Chicago Bulls

Additions: Isaiah Canaan, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jerian Grant, Robin Lopez, Rajon Rondo, Denzel Valentine, Dwyane Wade, Paul Zipser

Subtractions: Cameron Bairstow, Aaron Brooks, Mike Dunleavy, Pau Gasol, Justin Holiday, E’Twaun Moore, Joakim Noah, Derrick Rose

2016-17 Cap Space: None. Over Salary Floor. Under Luxury Tax.

2017-18 Maximum Cap Space: $58.7 million

Analysis: After missing the postseason following seven straight appearances, the Bulls made major changes to their roster. Mainstays Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Mike Dunleavy are gone. Pau Gasol is also out after two seasons in Chicago. Aaron Brooks and E’Twaun Moore, who both filled in often when Rose was injured, are off to new teams as well. 

In their places are a host of veterans. Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Canaan and Jerian Grant comprise the new backcourt. Robin Lopez moves into Noah’s spot in the middle. At the Draft, the Bulls added versatile guard/forward Denzel Valentine in the first round and project forward Paul Zipser in the second. Also at the Draft, the Bulls resisted trade offers from both Boston and Minnesota for Jimmy Butler, who is the new indisputable face of the franchise.

Essentially, Chicago is rebuilding on the fly around Butler this season. By adding veterans like Wade, Rondo and Lopez, the Bulls have signaled they intend to be playoff contenders. In addition to Butler, Chicago also returns Taj Gibson, who seems likely to be a full time starter for the first time since his rookie year, Nikola Mirotic, Doug McDermott and late season breakout player, Cristiano Felicio.

It is easier to project the addition of Lopez in the frontcourt than all of their backcourt additions. He’ll replace Noah and, to a large degree, Gasol, due to Noah’s missed time over the past two years. While Lopez isn’t the passer and ball handler Noah is, or the scorer that Gasol is, he should be a nice fit for the Bulls. He’s a good defensive player and rebounder. In addition, he sets great screens. For a team that projects to use a lot of pick and roll action, this is a key element to have. He’ll likely be joined by Gibson as a starter and Mirotic and Felicio off the bench. Chicago also has Bobby Portis in reserve and would like to carve out some minutes for him if they can. 

At small forward, the Bulls will feature Butler, who is shifting to the 3 after playing most of his minutes as a shooting guard the last few years. Without Rose in the fold, Chicago is firmly his team now. He was up the task the last couple of seasons and the Bulls are comfortable with him leading the franchise going forward. Butler will be backed up Doug McDermott. McDermott seemed to find himself in his sophomore year after a very uneven rookie campaign. He was especially good from behind the arc, shooting over 42 percent for the season. On a team that projects to have some shooting challenges, he’ll be relied on often. Behind both Butler and McDermott is Valentine. The Bulls love his versatility and willingness to pass the ball. It might be hard to get him on the court initially, but he’ll force his way into the rotation one way or another by midseason.

The backcourt will be entirely new from last year. Rondo and Wade certainly bring veteran experience, but they also bring potential issues as well. Everyone is making an issue of the lack of shooting from either player and that is certainly something to worry about, but a bigger issue is usage. Both Wade and Rondo are used to having the ball a lot, as is Butler. Given that neither Wade nor Rondo is much of a threat playing off the ball, Fred Hoiberg has his work cut out for himself building a balanced offense. One thing working in the Bulls’ favor is that the bigs aren’t the type of players who general need the ball very often. This should allow them some leeway to let the guards do most of the heavy lifting on offense.

Behind the new starters are Canaan and Grant. These two are a fun match as a backup backcourt, as Canaan has point guard size and a shooting guard’s game and vice versa for Grant. Canaan will be asked to provide shooting when he’s in the game and he should be up to the task as a 36% shooter over three NBA seasons. Chicago hopes Grant develops into the big point guard that the Knicks wanted when they drafted him last year. He should see some opportunity to play in a slightly less stressful environment this year.

Offseason Grade: B-. The Bulls chose to move on from a cast of players who had taken the team as far as they could. Rose is finally entering his final year of the giant contract Chicago gave him after early success. But after years of not seeing him on the floor consistently, it was the right thing for Chicago to trade him. The challenge for the Bulls is the fit of the new players is a little off. And Rondo and Wade have to play better defense this season than in the recent past if Chicago hopes to get to the postseason. More importantly, both players have to recognize they can't command their typically big share of the ball and cede that responsibility to Butler. 

Long-term Grade: B. Butler is signed to one of the more team friendly deals in the league as a byproduct of the maximum salary under the smaller cap. Lopez’s contract looks great when you consider his production in comparison to some of the players who signed larger deals this summer. After those two, the only guaranteed money on the books belongs to players on rookie deals and a Player Option that Wade could pick up. Having that sort of flexibility is good for a team that may ultimately need to make other moves next summer to find better fitting pieces.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Additions: Chris Andersen, Mike Dunleavy, Kay Felder, Cory Jefferson, DeAndre Liggins

Subtractions: Matthew Dellavedova, Dahntay Jones, Sasha Kaun, Timofey Mozgov

2016-17 Cap Space: None. $4.2 million over Luxury Tax.

2017-18 Maximum Cap Space: None. $14.4 million over 

Analysis: Coming off the first championship in franchise history, the Cavaliers are playing with house money to some extent. The intention all along was to bring back most of the team for another run at a title, while also trying to supplement them with a couple of pickups in the offseason. The Cavs more or less hit on both of those goals. 

The biggest signing of the summer for Cleveland was to bring back LeBron James. This was thought to be a given, but anytime a player of James’ caliber is a free agent there can be some nervous moments. The Cavaliers and James erased that for the near future by agreeing to a three-year deal that should keep him in Cleveland for most of the rest of his career. 

Besides keeping James home, the Cavs convinced Richard Jefferson to not retire and keep playing. After becoming a key cog in the title run, Jefferson signed for two more guaranteed seasons and a third non-guaranteed year. He should give the Cavs some veteran productivity off their bench for at least another year or two. 

The last free agent that Cleveland is attempting to retain is J.R. Smith. As of this writing, Smith has not signed a new deal with the Cavaliers, but with most jobs and money gone around the league it is widely expected Smith and the Cavs will get something done. And none of that is to mention that LeBron quite publicly wants him back, which is probably the biggest factor of them all. 

Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson all return to round out the starting five. And Channing Frye and Iman Shumpert will reprise their roles off the bench for Cleveland. That type of continuity is prized by champions, as integrating new players can be a difficult and time consuming process. 

For all of the key returnees, the Cavs did lose two solid role players from last season in Matthew Dellavedova and Timofey Mozgov. Dellavedova wanted a bigger role and a chance to start and the Cavs worked out a deal to send him to Milwaukee, while creating a Trade Exception to acquire Mike Dunleavy. Dellavedova’s loss could be harmful as the Cavaliers have no solid backup option at point guard behind Irving, with Mo Williams expected to retire. In addition, Dellavedova was able to play beside Irving and take on the more difficult defensive matchups. 

Mozgov’s loss will be felt less so, as he was largely out of the rotation by the end of last season. After emerging as a key cog when the Cavaliers made a run in 2014-15, Mozgov wasn’t fully healthy all year and struggled to fit in as well last year. When the Lakers came calling with a large offer, Cleveland was content to let Mozgov move on. 

The additions are Chris Andersen who will fill the 4th big role, and Dunleavy who will provide veteran insurance on the wing. Andersen will likely only play on nights when Cleveland faces a big frontline and doesn’t want to play James at power forward for many minutes. Dunleavy, on the other hand, will be asked to help ease minutes for James, Jefferson and Smith. He’ll be a nice option on the second night of a back-to-back set and when the Cavs need rest. 

The last player to keep an eye on is Kay Felder. The Cavs added the diminutive scoring point in the second round of the draft. Given the current lack of a backup behind Irving, Felder could be asked to give the Cavs minutes right away. He was impressive as a scorer in Summer League, but has a long way to go before he’s ready to run a team. 

Offseason Grade: C. With no major additions and potentially a costly loss in Dellavedova, the Cavs had a fairly unremarkable offseason. They essentially did most of what they had to. And that isn’t a bad thing when you’re the champs.

Long-term Grade: A. LeBron James is now signed for at least the next two seasons. Irving, Love and Thompson are all signed for several more years as well. And the expectation is that Smith will be signed to a nice deal also. The Cavaliers have a core that should still be productive for years to come and they’ll always be able to add veterans who want to join a contender. And contenders are exactly what the Cavs will be for the foreseeable future.

Detroit Pistons

Additions: Henry Ellenson, Michael Gbinije, Jon Leuer, Boban Marjanovic, Ish Smith

Subtractions: Joel Anthony, Steve Blake, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jodie Meeks, Anthony Tolliver

2016-17 Cap Space: None. Over Salary Floor. Under Luxury Tax.

2017-18 Maximum Cap Space: $7.8million

Analysis: The Detroit Pistons' goals for the summer were: retain star center Andre Drummond, add quality backups behind their solid starting five and to add some additional shooting. Check, check and maybe check. 

Drummond agreed not to sign a maximum extension last offseason to allow the Pistons to take advantage of his small cap hold. This strategy worked perfectly. Drummond still got maxed out and the Pistons were able to add talent to the roster. Drummond is only 23 years old and he’s a budding All-Star. He’s one of the best rim protectors and rebounders in the league and his offensive game is starting to come along as well. He’s a good match with the rest of his teammates on both ends of the floor and the Pistons are happy to have him, no matter the cost, moving forward. 

As for adding depth, Detroit added several players who should be part of the rotation right away. Ish Smith will give the Pistons better backup play than they got from Steve Blake. Smith is good in the pick and roll and can create his own offense as well. When the Detroit had to rest Reggie Jackson the last couple of years, the offense would often fall apart. There shouldn’t be quite as stark of a difference this season.

Jon Leuer gives the Pistons a different look from their two starting forwards, Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris. Leuer is essentially a shooting specialist. He’ll spot up around the perimeter and play off his teammates. Too many times last year the Pistons were forced to kick the ball outside and didn’t have a viable option. Leuer should change that. Leuer’s addition will also allow first round pick Henry Ellenson to develop slowly. Ellenson is a perimeter oriented big as well, but he showed in Summer League that he needs lots of work on both ends before he’s ready to contribute to a rotation in the NBA.

Going into the summer, upgrading the backup center spot was something the Pistons wanted to do, given the disappointing season Aron Baynes had. Boban Marjanovic, who flashed in limited minutes with the Spurs, was brought in to fill that role. He’s a massive individual who actually moves fairly well for a player of his size. In addition, Baynes went on to have a very impressive performance for Australia in the Olympics. What was once a questionable spot behind Drummond, is now one of the deeper rotations in the league.

The Pistons didn’t do much to upgrade on the wing. Michael Gbinije will spend most of his year in the D-League as he’s a project player right now. But the main reason the Pistons didn’t have to upgrade on the wing is an abundance of depth. Harris and Morris are virtually interchangeable at the 3/4 spots. Morris is a poor man’s Draymond Green in that he’s a good rebounder, passer and ball handler for a player his size. Harris can handle the scoring load for the forwards and is also a better than average rebounder. 

The other two main wings are youngsters Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Stanley Johnson. Caldwell-Pope is already an established up and comer who is a terrific defender and good outside shooter. He’s a notch below Klay Thompson in the pecking order of two-way shooting guards. Behind KCP the Pistons are very excited about Stanley Johnson. They love his work ethic and his ability to defend 1-3 in the NBA. He’s also working very hard on his offensive game to become a threat on that end of the floor as well. Everyone from Detroit that you talked to at Summer League raved about Johnson, who begged the Pistons to allow him to play and never wanted to come off the floor. Detroit also likes Reggie Bullock’s ability as a shooter and he could force his way in to the rotation if he can provide that skill. 

Jackson returns at point guard and has developed in to one of the better offensive points in the league. He’s been a scoring threat since coming into the NBA and continues to improve his playmaking skills. Having a quality backup in Smith should allow Jackson to stay fresh deep into the season and the playoffs.

Offseason Grade: B+. The Pistons accomplished all of their goals, minus maybe adding another shooter. Each of the players they lost is of almost no consequence and was upgraded in the rotation by a new addition. After acquiring Harris at the Trade Deadline, Stan Van Gundy said he was basically the big offseason addition, just earlier than expected. By also adding quality depth to fill out a 10-man rotation, Detroit had a very good summer.

Long-term Grade: C. Despite looking good for this season, the Pistons long term outlook isn’t quite as rosy. Having Drummond locked in for the next five years is terrific. Having over $56 million committed to Leuer, Smith and Marjanovic isn’t as great. And Caldwell-Pope is extension eligible this summer as well. The pieces Detroit has are good, but they aren’t championship level. The flexibility to add pieces is somewhat limited going forward as well. 

Indiana Pacers

Additions: Aaron Brooks, Jeremy Evans, Al Jefferson, Georges Niang, Kevin Seraphin, Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young

Subtractions: George Hill, Jordan Hill, Solomon Hill, Ty Lawson, Ian Mahinmi, Shayne Whittington

2016-17 Cap Space: $2.7 million. Over Salary Floor. Under Luxury Tax

2017-18 Maximum Cap Space: $40.6 million

Analysis: In attempt to get back to contender status, the Pacers underwent a fairly dramatic transformation. First, Frank Vogel was fired. While thanking Vogel for all he did, Larry Bird expressed a desire for the team to play at a faster pace and to be better offensively. The team then hired Nate McMillan, whose Trail Blazers teams played a slow paced style and didn’t get as much out of several good offensive players as they could have. That isn’t to say McMillan isn’t a good coach, because he is. It just seems a curious hire given Bird’s stated goals. 

On the court, the Pacers are replacing long time starting point guard George Hill with Jeff Teague. Hill excelled at knowing his place in the Pacers’ offensive hierarchy. First, he was behind Danny Granger and Paul George, then George, Lance Stephenson and David West, and last year George and Monta Ellis. Hill would get the Pacers into their offensive sets and find a place to spot up. Over the years, he has become a very respectable three-point shooter, including over 40 percent last season. Hill also provided solid defense, often taken on the tougher backcourt matchup last season, as Ellis is far from a solid defender. 

Teague comes in as a completely different style of point guard. He needs the ball in his hands to be successful, which is a major departure for Indiana. With George and Ellis both also very high usage players, it will be interesting to see how McMillan integrates his three perimeter options. Defensively, Teague and Hill are close to a wash, with Hill having a slight advantage.

The other starter moving on is Ian Mahinmi. Vogel’s defensive system revolves on having a big man who can protect the rim and the other players funneling drivers towards him. Mahinmi, in a starting role for the first time, was very good at playing this role. He also provided solid rebounding and was a good screen setter. He’s been functionally replaced in the starting lineup by second year player Myles Turner. Turner can provide a lot of the rim protection that Mahinmi gave Indiana and he’s a far more versatile offensive player. Turner is a new age stretch 5 who can block shots and rebound on one end and step out and hit threes on the other. The Pacers are excited to have him in the fold and his potential going forward.

Actually replacing Mahinmi in the lineup, as Turner shifts over to center from power forward, is new addition Thaddeus Young. The Pacers traded their first round pick to the Nets to acquire Young, who fits with the desire to play an up tempo style of offense. Young is at his best when he can get out and run the floor. He has some range, but is at his best when he can slash to the rim and finish inside. He should have plenty of opportunity playing off George, Teague and Ellis.

To stabilize their backup center position and to provide bench scoring, the Pacers added Al Jefferson. Jefferson’s days of giving a team 20 and 10 as a starter are over, but he should be a nice weapon off the bench for Indiana. He can still score inside and going against backup centers, the team can minimize his weaknesses defensively while maximizing his offensive output. In addition, with playing fewer minutes and not having to carry the load inside, Jefferson may stay healthier than recent seasons. Lavoy Allen and recent addition Kevin Seraphin add additional depth for Indiana up front.

The Pacers also added Aaron Brooks to give them a steady backup and some shooting off the bench. He’ll combine with Rodney Stuckey and C.J. Miles to make up the reserve rotation on the perimeter. All three players can score and/or shoot and are best served to fill backup spots at this point in their careers. One underrated loss on the perimeter for the Pacers is Solomon Hill, who had his Rookie Scale option declined. Declining a Rookie Scale option is almost a never good idea, because if the player develops later than expected, it can come back to bite you. This is the case with Hill. After not showing much his first two years, he developed into a good rotation option for Indiana and he’ll be missed. 

2016-17 Grade: C+. Despite all their new additions, it seems unlikely the Pacers will see much difference in the Win/Loss column. Teague is a good player, but his fit alongside George and Ellis is odd, especially when Hill filled that role so well. Young is a nice addition, but losing Mahinmi is a downgrade defensively. Jefferson provides some bench scoring, but he’ll have to prove he can stay healthy all year. Losing Solomon Hill also can’t be understated as the Pacers depth on the wing took a hit with his departure. All around, Indiana shuffled the deck chairs, but the fits may not be as good this year as years past. 

Long-term Grade: C-. The means for improvement for Indiana are there, but it would likely come at the cost of moving on from rotation pieces. George is a superstar who seems like he’s back in full health and that is great news for Indiana. Beyond him, only Myles Turner is locked up for the next few years on a good contract. Both Ellis and Young’s deals are somewhat questionable given the roles both play and that they are both likely better suited to be reserves going forward. If Teague performs well, he’ll command a big contract this summer which will use up most of the Pacers cap space. And because they’ve traded off other draft picks over the years, Turner is the only young player of consequence on the roster. The Pacers are a good team, but not at championship level and there isn’t a clear path to see them getting there either.

Milwaukee Bucks

Additions: Malcolm Brogdon, Matthew Dellavedova, Thon Maker, Mirza Teletovic, Jason Terry

Subtractions: Jerryd Bayless, Damian Inglis, O.J. Mayo, Johnny O’Bryant, Greivis Vasquez

2016-17 Cap Space: None. Over Salary Floor. Under Luxury Tax.

2017-18 Maximum Cap Space: $35.5 million 

Analysis: After a surprising jump to the playoffs two seasons ago, the Bucks dropped back last year. With a round of smart free agent additions and exciting draftees, Milwaukee appears poised to get back in the postseason mix once again. The players leaving Milwaukee, outside of Jerryd Bayless, played little role in the Bucks’ success. Each new addition is an upgrade in almost every way. 

First up is the addition of Matthew Dellavedova to take over the starting point guard job. He’s an almost perfect fit with the Bucks’ current personnel. If Milwaukee intends to continue with Giannis Antetokounmpo in the “Point Giannis” role, they need a PG with him that can defend other points and provide some shooting from the position. Enter Dellavedova who can do both of those things. He’s also a capable ball handler and passer who can run the offense when Antetokounmpo needs a break. And the contract Milwaukee got him on is more than fair, given the cap environment this summer. 

Behind Dellavedova will be new addition Jason Terry and holdover Michael Carter-Williams. Terry gives Milwaukee veteran presence in the backcourt and additional shooting. Carter-Williams wasn’t a great fit with the starting lineup, but should be able to continue his development in a reserve role. The Bucks still love his potential and believe he can be a rotation player on a playoff team. All three of Dellavedova, Terry and Carter-Williams are upgrades over Bayless (despite him actually playing fairly well), O.J. Mayo and Greivis Vasquez (who wasn’t healthy enough to contribute for Milwaukee). 

At the shooting guard spot, the Bucks have one of the league’s best bargains in Khris Middleton. He’s a two-way player with excellent size that can score the ball and lock down opposing wings. He’s also continually improving as a ball handler and rebounder as well. Behind Middleton, Terry will play some shooting guard minutes, as he’s more shooter than playmaker at this point in his career. Rashad Vaughn is also there, but he was a disappointment as a rookie. The Bucks hope with a year of seasoning under his belt, he’ll step up this year and give them shooting off the bench.

Up front, Milwaukee was lacking shooting from their bigs. Antetokounmpo is best with the ball in his hands and attacking the rim. Jabari Parker is a mid-range weapon, who also excels off the dribble. Miles Plumlee and John Henson are only scoring when at the basket. And Greg Monroe is best when he’s in the post. The Bucks solved this weakness by adding one of the best stretch 4s in free agency in Mirza Teletovic. Teletovic gives Milwaukee something that none of their other bigs can by drawing defenders away from the basket. This should open up driving lanes for Antetokounmpo, Parker and Middleton. And it will give Monroe room to operate inside as well. Steve Novak was also re-signed to give Milwaukee another big that can shoot off the bench. 

At the Draft, Milwaukee pulled a stunner and selected teenager Thon Maker. Maker is another long, athletic player in the mold of Antetokounmpo. At Summer League he excelled by running the floor, hitting the boards and making hustle plays. That environment is perfect for that type of player, but plenty of guys have found a role in the league by doing the same thing. Malcolm Brogdon was added in the second round, and a lot of people liked his game coming out of Virginia. He’s a tough minded kid who gets after it on both ends of the floor. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him play more of a role in Milwaukee this year, while Maker is brought along slowly.

2016-17 Grade: A-. The Bucks had an almost perfect offseason for a small market team. They filled all their holes and lost no impact players. The only blemish was finding a taker for Greg Monroe. The big rotation is a little crowded with Antetokounmpo, Parker, Henson, Plumlee, Teletovic, Monroe and possibly Maker all deserving minutes. Swapping Monroe for a depth piece on the wing would have made it a perfect offseason in Milwaukee. Of course, many loved their moves last summer as well, so it will have to play out on the court.

Long-term Grade: A. With young talent, good contracts and future flexibility across the board, the Bucks have one of the brightest futures in the entire NBA. Antetokounmpo is eligible for an extension and Milwaukee won’t blink at handing him a max contract. They may use his relatively small cap hold to preserve space, similar to Detroit’s approach with Andre Drummond this summer. Michael Carter-Williams is less of a sure thing, but if he shows improvement, he’ll be in line for a new deal as well. Monroe can opt out and may move on to a new team for more playing time. That would help with the crowded rotation and free up even more cap space. Things in Milwaukee haven’t looked this good in decades.