exactly the picture of reliability.
Adding him to Joel Embiid (who has his own struggles with reliability, though his have typically been health-related) always had a chance to go sour.
Could Philadelphia have foreseen a trade request, Harden publicly calling Daryl Morey a liar and no-showing for the bulk of the team’s preseason activities? Maybe not, but that’s the reality they’re in. They obviously haven’t fixed it yet, either.
The moves they did make certainly won’t paper over all this—though a two-man game with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey should still make them competitive in the regular season—and if the chaos persists, Embiid might start to look around the league for a little more stability.
The Knicks (or someone near them) are already floating potential Embiid trade packages to the media. The big man himself seemingly poked fun at his team’s summer.
This off-season was fun lmao
Morey may be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat and put together a real contender through a Harden trade (or a series of trades), but this offseason set up a wide range of potential outcomes over the next couple years.
Suddenly, just a few months after Embiid was named MVP, restarting the process feels like a real possibility.

Notable Additions: Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkić, Grayson Allen, Eric Gordon, Yuta Watanabe, Nassir Little, Drew Eubanks, Bol Bol, Keita Bates-Diop
Notable Losses: Deandre Ayton, Chris Paul, Torrey Craig, Jock Landale, Bismack Biyombo, Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet
Devin Booker is the only Phoenix Sun from the 2021 Finals run who’s still on the team.
Think about that. It’s only been two years, and almost the entire roster has been turned over.
It started during the 2022-23 campaign, when Phoenix traded Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and more for Kevin Durant. Then, this summer, the Suns threw new CBA-related caution to the wind and added another max player in Bradley Beal.
Having him, Booker and Durant on the roster made a depth-building trade involving Deandre Ayton inevitable. It also meant the team would have to nail free agency with only minimum contracts to offer.
With basically no wiggle room to speak of, Phoenix accomplished all of the above as well as anyone possibly could’ve expected.
Jusuf Nurkić is a better passer than Ayton, which should come in handy in a starting five with three high-end scorers. And the level of talent Phoenix picked up through minimums should be enough for a legitimate supporting cast.
This is a top-tier contender, thanks in large part to an active and successful summer.

Players Added: Deandre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara
Notable Losses: Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkić, Drew Eubanks, Nassir Little, Kevin Knox, Cam Reddish, Justise Winslow
On principal alone, it’s hard to give the Portland Trail Blazers an A for an offseason in which they lost one of the three best players in franchise history.
But the front office’s patience paid off when the Milwaukee Bucks swooped in and acquired Lillard toward the end of the summer.
The deal Portland wound up with landed them Holiday, who was later flipped to Boston for more assets. And the framework could swell even more if the Blazers find a taker for Malcolm Brogdon.
By the time we have a full picture of the return, it’ll be impossible to argue that the Miami Heat’s reported offers (which centered around Tyler Herro) were as good.
Of course, the Blazers will take a significant step back in the short term, but a young core with Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons and Ayton puts this team in solid shape for the future.

Notable Additions: Sasha Vezenkov, Chris Duarte, JaVale McGee
Notable Losses: Chimezie Metu, Richaun Holmes, Terence Davis
The Sacramento Kings’ approach to the offseason looks similar to Orlando and OKC’s, so you could probably argue they too deserve an A.
The only hesitation comes from the fact that Sacramento is another step or two down the developmental track and probably could’ve justified a splashier move.
Of course, there’s no guarantee such a move was out there, but it felt like Sacramento was primed to upgrade some minutes at the 3 or 4.
That could still happen if Keegan Murray takes a leap or 2023 EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov quickly adapts to the NBA, but even that might not be enough to join Denver and Phoenix as the West’s top contenders.

Notable Additions: Victor Wembanyama, Cedi Osman
Notable Losses: Keita Bates-Diop
You can quibble over the San Antonio Spurs being awarded an A+ for getting lucky in the lottery, but the fact of the matter is that they added Victor Wembanyama this summer.
After an absurdly entertaining and productive preseason, it looks like Wembanyama could make the Spurs competitive as early as this season.
In four exhibitions, Wemby averaged 30.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.4 blocks and 2.4 assists per 75 possessions.
Adding Wembanyama’s length, athleticism and skill to marginal improvements from the likes of Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Jeremy Sochan and Tre Jones gives San Antonio one of the best grades of the exercise.

Notable Additions: Dennis Schröder, Jalen McDaniels, Gradey Dick
Notable Losses: Fred VanVleet
Toronto’s 41-41 record in 2022-23 lagged well behind the expected wins their point differential suggested they should’ve reached. If you trust that differential more than wins and losses, Toronto’s offseason is probably fine with you.
If Scottie Barnes takes a meaningful step forward and Pascal Siakam and O.G. Anunoby maintain the level they were at last season, the Raptors could compete for a top-six spot, even after the loss of Fred VanVleet.
But that’s probably the best-case scenario. Missing the playoffs is in play, and Siakam is on an expiring contract. Anunoby has a player option for 2024-25. Losing both in free agency could make Toronto a 2025 free-agency player, but getting something for them in trades is a safer path.
Between now and the trade deadline, the Raptors might have to consider a rebuild that prioritizes shooting to surround Barnes.

Notable Additions: John Collins, Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh
Notable Losses: Rudy Gay
You could probably argue for a more aggressive rebuilding approach from Danny Ainge.
Given the way they played last season, there are surely teams around the league who’d give up real value for Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Oynyk.
But slow-playing this is probably fine, too.
Lauri Markkanen had a real All-NBA case in 2022-23. Walker Kessler was better than expected as a rookie. Taking on John Collins in a salary dump was a no-brainer, and Keyonte George may have enough talent to untangle the debate over who should be the starting point guard.
Taking the first few months of 2023-24 to see how mostly running it back looks is a viable, though maybe not inspiring, way forward.

Notable Additions: Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, Bilal Coulibaly, Landry Shamet, Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Notable Losses: Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porziņģis, Jordan Goodwin, Monte Morris
The 2023-24 Washington Wizards are probably going to be below .500. In fact, they might be a dozen or more games below .500.

But it was beyond time to move past the Beal era. And given the fact that his no-trade clause severely limited his trade market, Washington emerged from this offseason with some interesting young talents and a starting five that will push some good teams this season.
Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma is a top three that is, at the very least, interesting. Solid performances could make them trade targets for other teams around the league before February, and Washington may be able to add to its trove of assets for this rebuild.
Spending a little time with this group would probably be fine, too. Jones, Poole, Kuzma, Daniel Gafford and Corey Kispert are all under 30, and the roster features a couple of potential ceiling-raising forwards in Deni Avdija and Bilal Coulibaly.

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